Rachelle’s time has come

Singing champions are now getting to be a dime a dozen. Still, if you put aside all the shouting that passes for vocal histrionics, this phenomenon is something that we should all be grateful for. This is because we are now listening to kids who can really sing. If the singing champs were not around, we would be woefully stuck with Spagheti and Otso-otso or the usual pretty faces from television agonizing over a tune. So count these blessings. These singing champions are going to be around for quite a while and we can be truly proud of them.

The latest to release an album is Rachelle Ann Go, the 17-year-old San Beda student who was named winner in the Search for a Star contest on television last March. Rachelle bested nine other finalists with her rendition of Mariah Carey’s Through the Rain. She won P1 M and was signed to a contract with the Viva Entertainment group. That means, talent management, motion pictures, television, etc. etc. and most important of all, what every singer dreams of, a recording contract.

After only four months, her first album, titled Rachelle Ann Go was released into the market last July 27. Audience response has been enthusiastic and lots of times admiring. Now fast nearing the Gold Record mark after less than two weeks in the stores, it can already be safely said that Rachelle Ann debut might just turn out to be one of the biggest hits of the year.

It is Rachelle Ann’s natural R&B groove that holds the album together into one cohesive whole. Then there is her impressive vocal range and her voice, that remains true to every note and full even when reaching for the high C’s. When You Find Your Voice, an inspiring anthem gets the album off to a soaring start. Then to end the collection, there is the song that started it all for Rachelle Ann, the Mariah Carey hit Through the Rain.

In between is a line-up of originals and covers that are all potential hit singles. First at bat and serving to fuel the initial sales of the album is Rachelle Ann’s version of the Peter Allen classic Don’t Cry Out Loud. Allen was the Australian artist who is the subject of the Broadway musical The Boy from Oz, that stars Hugh Jackman without the Wolverine claws. Allen was Liza Minnelli’s first husband. Then there is also the Jay Durias composition originally recorded by South Border, Love of My Life. It was also Durias who arranged and produced and even performed the back-up vocals for Rachelle’s recording of this song.

The others included are From the Start and Stay in Love with You, two new ballads composed by the sure-hit wonder Vehnee Saturno; Love Won’t Let Us Be, by newcomer Melvin Morallos, Here I Am and the hip hop dance cut Give It All, both composed and produced by Jimmy Antiporda. Kung Alam Mo Lang, the only Tagalog song in the album is by Arthur Madrigal. Rachelle Ann’s personal pick for her first CD is Dreaming of You, the first recording in English by the tragic Tejano pop star Selena. She also does her own version of the Neil Sedaka hit tune from the ’70s, Solitaire.

One of the highlights of the album is the bittersweet ballad We Wanted It All. Also composed by Peter Allen who died from AIDS a few years ago, the song is performed as a duet by Rachelle Ann and the fast-rising Christian Bautista. These two score well on when singing on their own. Bautista’s current hits are The Way You Look at Me and Hands to Heaven. They are dynamite though when singing together. Catch their duet of We Wanted It All live at the repeat of the Night of the Champions show at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Aug. 13.

Those of you who want to find out more about Rachelle Ann can take note of her mall tour schedule this August and September during which she will perform songs from her album. She will be at SM Bicutan on Aug. 15; SM Centerpoint on Aug. 21; SM Manila on Aug. 22; SM Sucat on Aug. 29; SM North EDSA on Sept. 4; and SM Bacoor on Sept. 5. After this she will be off to the US for the continuing tour of the Night of the Champions show.