Freestyle

March 14, 2016

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  Photo credit: hollywoodflip.com

  Freestyle is an OPM band based from Davao and was formed in 1996 by couples Tat Suzara and Jinky Vidal.

  Aside from its founding members, the band is composed of Top Suzara on guitars and male vocals, Carlo Tapia on bass, Gerard Banzon on drums and Obet Luzon on keyboards.

  Freestyle is the result of combination of different genres of old and new school, R&B, hip-hop, funk, neo soul and ballads.

  In 1998, the band submitted their demo tape to Viva Records and later on, the band landed a recording contract after Vic del Rosario heard the band perform in an event in Cebu.

  In the same year, Freestyle released their self-titled debut album under Viva Records with certified hit singles ‘Before I Let You Go’ and ‘So Slow’.

  The band’s version of Ogie Alcasid’s ‘Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang’ is one of the biggest song they did which skyrocketed them to the peak of their career.

  During the height of their fame, the band collaborated with some of the country’s biggest OPM artists like Zsa Zsa Padilla, Lani Misalucha, Pops Fernandez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid and many more.

  After garnering a positive response from the OPM fans, the band eventually held their first major concert at the Araneta Coliseum on October 2000.

  Their successful concert was followed by several sold-out concerts in 2001 and 2002.

  In 2005, Top Suzara and Nikki Cabardo left the band and was replaced by Mike Luis and Joshua Desiderio.

  In 2011, founding member and vocals, Jinky Vidal left the band.

  Since the departure of their original members, the band is still performing gigs in different places.

  

  Photo credit: oneentertainmentinc.com

  The current lineup of Freestyle: Ava Santos on vocals, Joshua Desiderio and Mike Luis on vocals and keyboard, Rommel dela Cruz on bass, Gerald Banzon on drums and Tat Suzara, the only original member left in the band.

   

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