P-pop girl group Calista releases debut single ‘Race Car’

Calista

While the members of the newly launched pop girl group Calista have been together for only a year, they have already managed to build chemistry that translates to their performances onstage. This is all thanks, they said, to their training setup, which has them living and undergoing comprehensive workshops together.

Mornings are for school. And then they proceed with dance rehearsals, voice lessons, body conditioning, personality development sessions and even public relations training.

“You get to know each other better. After only a year, the connection in our choreography was already there. We go together in the studios for voice, dance and other workshops,” Anne, the group’s leader and main vocalist, said at a recent video conference for their debut single, “Race Car.”

Formed in March last year by Tyronne Escalante Artist Management and Merlion Events Productions, Calista is also composed of visual and lead vocalist Olive, lead vocalist and lead dancer Dain, main dancer and subrapper Denise, lead vocalist and subrapper Elle, and visual and lead rapper Laiza.

Communication, respect

The six girls were selected from a pool of over a hundred hopefuls who underwent a series of auditions. “Of course there were some adjustments at first, because we have our own qualities or personalities. But as time went by, things became a lot easier because the other girls are all very welcoming. We’re open to talking about different things,” Anne said. “Everyone understands each other,” Olive added. “We take time for reflection when we’re together. We also make sure that we talk after our training or events.”

And though occasional misunderstandings are inevitable, they never escalate to anything beyond that. “Everyone’s understanding of each other’s problems,” she said.

“Communication and respect are key aspects. We resolve problems immediately … Minsan may tampuhan, pero mamaya tawanan na. No grudges,” Dain added. “We’re just like sisters.”

The name Calista—a word of Greek origin that means “most beautiful” was suggested by Olive, who also pointed out that “cali” stands for caliber. And these are the things the pop group hopes to embody. “The name suggests beauty, but also the level of skills and capabilities. As a group, we want to be feminine and fierce at the same time,” she said.

“Race Car,” a dance bop that fuses electronic, hip-hop and dance elements, talks about “the thrill of the chase” as Calista starts its journey on the P-Pop scene. The song’s high-octane music video, on the other hand, was shot at the Asian Aerospace airplane hangar at Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex. “The track announces that Calista is here. We have started our engines. There’s this race and you have to reach the finish line. But to do that, you have to have courage despite challenges and failures,” Olive said of the song, which was composed by renowned songwriter and producer Marcus Davis.

“We’re going for a modern vibe and aiming for versatility. We have our own styles and concepts. It has been overwhelming for us, because we have been getting positive feedback, saying that the song sounds international. And that makes us feel that we did our job well,” she said. “We hope to inspire, entertain and motivate other people through our music and bond.”

Tribute concert

On April 26, Calista will headline “Vax to Normal”—a tribute concert for COVID-19 front liners, which will be held at Smart Araneta Coliseum. The show, which will be telecast on TV5 at 9 p.m., will also feature Yeng Constantino, AC Bonifacio, Elmo Magalona, Andrea Brillantes, Darren Espanto and Ken San Jose.

“We’re slowly working our way back to how things were before the pandemic. And this wouldn’t have been possible if not for our brave front liners. They deserve all the praise, and this is our way of saying thanks. It has been a tough two years, and we think it’s important to hold events like this concert to spread hope,” Anne said.