Former Vocalist of Moonstar88 Acel Bisa is Bidding Farewell with a Concert
“I didn’t plan it. It’s kind of like an accident, but I know there’s no such thing as an accident; it’s His plan,” Acel says in an interview with Esquire Philippines.
Acel Bisa never dreamed of becoming the singer-songwriter she is now. For her 18th birthday, however, she asked musician friends in her neighborhood to perform at her party. They asked her to sing since it was her birthday, and she agreed. Acel sang Frente’s version of “Bizarre Love Triangle.” Her neighbors loved her performance so much that they asked her to become the new vocalist of their band, Orphan Lily.
Orphan Lily performed at gig venues, such as Club Dredd and Mayric’s, alongside acts like Parokya ni Edgar and the Eraserheads. The band submitted a demo to NU107’s In the Raw, the radio station’s platform for discovering fresh and unsigned artists. The single “Paikot-Ikot” made it to the station’s Top 10 song countdown and the band was invited to perform at NU107 events. The band won Best New Artist at the NU Rock Awards in 1998 and got signed to PolyEast Records.. TV guestings at variety shows like Sa Linggo Na Po Sila followed.
However, Orphan Lily disbanded soon after. Acel and the bassist, Paolo Bernaldo, decided to form another band with William Pineda in 1999. That was the beginning of Moonstar88.
Moonstar 88 struck a record deal with Alpha Records and released two albums with Acel as vocalist. Released in the year 2002, the first one, Popcorn, featured the single “Torete,” which became a phenomenal radio hit. It was even used as the theme song for the soundtrack of the Judy Ann Santos and Wowie de Guzman film, Luv Txt.
While “Torete” might have been the anthem of an entire generation, the song, written by Darwin Hernandez, wasn’t one of Acel’s favorites. But Alpha insisted that it should become the lead single for the album and remains one of the band’s most famous hits to this day.
Released in 2002, Moonstar88’s second album, Press to Play, featured the hit “Sulat,” and a cover of the Leah Navarro original, “Ang Pag Ibig Kong Ito.”
Acel left the band in 2004 and got married soon after. She kept recording songs though, including a cover of Rico Blanco’s “Your Universe.” In 2007, she released Silver Lining, her first album as a solo artist. It is a 10-track album featuring songs such as “Laugh and Cry,” “Pakiusap,” “Sa Ngalan Ng Pag-Ibig,” and “Silver Lining.” In 2022, Acel performed alongside contemporaries Barbie Almalbis, Aia de Leon, Kitchie Nadal, and Lougee Basabas in Tanaw.
Farewell concert and album launch
Acel, her husband, Danny, and their three children are set to move to the Netherlands (Danny’s home country) early next year. In anticipation of her departure, the artist will hold a farewell concert on October 11, 7 p.m., at Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills. The event doubles as the launch of her new album Being & Becoming.
The album, according to Acel, is where she allowed herself to be at her most vulnerable. “I want to be remembered as someone who spoke life and hope through her music,” she says.
The concert will also highlight Right Start, a non-profit organization she co-founded 14 years ago, aimed at empowering children in underprivileged communities through music, arts, and sports.
Acel invites all her fans to watch Being & Becoming. Tickets to the show are still available here. Visit Acel’s Facebook page for updates.
