ATO Jukebox Presents: Guia Rivera

All songs on "Lemon Light" EP written & copywritten by Guia Rivera (c) 2005, 2006, 2007.
"Lemon Light" written by Guia Rivera & John Baldivia; produced by John Baldivia. "Lemon
Light (remix)" produced by Vic Soultript, John Baldivia. Rap by Nef Nino.

About Guia Rivera

Guia Rivera (born September 19, 1982) is an American pop singer, songwriter, dancer, and model. She signed distribution of her first release the "Lemon Light EP" to Big Fish Media in Los Angeles in August 2007. She is known for being the first Asian-American pop/r&b recording artist to receive national airplay on mainstream Latin radio stations in the US. Her song "Camaleon" was played on the Luis Jimenez Show syndicated nationally by all La Kalle stations (Univision Radio). Guia Rivera is currently the only entertainer from the Philippines embraced by both English and Spanish-speaking audiences for her dramatic, musically eclectic performances in the United States.

Early Years: Military Brat

Guia Rivera was born in San Fernando, Philippines to a young US Naval Petty Officer and full-time mother turned full-time registered nurse. She started elementary school, at age four, in Athens, Greece. When Guia Rivera was ten, she won her first talent show by singing Mariah Carey's song "Someday" at elementary school in North Chicago, Illinois. During her high school years in Virginia Beach, Spanish teachers took notice of her agility passion for learning the Spanish language. They gave her extra cds and books to develop her as a Spanish-speaker. She spent much of her time belting to Selena and her idol Mariah Carey in the living room. Throughout elementary school and high school, the young, budding singer always participated in gospel choir and concert choir.

In May 2001, Guia Rivera performed "Tu Solo Tu" by Selena at Fiesta, the annual Latino variety show at her university. Her first Spanish-language performance was well-received with gritos from the audience at Foellinger Auditorium in Urbana, Illinois. Guia Rivera graduated from the University of Illinois in 2004.

Music Career

Guia Rivera got her professional start in music by winning a Chicagowide Spanish singing contest while suffering from bronchitis at the time. A cumbia number to Thalia's "Amor a la Mexicana" led her to victory as Chicago's Heineken Estrella winner in March 2005. Her first prize was a recording session at Pressure Point Studios, where her favorite singer Mariah Carey is reputed to have recorded in Chicago. Then Sponsors La Kalle 103.1 FM Chicago and Heineken flew her to Miami to attend the Billboard Latin Music Awards Conference.

In July 2005, Guia Rivera ran off to New York City with nothing but a three-song demo, a suitcase, and a dream. She found a job in a clothing store as a salesgirl in Astoria, Queens. There she was ordered to scrub floors by the three female managers. The struggling singer-songwriter lived with a roommate in a tiny basement apartment in Queens, where mice were coming out of the stove. By night, she would head straight to the hiphop venues and acoustic spots to hustle and grind her singing skills. She started out at Club Pyramid, where Madonna performed in her early years, as well as Club Speed, Remote Lounge, and Silk Road in Manhattan.

Guia Rivera began to gain national attention through her myspace page. Event promoter DNC Productions invited her to be their headlining performer at San Francisco's premier nightclub the Glas Kat in February 2006.

In July 2006, Guia Rivera returned to Chicago under the advice of friends and family. She swept The Windy City, accomplishing in one year what takes most artists six years to progress on a local scale. From October 2006 to August 2007, she performed nonstop in Chicago. Sometimes she would sing accompanied by her female backup dancers at four events in one weekend. In November 2006, she sang at the Hilton Towers for the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce with Fox 32 News Anchor Nancy Loo as host. Guia Rivera has touched almost every genre in Chicago from her salsa performance of her song "Te Verde" with jazz pianist Greg Spero at the Hot House in March 2007 to her performance of her pop song "Snake Charmer" at Zayna's Spring Bellydance Show in May 2007.

In December 2006, Guia Rivera recorded a demo track called "Camaleon," which ultimately became her first publicly released Spanish single. "Camaleon" briefly aired on La Kalle 103.1 FM Chicago in May 2007 after Univision Radio staff requested tracks in March 2007 of their Heineken Estrella Winner for radio airplay. Radio host David Miranda of La Kalle 103.1 FM Chicago presented her as a guest on the air before her performance at their radio promotion at Transit nightclub on March 2007. The Luis Jimenez Show also featured "Camaleon" for listeners nationwide in July 2007.

Guia Rivera appeared for a performance at the Puerto Rican Festival in June 2007. She supported immigrants and artists by performing at the Pilsen Cultural Festival in August 2007. In August 2007, the University of Illinois invited Guia Rivera along with her band to kick off the school year at their outdoor celebration ICelebrateTasteofNevadaStreet in honor of their historic cultural centers. Host Tom Stahler of WRLR 98.3 FM interviewed her for the community radio station in July 2007. More highlights this year include her opening for Tony Touch in February 2007, Vida Guerra in June 2007, and Sean Kingston at Nightshift in Soldier Field in August 2007. She is known in the Latin community for incorporating the use of bamboo sticks from the traditional Philippine dance Singkil in her reggaeton routine.

Guia Rivera emerged from local nightclub singer to bonafide entertainer on the concert stage. News of her local achievements spread to national supporters. After catching the attention of the Luis Jimenez Show in July 2007 and signing a distribution deal to Big Fish Media in Los Angeles in August 2007, Guia Rivera is beginning to conquer the national music scene.

Modeling

For a period of three weeks, Guia Rivera starved for lack of money and began modeling in March 2006. At her first shoot modeling for Tres Chic Furs' catalog in New York, she says she remembers feeling grateful they served pizza. In Chicago, she has worked with JLK Images, BLM Fine Arts, and Claudiu Voichin among a list of photographers. Photographer Rich Mohr says the "Camaleon" images of Guia Rivera, which he shot in December 2006, are his best work.

Upcoming Work

Guia Rivera is set to finish recording her English debut album "Emerge" in Los Angeles. A meeting with casting director Joan Philo recently led Guia Rivera to begin pursuing a well-rounded entertainment career by including acting as part of her professional life.

More about Guia Rivera: www.myspace.com/guiarivera

All images property of Guia Rivera

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