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| Rachelle Anns new admirer Column: Studio Whispers What is it about young singer Rachelle Ann Go that she attracts the most number of young male singers, including Christian Bautista, Mark Bautista and Erick Santos? Now, add to Rachelles list of admirers Jed Madela, winner of the Grand Champion Performer of the World. Jed, who is John Edward Tajanlangit in real life (Madela is his paternal grandmothers surname), denied that he is courting Rachelle, but they are good friends, he revealed. In fact, when he returned home with Rizza Navales, the other Philippine representative to the World Championship of the Performing Arts (WCOP) in Hollywood, he brought home a stuff toy for Rachelle. "Birthday din kasi ni Rachelle, thats why," Jed explained. Jed is now a regular performer along with Rachelle and the rest of the young singing champs of ABS-CBN in "ASAP 05." He started his stint yesterday. A graduate of business administration from the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, where the Tajanlangits hail, Jed was about to train as a steward for Northwest Airlines when he auditioned for a band, The Postman, as a soloist. The group used to perform regularly at Fashion Caf at the Glorietta, Makati. When Jeds father, Roy, learned about Jed joining a band, he summoned him home pronto. Obviously, his dad could not imagine his eldest son making music his profession. He wants a more stable job for Jed and his two other kids. "But, by then, singing must have hit me real hard. Di ako napigilan ng father ko when I, again, auditioned as a soloist for a band which was making the rounds of entertainment establishments in Iloilo City," he related. It was talent manager Ronnie Henares, whose stable of talents used to include Regine Velasquez and Lani Misalucha, who enticed Jed to try his luck again in Manila. Soon after, he became a recording artist of Universal Records. Jed has just released his second album, "Songs Rediscovered," which includes several hits, like "Let Me Love You" (From "The Bottom of My Heart" and "Laging Ikaw." Jeds favorite is "Love Always Finds a Way." It is this song which he would dedicate to Rachelle Ann. Now considered a world-class performer, Jed, the Grand Champion Performer of the World, also received the Best Voice of Asia Male Singer for 2003 by the Mainhill Awards; Breakthrough Male Performer of the Year 2003 by the Celebrity Chronicle in USA and the Grand Champion Plum as the Peoples Choice in the Internet Poll Survey. Aside from these, Jed also received from the WCCPA six gold medals in all the six categories he competed in: Ida Henares, head of Artists Center, the discovery arm of GMA-7, made possible Jed and Rizzas participation in the WCOPA. A chance encounter with Randy and Barbara Krupp, owners of Showcase Academy which are involved with WCOPA, at the Los Angeles Airport (she was on her way home to Manila) made it all possible. They suggested that Ida organize a Filipino team to compete in the WCOPA. But since she was pressed for time, so to speak, she requested them to e-mail her all the requirements. The rest is history. The WCOPA is a prestigious global event patterned after the Olympics. It is the ultimate global competition and has been held in Hollywood, California for 11 years now. It serves as a venue for aspiring performers and entertainers to showcase their talent, professionalism, sportsmanship and respect. In this years event, the competition gathered 1000 contestants from 51 countries from around the globe. Over 100 persons from the entertainment industry were invited to judge, conduct educational seminars and go-sees. Ida has been appointed by the WCOPA Council as the National Director of the Philippines for all WCOPA events. She has been tasked with the responsibility of choosing next years RP participants in all categories of the competition. The Philippines has been allotted 20 slots in the categories for next years competition. Source: Malaya |
