P-pop group Calista finds growth, strength, their unique rhythm
And then there were four.
After a fun and peppy showcase of their new songs, the members of the P-pop group Calista—amid rousing cheers and applause—couldn’t help but turn emotional.
There they were, all pretty and charming in their sparkly outfits as they introduced their long-awaited debut EP. But then it hit Anne, Elle, Dain, and Denise—from six, only four of them managed to stay long enough to see this career milestone finally come to fruition.
“My tears began flowing while watching the video showing our journey. I thought, ‘Ah ok, there’s really just four of us now,” the group leader Anne said at the recent media launch of Calista’s four-track EP, which is fittingly titled “Four (Finding Our Unique Rhythm).”
But while the departure of former members Laiza and Olive May left a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the band, Anne, Elle Dain, and Denise held on to faith and each other as they weathered the challenges.
“Things haven’t been easy, but I feel so lucky to have such strong girls as my bandmates. During times I felt down, seeing them and feeling their positive energy lifted me up,” said Anne, who also thanked their fanbase, the A-Listas, who stayed loyal to the group.
“We also received words of encouragement from our families, friends, and people who trust and support us,” she added. “The love of our A-Listas also kept us going.”
“Despite losing members, we didn’t let go of our dreams,” Dain said. “This is our passion. This is what we really want to do.”
Strong bond
If there’s something good to be gleaned about the situation, it’s that it helped strengthen the remaining members’ bond. They have also “grown more mature.” And from a technical standpoint, having a leaner team meant seamless harmonies and tighter choreographies.
“We had to adjust the blockings of our choreographies and reassign the vocal parts. That took some getting used to. But on the positive side—and with the help of our coaches—we have grown more in tune with each other’s voices,” Anne said. “We had more time to hone our individualities when it comes to our singing.”
There’s also more clarity about the direction they want to take in terms of style and sound. “Our goals are clearer, more definite. I have also observed there are fewer disagreements when choosing songs,” Dain said.
That much is palpable in “Four” (Merlion Entertainment), an R&B-leaning record that retains the youthful exuberance and bounce of Calista’s debut single, “Race Car.” The EP features the soft, sultry backbeats of “LMK (Let Me Know),” the old-school R&B-inflected jam “Oops, My Bad,” and a cheeky cover of the Hotdog band classic “Bongga Ka, ‘Day!”
The standout track, however, is “Alas Dose,” whose Afrobeat taps and loops add a dash of spice and summery vibe to the otherwise whimsical pop confection. The accompanying music video perfectly weaves this into its gossamer Cinderella-inspired narrative.
“The songs have different flavors, because we don’t want to be boxed in one genre. That way, we’re able to give our fans something new,” Elle said.
Through “Four,” Calista also hopes to sustain the momentum it built with the surprise holiday hit “Christmas Rush.” And with hard work and perseverance, the girls hope to one day achieve the same kind of success the likes of Bini and SB19 are enjoying at the moment.
“We’re grateful for the doors opened by Bini and SB19 in the P-pop world. They introduced P-pop to casual listeners and broadened the market. Now, we see more groups cropping up and growing. And we hope that someday, we can reach that stage,” Anne said.
Comparisons with other groups are inevitable, but Calista isn’t out to compete. As the community’s battle cry goes, “P-pop rise!” “Comparisons just hinder your growth as an artist. we just want to motivate ourselves and focus on improving our craft,” Anne added.
