What do you get when five talented girls are banded together and put under the tutelage of one of the most successful star builders in showbiz?
The short and snappy answer? LITZ.
This is the moniker of the glitzy and fierce new pop group that Viva has just unveiled. The group is composed of Heart Ryan Evangelista (19), Ashtine Olviga (22), Bianca Santos (20), Fatima Añonuevo (20), and Yumi Garcia (18).
The group has been training all these months under the creative direction of choreographer-artist Georcelle Dapat-Sy a.k.a Teacher Georcelle who has trained and choreographed some of the biggest stars in the biz including Sarah Geronimo, Anne Curtis, and Vice Ganda, to name a few.
“They started as six [members] but one had to leave and go to Japan because of the pandemic. I needed to assess them and assess them. We started with zoom sessions only. We had training including the way they project to the camera,” Teacthe head of G-Force told Manila Standard Entertainment in an interview.
“I really see a big potential in them. I wouldn’t take this project if I don’t see any potential,” she said in jest. “They are all hungry and that’s what I love. I don’t want to say that they are passionate about their job because all of us are passionate about our jobs. That should be a given. What made me really admire in their working attitude, sa generation nila, wala pa akong nakikitang someone like them. They’re always excited to work.”
The group’s name was coined by Teacher Georcelle according to Ashtine Olviga. “L.I.T.Z. is an abbreviation of ‘life in the sunshine( stylized with ‘Z’),” Ashtine said in Tagalog. “Teacher said that we light up the place every time when we’re together.”
Ashtine also mentioned that “we’re part of other music acts from before, and then LITZ was formed.” The group was formed in 2020, said Bianca Santos. “And then we started training with G-Force this year. Dance and voice training, and speech classes. And it continues to this day and into our foreseeable future.”
“When we first joined LITZ, we didn’t know Teacher Georcelle was the one who’s going to train us, chimed in Fatima Añonuevo, adding “it was overwhelming and nakaka-pressure. But we’re happy she is training us, and now we’re more comfortable with G-Force.”
Yumi Garcia, for her part, was starstruck by the celebrity choreographer.
“I was really nervous when I first saw Teacher Georcelle,” she said in Tagalog.“Somebody I know said she’s strict. But as we went on, I saw that she’s so nice as well as the other trainers. Andyan talaga sila para turuan kami.”
“Yumi is right when she said that Teacher Georcelle is strict, offstage she’s very intimidating, offered an articulate Heart Ryan Evangelista. “But that’s only in the exterior. Once you get to know her, she’s very kind. A very understanding person. For us, she’s like a mom.”
Which everyone nods in consent. “She’s strict because she loves us. Because she cares about us, what we can do and what we can become. I think we have that relationship with Teacher Georcelle and we really treasure that because it helps us to grow.”
For LITZ initial foray into the scene, the group has recorded and will release the single “Natataranta.” The track, written by Thyro Alfaro, was originally recorded by James Reid. The new LITZ version turns the popular idol hit into an electropop-tinged dance song of female empowerment.
The track’s release is accompanied by a music video that highlights LITZ’s stunning choreography.
LITZ will make its debut performance at the upcoming concert streaming event titled Arrival. The special, which will celebrate “a new chapter of OPM” will feature young hitmakers and rising acts that include ALAMAT, Because, Claudia (Barretto), Lyca Gairanod, Cean Jr., Deny, Jehramae, Jona Soquite, and Magnus Haven.
The Paolo Valenciano directed-Viva Live event is scheduled to stream via KTX.PH, IWANT TFC and TFC IPTV on Nov. 27, Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Ticket sells for P299.00.
