Filipino pop star Rachelle Ann Go was named one of the Hottest Women in the West End by the Pocketsize Theater Blog in London. The blog chose 15 of the most talented and most exciting and I must say best-looking young actresses who are now performing in London. Our very own Rachelle Ann who is currently playing the bar girl Gigi in the 25th anniversary revival of the musical Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theater was one of them.
No. 1 on the list is Samantha Banks, the girl who gave an intense riveting portrayal of the tragic waif Eponine in the motion picture version of Les Miserables, a role she also played in the West End. She is set to open soon in the stage musical adaptation of City of Angels. She is followed by Savannah Stevenson from Wicked; Harriet Jones of Phantom of the Opera; Celinde Schoenmaker from Les Miz; and Niamh Perry of Mamma Mia.
Rachelle Ann came in No. 6, quite a feat for somebody who has only been in London for less than six months and who is in a West End musical for the very first time. Rachelle Ann was offered the role of Gigi after the auditions held in Manila for the new production of Miss Saigon. She knew she would be sad to go but the offer proved to be so irresistible for a girl who had just discovered she can fly really high on her theater wings. Gigi is only Rachelle Ann’s third stage role. Before this, she played Ariel in Disney’s Little Mermaid and Jane Porter in Tarzan.
Rachelle Ann left for London last March and has since then fully acclimatized herself to being on her own and working every day on stage. Feedback about her work has been very good. Producer Cameron Mackintosh himself described her as a lovely girl with a beautiful voice and clips of the musical show her to be a stunner both vocally and otherwise. And she has also ventured into other things like recording and radio guestings. Most notable among these was the song she did with the Brit pop classical trio named Blake.
Blake is the award-winning boy group composed of Stephen Bowman, Humphrey Berney and Oliver Baines. Sometimes referred to as the British Il Divo, they are known for giving famous pop hits classical arrangements. They have visited the Philippines several times and it was here that they first met Rachelle Ann. Blake recorded an extended play album of Filipino songs in London a year ago and Rachelle Ann was one of two girls asked to sing with the boys.
Rachelle Ann did Martin Nievera’s You Are My Song, while another West End babe, Joanna Ampil, a former Kim in Miss Saigon, sang Ogie Alcasid’s Kailangan Kita. The Blake EP, which is available in the local stores, also included Manila, Say That You Love Me, Don’t Know What To Say (Don’t Know What To Do) and Sa Isip Ko. Blake was in town last December to do promo appearances for the album.
Blake asked Rachelle Ann to join them again in song a few weeks ago. Their choice for her was a very special one. The song was the Academy Award-winning Falling Slowly from the movie Once, which has also been turned into a stage musical. This duet will be part of Blake’s upcoming album titled In Harmony. Excitement about these songs is already building up among Pinoys in London. They were recently treated to a preview of the recording when Blake and Rachelle Ann guested in The Gaby Rosli Show on BBC. Rachelle Ann sang Coldplay’s The Scientist, Movie On My Mind from Miss Saigon and Falling Slowly with Blake and this new duet is said to be truly beautiful.
Things are definitely beginning to heat up for Rachelle Ann and I am sure we will be getting more and more exciting news in the coming months. Note that the soundtrack album of Miss Saigon featuring recordings by the new London cast, including Rachelle Ann, of course, is due out soon. It makes me wonder though, if things turn out so great in London, if she would still want to come home in May.
Meanwhile, here are the actresses who came in at Nos. 7 to 15 in the Hottest Women on the West End list: Katherine Kingsley from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Rosalie Craig from City of Angels; Kerry Ellis from Wicked; Cynthia Erivo from Dessa Rose; Summer Strallen from The Life Of The Party; Charlotte Gooch in Top Hat; Nikki Davis Jones of Wicked; Emily Tierney also of Wicked; and Louise Dearman of Kiss Me Kate.