Rachelle Ann saw it coming

MANILA, Philippines - You can’t expect a lot of neat tricks from an infant, but turns out Rachelle Ann Go wasn’t your ordinary baby. Her mom, Russell, tells us her eldest started showing signs of being a future singer at just eight months old. “At that age, she was already humming Somewhere Out There na laging pinapatugtog ng tita niya,” momma Go proudly shares, all smiles and lilting Ilongga accent. Rachelle’s dad, Oscar, a businessman with a penchant for music, saw his daughter’s star potential and trained her every day, after school, no excuses. “Kahit pagod yung bata, sige pa rin,” Mrs. Go says with mild disapproval. “Pero may kinalabasan naman na maganda.” (Trivia: All four children in the Go household know how to play at least one musical instrument. I.e.; Rachelle can play the piano and the drums.)

Joining singing contests inevitably followed, and, at age 9, Rachelle Ann would experience something that would stay with her forever—and set the tone for the rest of her life. “I joined my first baranggay singing competition,” she begins. “And I got bullied. By adults.” It’s been 20 years, but she still tears up remembering the cruel words of the other contestants’ parents/guardians: “’Di mananalo yan. Tingnan mo yung hitsura niyan, ang pangit pangit.” The distressed little girl kept her head down as she waited for the announcement of winners and swore never to join any competition ever again. But the universe was in the mood to dispense poetic justice: Rachelle Ann was proclaimed the grand champion, a major eff you to the grown-up doubters and non-believers picking on a child. “’Dun nagsimula ’yung tiwala ko sa sarili ko,” the now 29-year-old says with a smile.

In the following years, Rachelle Ann would begin to have a recurring dream in which she’s singing in front of millions of people. “I would dream about that, as in bata pa lang ako, Grade 4, Grade 5,” she recalls with a faraway look in her eyes. “Tapos yung crowd hindi lang Pinoy eh. Kaya sabi ko, hindi lang ito yung plano sa akin. I know there’s something out there.”

In 2013, Rachelle Ann Go would prove to be a visionary: She nabbed the role of Gigi Van Tranh for Miss Saigon, the beginning of her stellar two-year (so far) musical theater run on London’s West End. Shin, as she is fondly called by family and friends, sits down with Supreme to talk about her journey from miserable to Les Miserables. (The Manila production started yesterday, March 11, at The Theatre at Solaire, and will run for six weeks.)

SUPREME: Why did you decide to dip your toes in the musical theater pond?

Rachelle Ann Go: Dumating sa point na I wasn’t really happy. Siguro kasi ang dami kong sinubukan na genre eh. Pop music, nag covers ako, gumawa ako ng rock album, live album, ’yung Rachelle Ann Rocks Live (laughs). Dumating ako sa point na nalilito na ako, what do I really want in my life? Sa paligid ko, ang daming nagsasabing, do this and do that. Iba kasi rin ’yung business side, ’di ba? I understand that. Pero as an artist, paano kaya ako magiging masaya? 2008 to 2010, tina-try ko lahat. Hanggang sa si direk Bobby Garcia, he asked my former manager Veronique del Rosario if I’m interested to audition for the role of Ariel sa The Little Mermaid. Sabi ko nakakahiya, lead pa ’to. If I mess this up, wala na. Pero si direk Bobby talaga, sobrang nagtiwala siya sa talent ko. Sabi ko, sige na nga. Na in love ako sa teatro. And after that, nag tuluy-tuloy na.

How different is acting on TV and in movies versus acting onstage?

In front of the camera, sobra akong conscious. Tama ba tong ginagawa ko? Tama ba ’yung makeup ko? Ang dami kong iniisip. Kaya hindi ako makapag focus sa acting. So at the end of the day, I’m like, ano ba ’yung ginawa ko? Half baked eh. Live, naibibigay ko lahat. I don’t think of anything else. I’m just going to do my best. After the show, ang sarap ’nung feeling, ’yung it’s so tiring pero nabigay ko lahat. Sa theater, mas puso. Magkamali man ako tonight, meron pa akong next day para bumawi. I can’t dwell on my performance tonight. I have to move on and let it go.

Was trying your luck in London an easy decision to make? Or did you have reservations?

Iba’t iba ’yung advice sa akin. Merong nagsabi na, “Do it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once pumasok ka sa West End, tuluy-tuloy na yan. Marami nang doors na mag o-open.” Meron namang nagsabi ng, “Kim ’yung role na gusto mo, ’di ba? May pangalan ka na dito sa Pilipinas, tapos ’yun lang ’yung role na bibigay sa ’yo, parang nakakahiya.” And then I had a realization na it’s not about the character, it’s not about the role. It’s about me being away from home and exploring and just trying new things. I felt like wala nang nangyayari, wala nang growth. I was doing the same things over and over. Dead end na. I felt like there’s something more out there and I needed to chase after that.

What has London done for you?

Before I went to London, I was like, “Lord, why am I going there? What’s my purpose?” That was my question. I was so scared to live alone, to be away from my family and friends. Living in London for two years, I’ve learned a lot. I had to figure out the city’s underground tube lines. I had to learn how to cook. Mula paglilinis ng bahay, paglalaba, lahat ako. Before, takot akong makihalubilo sa tao, sanay akong meron akong manager. Doon wala. Ako lang. I talk to the producers directly: this is what I want. Playing Gigi taught me to embrace my flaws. Hindi man ako toned, wala man akong six-pack abs, though I have cellulite, I learned to embrace how I look. Nawala ’yung insecurities.  Natuto ako not just as an artist. I’ve grown as a person, as a woman. Dumating ako d’un, I was 27, 28, wala akong alam sa buhay. Feeling ko baby pa ako. Ngayon, I can say yes, I am my age.

How do you feel about this irony: Pinoys tend to take local artists for granted, and only appreciate them when they make a splash overseas.

Nakakalungkot. Ito na nga nasa harap na natin yung talent. Napakaraming magagaling na singers dito sa Pilipinas, bakit hindi napapansin? Ako, as an artist, nakakalungkot makita na pag dating sa ibang bansa, na a-appreciate kami ng ibang lahi. Bakit hindi to makita ng sariling dugo natin?

If you could describe your journey in a single word, what would it be?

Favored. Of course, I do my part. I audition for roles. But even if I’m not putting too much effort, dumadating na lang [opportunities] eh.

Twelve years in, what has being in show business taught you about success?

Huwag matakot. Kung nakinig ako sa fears and doubts ko, hindi ko nagawa yung London. Nagtiwala ako sa sarili ko, I just believed in in what I could do. Just be brave enough. Tsaka wala akong tinatapakang tao eh.

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Tweet the author @IrishDDizon.

Photographed by SHAIRA LUNA

Produced by DAVID MILAN

Makeup by Owen Sarmiento

Hair by MONG AMADO