The rocker in Rachelle Ann

Search for a Star champion Rachelle Ann Go was one of the top winners at the recent MYX Music Awards 2008. She bagged two trophies, one for Pag-ibig Na Kaya her duet with Christian Bautista as Best Collaboration and another for Alam Ng Ating Mga Puso, one of the cuts in her last album Obsession for Best Mellow Video. This is actually her second win in the Best Mellow Video category. She also won the same for From the Start, one of her big hits, two years ago.

But right after she had established that she has a large, devoted following for her mellow love songs, Rachelle Ann turned around and came up with an album of hard-hitting rock ballads. This is a complete turn-around and total surprise, for while she is often expected to do birit R&B like Mariah Carey or Alicia Keys, Rachelle Ann has never been identified with rock. But she has also never backed off from a challenge and when the opportunity to record a CD of rock classics came her way, she proved that she could also rock and finished the job with flying colors.

Rachelle Ann Rocks Live was filmed and recorded in one single evening at 19 East in Parañaque. It was no mean feat, getting up before an audience and singing songs she has never performed before in a new style but Rachelle Ann did a great job. Of course she got a lot of support from some of the top names in the music business today who helped her get into this rock mode.

The CD was produced by Alwyn Cruz and mixed and mastered by Luca Vittori. Top young drummer Nino Regalado is the musical director, who also arranged all the songs. The featured band is made up of Noel Mendez on first guitar; Janno Queyquep on second guitar; Monet Silvestre on first keyboard; Jay Agustin on second keyboard; Soc Mina on bass and Regalado on drums while the back-up vocals are provided by Sushi Reyes, Cecile Aurellado, Manolo Tanquilut and Zebedee Zuñiga of Opera.

And take a look at the songs included. All of them are rockers very close to the Pinoy’s heart. There are Honestly by Harem Scarem, which is the first single release; No Rain by Blind Melon; I Just Can’t Let Go by David Pack; The Search is Over by Survivor; This Ain’t a Love Song by Bon Jovi; Cryin’ by Aerosmith; That’s What Love is For by Amy Grant; When You Love Someone by Bryan Adams; Someone by the Rembrandts; Can’t Cry Hard Enough by the Williams Brothers; Can’t Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon; I Ain’t Missing You at All by John Waite; and 2 Steps Behind by Def Leppard.

Viva Mall Invasion

Check out YES FM’s big summer sales binge for 2008. This is the Viva Mall Invasion, a whole day sale of OPM CDs, VCDs and DVDs with discounts of as much as 50 percent. Sponsored by Skechers Time, Met-Tathione, SM Supermalls and Sta. Lucia East Grandmall with the Manila Bulletin and Sugar Sugar as media partners, Viva Mall Invasion seeks to promote original Filipino music and to put a stop to music piracy by offering albums at affordable prices.

The event kicked off at SM North EDSA last April 5 followed by SM Fairview on April 6. Upcoming dates are April 12 at Sta. Lucia East Grandmall; April 13 at SM Marilao; April 19 at SM Sta. Rosa; and April 26 at SM Taytay. Set to perform are Viva music stars, Claire dela Fuente, Mark Bautista; Nikki Bacolod, The Cercados, Blue Ketchup, Mayonnaise and Rachelle Ann Go, who performs cuts from her live rock album.

Top 20 titles on MYX

And now from MYX, the music channel for the sound and sight of My MYX, My Music, here are the Top 20 titles in the MYX Pinoy Countdown of top videos for the current week. These are Susundan by Callalily; Aaminin by 6Cyclemind; Pasubali by Sponge Cola; Migraine by Moonstar 88; Just Once by Jaya; Under Repair by Imago; Evidence by Urbandub; Procrastinator by Sandwich; Monobloc by Pupil; Princesa by Itchyworms.

Sana by Kenyo; Maskara by Rivermaya; I Don’t Want You to Go by Kyla; I’ll Be Over You by Mark Bautista; How Do I Live by Jennylyn Mercado and Janno Gibbs; I’ll Find Your Heart by Sam Concepcion; Malay Mo by Southwind; Sayang Na Sayang by Sheryn Regis; Superstar by RJ JMNZ; and Love Song by Nancy Jane.