Studio Filipino Studio Filipino
Related Articles
Aicelle Anne Santos (born February 24, 1985) is a Filipino Soul, R&B, Pop, and Jazz singer-songwriter and pianist, who first emerged in the Philippine music scene as a contestant in a nationwide search for the next best singer in the first season of ABS-CBN’s Star In A Million. She has been known as the “First Undefeated Pinoy Pop Superstar” for achieving eight-straight wins in GMA 7’s Pinoy Pop Superstar as the Philippines’ “Ballad Princess.”
Background
At the age of six, Aicelle Santos received abecedarian musical training at the St. Scholastica’s College, and the University of the Philippines School of Music for Piano. The early training allowed Aicelle to indulge in her original dream to become a famous pianist. However, a shift in focus took place as she realized she would rather be a famous singer than be a known pianist. Aicelle’s inspiration on the field came from Walt Disney’s character Ariel from the movie The Little Mermaid. The movie’s theme song “Part of Your World” was the first song Aicelle memorized, which she also performed during her elementary school programs.
While still at her first year of college at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Aicelle joined ABS-CBN’s Season 1 of Star In A Million (2003), her first take on a nationwide televised singing competition. The competition opened many doors for Aicelle. Although she sometimes struggled, she eventually struck a balance between attending university and focusing on her blossoming singing career.
Aicelle took advantage of the minor fame that her Star In A Million appearance gave her and showcased her talents on top performers’ settings with a new acoustic group Dream Sequence. Dream Sequence proved to be a success on its own right, and brought its three members to many cities around the Philippines. The Metro’s prime stages Bagaberde, Chef and Brewer, Phi Bar, Fiesta San Miguel in Dusit, E’s Bar in Edsa Shangri-La, and others became the group’s main performing stages. The nightly gigs are believed to have been Aicelle’s training ground for improving her vocal and stage performance.
In 2005, Aicelle once again decided to aim for a solo singing career by joining the second season of the Philippine’s TV hit singing competition, Pinoy Pop Superstar. An eight-straight win during preliminaries put Aicelle on top and on the show’s history, as the first ‘Undefeated Superstar.’
Aicelle got into the finals favoured to win. On PPS’s season finale, Aicelle Santos claimed first runner-up and signed a record deal and an exclusive management contract under GMA Artist Centre. Her story in Pinoy Pop Superstar is somehow related to Sheryn Regis.
Once again, Aicelle proved her vocal competence when she won “Best Performance of Own Country Song” representing the Philippines in Astana Music Festival in Kazakhstan. Aicelle bested delegates from 13 countries around the world, including Mexico, Peru, Finland, Romania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Tajikistan, Lithuania, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malta, and China. Her winning piece was entitled “Bakit Di Subukan”, a Vehnee Saturno composition which is a Tagalog-English song (“If We Just Hold On” in English). Following this triumph was Aicelle’s recognition for “People’s Choice Best New Female Artist” in the 2007 Awit Awards.
Today, Aicelle is visible in the Philippines recording scene with her debut album Make Me Believe, a 14-cut album under GMA Records. Ikaw Pa Rin is her hit single in the charts.
