It’s Awit’s turn to hand out awards

Will Rachelle Ann Go score her first Awit trophy tomorrow? The 19-year-old singing champion made a big killing at the recent MYX Music Awards by winning in the Favorite Female Artist and Favorite Mellow Video categories for her song From the Start. She already has one Favorite Female Artist award from MTV Pilipinas. So how will she fare at the Awit? We will have the answer when the winners of the 19th Awit Awards are announced tomorrow at the Casino Filipino Theater on Sucat Road in Parañaque City.

Rachelle Ann is nominated for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist for her hit single If You Walk Away. She is up against veterans Regine Velasquez for Shine and Ella May Saison for Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin, the mellow Nina for her breakthrough recording of Love Moves in Mysterious Ways and sweet rocker Barbie Almalbis’ Just a Smile. I do not know how voting at the Awit Awards works or how much of a percentage do text votes have but I would love to find out if Rachelle Ann’s luck holds up at the Awit.

Another category I am curious about is the Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist. The Awit nominated Gary Valenciano for three recordings, Ikaw Lamang, Break Me and Lipad ng Pangarap. The other nominees are Martin Nievera for Hanggang Langit and Jed Madela for Forever Blue. With three turns at the bat, it is almost a sure thing that Gary will win this one. That is unless some lucky star comes out to shine brightly on Martin or Jed.

It must have been a big dilemma picking out the nominees for the Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist but the Awit people were gutsy enough to include Anton Diva among them. As most of you already know, Anton is male but he sounds like Regine. He would have been in his element among New Female Recording Artist nominees April for Stay Real, Nikki Gil for Sakayan ng Jeep, Angeli Mae for Sabi Mo Lang Pala, Karel Marquez for Pangarap and Maoui David for One Last Cry.

But although Anton looks and sounds like a pretty girl, he was born male and is now up against OJ Mariano for Maghihintay Sa ‘Yo, Jerome Sala for One in a Million, DK Tijam for I Still Love You and Michael Cruz for Crazy for You. So are we going to get a Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist winner who sounds female? Abangan.

There is still no word if the Awit will be aired live on TV tomorrow or if a telecast has been scheduled for a later date. I hope there is and those who will not be able to make it to the Casino Filipino should make sure they watch it on TV. The Awit is the local music industry award and that makes it the Filipino counterpart of the Grammys. Despite some lackluster showings in the past, it definitely deserves everybody’s support.

Aside from finding out who will win the Awit, in store for the audience will be the presence of host and presenters Karylle, Parokya ni Edgar, Rico Robles, Barbie Almalbis, Rachelle Ann Go, Sugarfree, Itchy Worms, Kitchie Nadal, Ely Buendia, April and Artstrong, plus MTV VJ’s KC Montero, Mark Abaya and Cindy Kurleto. There will of course be performances by Urbandub, Jed Madela, Top Suzara, Sandwich, Hale, Pupil, Bamboo, Dicta License, The Dawn, Orange & Lemons, Stone Free, Martin Nievera, Juris & Chin of M.Y.M.P., Gary Valenciano, 6Cyclemind, Sitti and the Philippine Youth Symphonic Band.

Best Filipino Songs

From the mail, another Best Filipino Songs list. A recent item in this column about the most beautiful Filipino song ever written brought this reaction from Val Bacani of Makati City. "I am a regular reader of The Philippine STAR and your articles. If you don’t mind, I hope you can find the space to print my list of Best Filipino Songs."

Thanks for writing, Val. And thanks for reading The Philippine STAR.

Here is your list: 1) Bayan Ko by Freddie Aguilar; 2) Never Ever Say Goodbye by Nonoy Zuñiga; 3) Farewell by Raymond Lauchengco ; 4) Sana’y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan by Sharon Cuneta; 5) Sana’y Maulit Muli by Gary Valenciano; 6) Iduyan Mo by Basil Valdez; 7) Maging Sino Ka Man by Rey Valera; 8) Habang May Buhay by Afterimage; 9) Hindi Kita Malilimutan by Basil Valdez and 10) Pagdating ng Panahon by Aiza Seguerra.