Rachel and the ‘Diva issue’ - DIRECT LINE by Boy Abunda

Rachel Alejandro is in the eye of the storm because of an honest opinion she said when asked about what she thought about Divas. Among other things, she said that the title "Diva" is pang matanda and that she didn’t like titles. Rachel is a talented singer, composer, dancer. She’s a feisty young woman who’s not afraid to speak her mind. And to me, that’s not a problem. And I somehow agree with the bare essential of what Rachel was trying to say. "Matanda" is perhaps hurtful but it is true. It is true that you cannot sing your first song and be called a Diva, a title that has been trivialized by people in showbiz.

A diva refers to a prima donna, a celebrated opera singer. As Kris Aquino would say. "It is a title that is earned." You cannot just pluck it off some billboard and attach it to a fledgling singer who has not even heard of Billy Holiday. When Streisand and company have become bigger than their pop thrones, music writers would refer to them as divas, not as an aberration to the title but more of a tribute to their awesome body of work – pop they may be. When people started calling Kuh Ledesma Pop Diva, no one seemed to protest or when the feisty Celeste Legaspi would be referred to as a formidable Diva, no one ranted.

Rachel is right. Today, anyone who can carry a tune or miscarry a note can be called a Diva. Enough is enough. The title has been butchered like the foul smelling mad cows of Europe. And when Rachel said it, who said ouch. Look around!

Anyway, after a short absence from the recording scene, Rachel returns with an album under Viva Records. Dubbed as Tanging Pangarap, the album documents 12 tracks that represent Rachel’s journey towards full pledged maturity and self-rediscovery. Not necessarily Diva-dom.

Rachel has finally established a good balance between her career and personal life and this according to her, is what makes her very happy today.

Tanging Pangarap, as Rachel describes it, is basically theme oriented and lyric driven. The entire album talks about relationships and the idea of being true to oneself. "We must not be afraid to cry if we are sad and we should not be hesitant to laugh it we are happy," says Rachel.

The album also talks about leap of faith and the gamble that a person takes when he expresses his true feelings. The carrier single of the same title talks about the hesitance of a girl to confess her real feelings to the man she loves. Another song, celebrates the triumph of love (High On The Love) and Be Free To Be In Love explains how freedom and love should go together.

Since this is a Rachel Alejandro album, music aficionados can also expect a certain amount of mainstream flavoring for commercial viability.

Tanging Pangarap is available in CDs and cassettes in all leading record bars everywhere.

Make way for 8-OM

Summer is here and it’s hot! A group of fresh, talented and cool artists is just what we need to beat the heat. 8-OM is the newest boy band to rock the local music scene. 8-OM offers a blend of pop, rock, hip-hop, and soul making their repertoire one of the most eclectic in the industry today. Adding up to this are their cool and highly charged moves.

Owen, Stephen, Cholo, Fort and Jeff are not only cuties but they are also certified music buffs and they describe music as a major passion.

Prior to the formation of 8-OM, Cholo, Owen and Stephen were hitting it in several TV commercials and print ads. The boys are also into theater. Jeff is a fellow at the Gantimpala Theater Foundation while Cholo and Stephen come from Tanghalang Pilipino. The group acquired the discipline of the theater – which actually spells the difference.

Their debut album will be released in summer and you guys better be cool!

Introducing Teenhearts

Teenhearts is the latest addition to the stellar line-up of artists from Istilo Records of Star Records. The group is composed of four 16-year-old young ladies namely Aisha, Jaybee, Donna and Marielle. Teenhearts reminds us of the defunct girl band Tangerine. The only difference is that the group has inherent Pinoy aesthetics, making them commercially viable to the mainstream Filipino market.

Larry Hermoso, the man behind the bands Jeremiah and Formula, formed the group. Teenhearts self-titled debut album centers on 12 tracks that explore the wonderful feeling of being in love and the world beyond.

Two of the album’s singles are particularly interesting, Di Ko Kaya and Ikaw Lang. Di Ko Kaya is currently enjoying a considerable amount of airplay on Manila’s hottest radio shows.