Saigon, here she comes!

MANILA, Philippines - London-bound songstress Rachelle Ann Go recently showed the public how deserving she is to play the role of Gigi van Tranh in the upcoming West End revival of popular musical Miss Saigon. She performed during the concert celebrating her 10th year in showbiz themes from known musicals like Miss Saigon’s Movie in My Mind; Les Miserablés’ I Dreamed a Dream and On My Own; Cats’ Memory and Wicked’s Defying Gravity.

She also traced her theater roots with Little Mermaid’s Part of Your World, which she did with contemporary Erik Santos a few years ago.

“I only dreamt of making an album, doing a concert. I never expected I’d get to do theater. That’s why I’m very thankful because from Little Mermaid, now I’m doing the role of Gigi in Miss Saigon,” said Rachelle Ann in a VTR during the concert held at the Meralco Theater last Feb. 22.

The show, directed by Paul Basinillo and Louie Ignacio, opened with a video of Rachelle Ann’s pre-fame years — from her amateur singing contest days to her victory in Search for a Star in 2004. She kick-started the night with Nina Simone’s Feelin’ Good, then segued to the equally fierce tracks like Lady Gaga’s Applause and a mash-up of “boxing songs” Roar (Katy Perry) and Eye of the Tiger (Survivor).

Rachelle Ann, of course, sang her rendition of Mariah Carey’s Through the Rain, steering the audience back to her triumphant quest as an artist. She also did a throwback of her teen girl-group days, singing Lady Marmalade with Sheryn Regis and Jimmy Marquez which got the audience up on their feet.

Presented by Cornerstone Concerts in cooperation with Pink Management and Productions, the special concert (likewise treated as a send-off party for the belter) also featured her on-stage chemistry with Erik, Mark Bautista and Christian Bautista.

The singer’s powerful duets with the three were highly applauded, especially her moments with Christian. Amusingly, the troika’s Basil Valdez medley was an equally show-stopping moment.

But no one can really steal the show from the star of that night as Rachelle Ann delivered her takes of chart-toppers like Bruno Mars’ Locked Out in Heaven, Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball, Swedish House Mafia’s Don’t You Worry Child and Zedd’s Clarity.

She wowed everyone even more with her versions of Bakit, Paano and her biggest hit Don’t Cry Out Loud originally performed by Melissa Manchester.

Through a video, Rachelle Ann shared how the Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid inspired her in her younger years. The two then powerfully rendered Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang and Babalik Kang Muli which brought the house down.

From being a singing champion, and now an international theater performer, Rachelle Ann Go is one of the few who truly set the bar high for Filipino performers.