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Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Serna: Cebuana wins Voice Olympics
By Roger Serna
Sounds and Images
It happened before, and it happened again this year. Only the players are different but there’s one thing in common among them: they’re Filipino performers.
I’m referring to the feat of the country’s representatives who won top honors in the Voice Olympics held recently in Hollywood, California, USA. The reps are Visayans, no less, and one is from Cebu.
The country tasted the similar flavor of victory before when songbirds Dulce and Ivy Violan also brought the overall championshiop honors to the country in the ’80s (?). This time, the A1 performers who did the country proud are Cebuana Rizza Navales and Iloilohanon Jed Madela.
Jed reportedly garnered all of six golds in all the categories including pop solo, original song from native country, R&B and broadway solo and in the pop and broadway duets (of course, with Rizza).
Rizza, on the other hand, got five golds (pop solo, original song from native country, broadway solo, broadway duet and pop duet) and one silver in the R&B (a singer of African descent got the gold). What’s remarkable is that Rizza managed to grab the gold in the broadway solo despite a microphone malfunction. Beat that!
For this achievement, the Philippines was declared the overall champion. My informers are respected fashion designers Dodong Bandibas and Harley Ruedas.
Rizza reportedly wore a yellow and gold creation of Harley during the competition, perhaps one of the reasons (aside from friendship) why Harley monitored the developments.
Rizza is especially thankful to Gani and Gloria Villarojo of Soundtraxx Production Studio and arranger Jojo Serrano who unselfishly produced (in record time, at that) the minus-one of Never Ever Say Goodbye, an original Pilipino music.
She sang Memory in the broadway solo, If I Ain’t Got You in the R&B and On The Wings of Love in the pop solo categories, among others. For that excellent showing, both Jed and Rizza got a three-day tour in Las Vegas as a treat from Lani Misalucha who’s been based there for sometime already.
Congratulations! It’s a welcome respite from all the political
encounters we receive from the media, the increase in oil prices and everything. Whew!
***
Character actress Chanda Romero was a constant guest in past several openings of Body and Sole Body Massage and Foot Spa outlets scattered around Cebu City and suburbs and in different parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
One time, Cebuana beauty queen Melanie Ediza also graced an opening.
This time, however, when Body and Sole Body Massage and Foot Spa’s latest outlet (and perhaps the classiest and most beautiful) opened at Asiatown – IT Park what was noticeable was its low key celebration with only a sprinkling of guests present.
Proprietor Johnie Lim explained that it was in keeping with the prevailing situation in the country. Wow! Nationalistic, huh! Anyway, congratulations and more power!
***
Finally, those who have waited for the postponed playdate of the independently produced movie Mga Pusang Gala can now heave a sigh of relief. The much-talked about movie will open in Cebu tomorrow.
The stars in the movie are Ricky Davao, Irma Adlawan (fresh from their Aliw Awards triumph for the stage play Speaking in Tongues), Reggie Curley, Lauren Novero and Alchris Galura with able support from Justin de Leon, Carme Sanchez, Joven Velasco, Kokoy Palma, Ruby Ruiz and Manolet Garcia.
It’s directed by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil from the screenplay of Jun Lana and Rody Vera based on the Palanca awardee stage play Mga Estranghero at ang Gabi by Jun Lana.
***
On a personal note, allow me to extend my sympathies to the Villarojo family in Brgy. Tisa, this city, for the demise last Wed, Aug. 17, of Francisco ‘Frannie’ P. Villarojo III, the eldest offspring of Atty. Francisco Jr. and Virgie Paler Villarojo.
Interment will be tomorrow starting with a requiem mass at the San Lorenzo Ruiz parish in Brgy. Tisa at 1 p.m. My heartfelt condolences!
(August 23, 2005 issue)
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