Selena in revival mode

Wholesome overload is the only reason I can think of whenever I see former Disney princesses showing how much they have grown up by ditching their clothes. We all saw how Miley Cyrus, the erstwhile Hannah Montana did it. So did Vanessa Hudgens of High

School Musical and in some forgettable movie at that. And now here comes Selena Gomez, former Barney co-star and the sensation from Wizards of Waverly Place, on the cover of her latest album Revival. It seems like they want so badly to get out of the Disney mold.

It is a good thing that the album has nothing to do with the religious gathering commonly associated with the word, revival, because Selena is displayed in it in her naked glory. Well, half-naked really because she is wearing black panties. And that is all. This is a new Selena in a rebel mood. Come to think of it. Didn’t Miley strip after she broke up with boyfriend Liam Hemsworth? Didn’t Vanessa do it after her relationship with Zac Efron ended? And now here is Selena, postJustin Bieber. These two kids would have made a really formidable couple had they stayed together. Something like a young version of Jay-Z and Beyoncé with the way they sell out concert tickets

and album releases.

By the way, we will soon get to find out how much Selena is willing to reveal on stage when she comes to town for her very first Manila concert. She will be bringing her Revival show to the Mall of Asia Arena on July 31. Tickets to the show will be on sale beginning April 16.

Revival has a Selena who looks beautiful, very sexy and the picture is certainly in keeping with her new sensual, scintillating kind of music. Eat your heart out, Justin. This is her fifth album release. Her previous ones were Kiss And Tell, Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, A Year Without Rain, When The Sun Goes Down, Stars Dance and For You. The latter is a greatest hit collection which chronicles her growth as a singer beginning with her first hit Falling Down and on to Round And Round, Who Says, Come And Get It, Slow Down, The Heart Wants What It Wants and others.

Revival has a grown-up 23-yearold Selena with lower, huskier tones exploring assorted rhythms, pop, hiphop, electropop and others. Her fans obviously love the change because the album has already produced three hit singles, Good For You, featuring A$AP Rocky, Some Old Love and Hands To Myself. I will not be surprised if either

Me And The Rhythm or Nobody’s Perfect will soon follow suit as her new big seller. Check the album out. Better yet if you can get a copy of the LP edition, where Selena is on display in 12-by-12 inch pictures.

Meanwhile, the times must be changing and there are new interesting names in the Billboard hit charts this week. Foremost among them is Zayn Malik who only a year ago was part of the boy band One Direction. He seems to be doing very well solo and proof is that his first album release out of the group, Mind Of Mine is No. 1 this week. Here are the Top 20 albums.

Mind Of Mine by Zayn; More Issues Than Vogue

by K. Michelle; ANTI by Rihanna; Purpose by Justin; 25 by Adele; Blurryface by twentyone pilots; Shine Season by Young Thug; Traveller by Chris Stapleton; The

Block by Asking Alexandra; Beauty Behind The Madness

by The Weeknd; Islah by Kevin Gates; Blues Of Desperation by Joe Bonamassa;

TRAPSOUL by Bryson Teller; When It’s Dark Out

by G-Eazy; What I’m Feeling by Anthony Hamilton;

This Is Acting by Sia; This Is What The Truth Feels Like

by Gwen Stefani; Hymns by Joey & Rory; Jomsviking by

Amon Amarth; and Hamilton,

by the original Broadway cast. The Top 20 songs in the

Hot 100 are: Work by Rihanna featuring Drake; 7 Years by Lukas Graham; No by Meghan Trainor; Pillowtalk by Zayn; Love Yourself by Justin; My House by Flo Rida; Stressed Out by twentyone pilots; Me, Myself & I by G-Eazy X Bebe Rexha; I

Took A Pill In Ibiza by Mike Posner; Work From Home by 5th Harmony feat. Ty Gallagher; Cake By The Ocean by DANCE; Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande; Sorry by Justin; Panda by Desilgner; Never Forget You by Zara Larsson & MNEK; One Call Away by Charlie Puth;

Hands To Myself by Selena; 2 Phones by Kevin Gates; Hello by Adele; and Roses by The Chainsmokers feat. Rozes.