It looks like the search is still not over for Rachelle Ann Go. The Filipina singer certainly dropped a few hints about where her love life is heading during her latest concert in Dubai.
"I'm still waiting for the right guy," she told the crowd of at least 200 who gathered to watch her intimate concert at Al Nasr Leisureland on Thursday.
Rachelle has not been linked to anyone since her breakup with Filipino balladeer Christian Bautista last year. The two remain friends.
Rachelle said it was her third time to visit Dubai, and her second day in the emirate, which she earlier spent on a typical Dubai day at the mall. She said she was happy to see Filipino expats here. "Everyone here is so hardworking!" she remarked, "I wonder if they're feeling homesick?"
She certainly was, she told the crowd, "It's only my second day here and I already miss my sister and family back home."
Rachelle rose to fame in the 2004 Philippine talent search Search for a Star, where, although she was second grand champion, following Sarah Geronimo, she was named "Ultimate Champion" because of her remarkable voice and talent in playing various musical instruments.
She is one of the few Filipina singers able to hit notes from the fourth to the sixth octave. Her singing prowess started early. At nine years old, she won first prize in her first amateur singing competition trial, in spite of being the youngest contender at the time.
At age 11, she made her first television debut on Eat Bulaga, a Philippine variety show. She has gone a long way since then, and has produced six albums, including her latest for 2008, Rachelle Ann Rocks Live!
The 21-year-old (who turns a year older on August 31), regaled the crowd with an hour of high-note singing, belting out songs from her favourite Western and Philippine artists, including Asian songbird Regine Velasquez and mega star Sharon Cuneta, and also her own song Panaginip (Dream) from the album ASAP Hotsilog.
Even her song selection for the night seemed to reflect her state of heart. There were no critics as she went on to sing a medley of Sharon's timeless songs, including Kay tagal Kitang Hinintay (How long I have waited for you), Ikaw (You), Bituing Walang Ningning (A lacklustre star) and Kahit (Even if).
Among the slew of Western songs, she sang Two Steps Behind by Def Leppard, Don't Cry Out Loud by Melissa Manchester, the Survivor's The Search is Over, Beverly Craven's Promise Me, Cryin' by Aerosmith and Honestly by Harem Scarem.
Rachel was in a roll that in the middle of a performance, she took time to get off the stage and interact with fans, asking them random questions about their favourite singers and then giving snippets, in her own version, of the artists' hit songs. She was so endearing that even the security guards in traditional dress could not resist milling around to pose for pictures with her.
Moved by the petite performer, the enthusiastic Dubai crowd later gave her a little parting gift in the tune of Happy Birthday, never mind if it was weeks in advance before her big day. "This is the first time ever that people ever sang for me at my concert!" she gushed, "I am never going to forget this!"
Speaking to Gulf News after the show, Rachelle said her experiences in Dubai have been interesting so far. Her most memorable was doing a free show for Filipino expats here a few years ago. During her first concert in Dubai three years ago, "It rained before the show! I thought the show would be cancelled," she said.
Rachelle really loves to mingle with the crowd. In fact, while she stayed at the Marco Polo Hotel, her "official home" for the Dubai gig, she dropped by the Chikka Grill, a Filipino bar and restaurant, to be with fans up close and personal.
Who inspires her? "My family, of course," she quickly answered. What does she do to prepare herself before every performance? "Vocalisation is important. And water therapy. Water is the fuel to my body so I have to have that as often as I can," she said.
Where does she see herself in 10 years? "I would like to be in showbiz, still singing. I'm sure by that time I would be finished with school," she said. Despite her busy schedule, Rachelle has also taken an online course in Associate Arts from the University of the Philippines.
Does that interfere with her career? Not really, she says. "What's good about it is you can choose your own time. The only thing difficult is you don't have classmates to interact with."
Aside from school, Rachelle is, of course, excited about her music. Her latest album Rachelle Ann Rocks Live! hopes to give fans another angle of the versatile musical talent. Why rock? "I wanted to try something new, aside from singing ballads and love songs," she said.
Does she have anything new planned for Dubai? Not yet, she said, and yes, she can come back for another performance. But when that would be is another surprise.
Q&A
Top three songs in your ipod.
Almost lovers
The way I am
Falling
Three words to describe yourself.
Simple, perfectionist.... and… uh… talkative! (laughs)
Your favourite musical instrument.
Drums
Who is your favourite rock artist?
Two. Bamboo and Heart
Your favourite song from your newest album.
When you love someone by Byran Adams.
Fast facts
Birth name: Rachelle Ann Villalobos Go
Birthday: August 31, 1986
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Voice Type: Lyric Soprano Octave
Genre: Pop
Instruments played: Drums, guitar, piano
Label: VIVA Records
Awards: Best Promising Female Singer by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation (2005), People's Choice for Female Artist at the 2005 MTV Pilipinas Video Music Awards, Ultimate Champion in the 2004 Search for a Star.
