In her own words: Rachel Alejandro reimagines OPM for a new generation

Two of the most powerful things that can trigger memories are scent and music. Getting a whiff of cologne once worn by a departed loved one can make us emotional, the same way an old song, just like a time machine, can take us back to a very specific moment in time in our carefree youth. 

If I’m listening to the radio in the car (yes, some of us still do!) and hear “Gonna Make You Sweat,” one of the biggest dance tracks from 1990, I’ll be transported back to when I was 16, showing off dance moves like the Running Man and Roger Rabbit on the ledges of clubs such as Euphoria and Faces. I can even see in my mind what I was wearing. 

You can bet that for the whole duration of the song, I’ll feel like I’m a happy teenager all over again. I’m sure you all feel that way about music from your generation. 

A few months ago, when Star Music’s Roxy Liquigan and Jonathan Manalo offered for me to record an album, I was beyond thrilled. It’s been 11 years since I last released a solo album. I felt rusty and out of touch with today’s music trends. I was nervous they might ask me what type of songs I wanted to record. To be honest, because I’m a bit of a chameleon as a singer, I didn’t have a clue. 

To my surprise and utter relief, they didn’t ask! Instead, they already had a definite concept in mind: beloved Pinoy tunes “reimagined” by Rachel Alejandro. They explained that an album like that would be timely. Because many of us have been staying mostly at home, there has been a lot of interest in all things throwback as we wistfully reminisce about our heydays. 

The Great OPM Songbook Volume 1 was released on October 29 on all music platforms, along with a music video for the carrier single, “Ang Pag Ibig Kong Ito:”

When I was only six, my Lola Nena bought the 45 vinyl single of that song, originally sung by Leah Navarro. We would play it over and over again at home, and I knew all the lyrics. I dreamt that maybe someday, I could become a famous recording artist like Leah and my dad, Hajji Alejandro. 

When I turned 15, that dream became a reality with the song “Mr. Kupido.” I will never forget that moment, as I was having merienda with my family out on the terrace of our old house, when for the very first time ever, what would later become one of Vehnee Saturno’s timeless classics came on the radio. I was so kilig.

It wasn’t easy choosing the lineup for Volume 1. After all, there are thousands upon thousands of songs worthy of being remade, revived, covered — whatever you wanna call it. In the end, Star Music’s team, my manager Girlie Rodis, and Star Magic’s Cham Magsaysay, with the help of my besties, Smokey Mountain original members Geneva Cruz and Jeffrey Hidalgo, and I narrowed it down to what we felt were the top eight. 

Stream the album and you’ll find that some cuts are more familiar to you than others, and that they come from the early ’80s to the 2010s. You can even sing along to their lyric videos.

It may seem like an entire lifetime has passed between the releases of “Mr. Kupido” and “Ang Pag Ibig Kong Ito,” but I am still that same dreamy-eyed girl that I was when I was starting out as a young singer. I have butterflies in my stomach even now as I write this, wondering what you will all think of this new album. 

Will any of you want to hear it at my next concert, whenever that might be? Will it make an impact on young listeners? 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I admit I haven’t sung that much. I was worried that my vocal chords may have weakened from lack of practice. But right from our very first recording session, my fears were put to rest because working with my good friend and musical arranger Soc Mina and producer Jonathan Manalo was both easy and fun. I was also grateful to discover that singing is like riding a bike.

Soc did such an amazing job of giving a fresh, modern spin to the tracks while Jon’s guidance with my vocals helped me to make the songs my own. You could say that they were as much the “reimaginers” of this album as I was. 

One of our lofty goals is for The Great OPM Songbook Volume 1 to not only bring back good old memories, but also introduce unforgettable Filipino classics to a younger generation who may have otherwise missed them. These include the Smokey Mountain hit “Kahit Habang Buhay” by National Artist Ryan Cayabyab; Wency Cornejo’s gorgeous ballad “Hanggang” by Roni and Gigi Cordero; and Bituin Escalante’s song about unrequited love “Kung Ako Nalang Sana” by Soc Villanueva. 

While I know I will always be identified with my hits from way back like “Nakapagtataka,” “Paalam Na,” or “Kay Tagal,” I hope that those of you who have supported my albums in the past will do the same to this new offering, my love letter to each of you. Thank you for growing up with me and my music all these years. 

And next year, let’s do it all over again with Volume 2! – Rappler.com

Rachel Alejandro is a singer-actress and co-owner of The Sexy Chef health food delivery service. She is currently filming “The Broken Marriage Vow,” coming soon to ABS-CBN.