Rouge, the gorgeous quartet made up of girls with ages ranging 
from sweet to sexy 21 to 30 years old, which created a sensation at Pilipinas Got Talent Season 5 and a stir with their original uptempo “Hanep,” is now promoting a new, promising single called “Gulong, Gulong Buhay (GBB).” The song is composed by the members and is now available for digital downloading at Spotify and iTunes.
The pop rock band performed in front of entertainment press, special guests, friends and business associates lunchtime of October 24 at the Ka Freddie’s Bar in Quezon City. Otherwise entitled “GGB” available in various digital platforms, the song is about love and the romantic confusion involved.
Ka Freddie’s Bar is owned and operated by world-renowned guitarist-composer Freddie Aguilar whose award-winning song “Anak” had been recorded in multiple languages. The bar is compact with a second floor. The entrance displays the trophies Aguilar had gathered in the span of his long career. The place has excellent acoustics as we found out when Rouge opened the event with a showcase of “Gulong, Gulong Buhay.”
Sharing with you its words in bumpy and foot-stomping rhythms:
Hala, mahal mo na pala ako
Hindi ako karapat dapat
Wag ka sakin mangako
Wag ka na sanang umasa pa
Dahil ang puso ko
Matagal ko nang naibigay sa iba
Di na mag babago ang isip ko
Ngunit pag nakikita ka
Bakit nagkakaganito
Gulong gulong gulong gulo
Nang ikaw ay dumating sa buhay ko
Di na alam kung pano sasabihin sayo
Litong litong litong lito
Dapat na sigurong lumayo
Bago pa ako mahulog ng tuluyan sayo
Hoy, pano ba natin tatakasan
Dahil akoy nahihirapan
Kung palagi kang ganyan
Ngunit pag ako’y iniiwasan
Di mapakali ang aking puso’t isipan
(Bridge)
Oh ano ba ito
Hirap ng dalawa kayo sa buhay ko,
Dapat ko na bang iwanan siya
O kailangan ko na bang iwasan ka?
Ano, nakikinig ka ba
Ako’y nagtataka
Kung mahal na ba kita..
... nahulog na yata ako sayo..
Manager Leah Singwatt explains why the crew was not wearing red with black knee-high boots or socks as expected: “They primarily wore red during the promotion of ‘Hanep.’ Para maiba naman, members suggested they wear dark halters and mini skirts for the launch of ‘GGB.’ As you can see, it works very well! It makes them look enticing as they bump and gyrate with their instruments,” she comments.
Leah told Lead that Rouge is busy with live appearances and appears twice a month on entertainment mogul Vic del Rosario’s restaurant and music lounge at SM North Edsa. “They are not overly busy to get too tired with work, just enough for them to be actually asking for more,” Leah shares.
Horizon Entertainment producer Mon Pacheco reveals, “Rouge will release its sophomore long-form album, the materials of which they are currently composing and recording by first quarter next year.”
A YouTube sensation for its well-viewed covers of known songs, Rouge advocates “Girl Power!” as each member embodies the beauty, brains and heart of being a musician.
Rouge original song “Hanep,” now with more than 80,000 hits on Spotify, is part of Star Music’s OPM Fresh compilation (that included tracks from Iñigo Pascual and Alex Gonzaga) released in the same year.
Apart from the individual roles they play in the band, these women are also quite accomplished as individuals. These young ladies rock. They sing, play instruments and harmonize all at the same time! They show their versatility by incorporating light rock songs with classical violin lines to add to the unique musicality of the group.
Kara is the bassist and the leader of the group. Her experiences from her beginnings to ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2, to her international gigs, honed her to become a versatile and mature musician.
Princess is the violinist who started playing when she was 10 years old and was a member of the Cebu Youth Symphony Orchestra Junior Ensemble. Aside from playing the violin, she has also won awards for clay sculpture, poetry writing, illustrative story-telling and expressive reading. Nowadays, she recycles empty glass bottles and paints them so they can be re-used in her spare time,
Princess who front acts Rouge playing violin and vocals in “Gulong, Gulong Buhay.” The most senior in the group at 30 years admits it is not easy to multitask. She is able to do it with constant practice and discipline.
Rouge is aware of the perils of being an all-girl band, that of the possibility of not lasting long due to marriage and the demands of motherhood.
“We’ll deal with them when we get them. We have discussed the issue among ourselves, but we agree to stay intact as much as we can. We have had personal differences but here we are still together. I think friendship will keep us intact,” Princess shares over Japanese food that she chose from the generous buffet table that Leah prepared for lunch.
Princess hopes the North American tour planned for the group will push through next year. “It has something to do with visas. With the restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on Asians, it looks like a stiff climb. But we sincerely hope it will push through,” she shares.
Jeri plays the guitar while her passion for singing led her to pursue it as a profession from the time she entered University. She has performed in bars and is an entrepreneur by day.
Gyan plays the drums; you will be amazed by her skill and her fancy tricks. Her first competition was in a Battle of the Bands wherein she, at the tender age of 10, joined along with her two older brothers. Numerous other competitions, both local and international, followed where she mostly banked the top spot.
As if this were not remarkable enough, Gyan recently landed in the top 5 spot (out of 117) for an international online contest, “Hit Like a Girl.” For her stunning physical charm alone, actor-judge Robin Padilla singled her out at Pilipinas Got Talent, cutely stating that he wanted to stand up to see the seated drummer girl.
Back in 2015, the group made it to the semifinals of ABS-CBN’s Pilipinas Got Talent Season 5, was cited at the 29th Awit Awards for Best Performance by a new recording artist and won the Best WISHclusive Performance by a group. Wish also named Rouge finalist for its Alternative Song of the Year plum.
For a complete list down of Rouge’s monthly schedule and their freshest posts, check out their Facebook page @rougeallgirl.
For bookings of live appearances, please contact Leah Singwatt at Horizon Entertainment Production at L1 B1 Gertrudes St. Lacolina, Antipolo City 1870 or mobile no. 0917-562-2901 or landline number (+632) 788-2503.