RETURN OF THE ROCK QUEEN

DESPITE being out of the limelight for four years, the queen of Malaysian rock showed she still rules. Appearing in a recent showcase performance at the Hard Rock Cafe, Ella had no problem getting the crowd to eat out of her hand. All she had to do was wave, smile, sit on the floor and ‘lentok' her head every now and then in her trademark ‘manja' postures and they were won over. Of course the fact she was singing straight from the heart helped her cause. All that left the sardine-packed crowd screaming for more. Obviously, a lack of publicity (a few diners didn't even know she was performing) didn't hurt the event. Once HRC was well-filled, the lights dimmed and the drums rolled for the DJ to announce Ella's appearance. Heads turned everywhere, guessing where the superstar rocker was. She then appeared on the raised podium to thunderous applause. She had some of the best musicians in the country with her - drummer Ujang (of Exists), guitarists Sham (of Kamikaze) and Shah (of Slam) and bassist Kelly. Ella belted out Permata Pemotong Permata and elicited a reaction which seemed to surprise even herself. She must have been pleased to see the crowd familiar with songs that were more than four years old. They passionately sang along, leaving Ella awed into silence for a moment. Overwhelmed, she returned the affection, saying: "I love you so much. Thank you so much for your support." While Ella is not as fluent with English as say, Ning Baizura, the audience didn't mind. They loved her just as much, if not more. Ella then went further by doing an English number, Creep. It was a fine rendition which left many wondering if she took English lessons during her four-year hiatus from the stage. When Ella asked for requests, she drew deafening and unintelligible roars as everyone seemed to have their own favourite number. She then opted to introduce her surprise guest, the rap group D' Joint. That was only apt. It's no secret one of the lads in D' Joint is her current beau. The group treated the crowd to a excellent rendition of the Linkin' Park hit, In The End. They did another Linkin' Park number, One Step Closer, this time with Ella. The sight of the crowd being left delirious was a good endorsement of D' Joint's performance. But in truth, the hysteria had more to do with Ella. The crowd were there for her; and anyone who shared the stage with her would have also gotten a strong reception. When Ella did her seventh number for the night, Layar Impian, she was stunned by the overwhelming response. The crowd sang their hearts out so much so Ella's voice could not be heard. Ever heard of a night where a star was eclipsed by her own fans? Well, this one was one such occasion. An emotionally-moved Ella then acted out the words of the song - sways, wiggles, hand gestures and facial expressions - all of which were in sync with her singing. When she delivered Kesyukuran, Ella again left the crowd spellbound. All the young women and men screamed in delight. Oh Ella, how well you've matured. There was hardly anything nervous or haphazard about in her presentation. But before Ella rocks again at HRC, they should take a good look at the sound system. If not for her sister Jojie stepping in to help get the sound right, many would have had a disappointing night on Wednesday. And one more thing - get rid of that bunting behind the stage. The poor crowd at the back couldn't catch much, and they were there from 8pm, more than two hours before the show. Ella will be performing for the second time at the HRC tomorrow. She's also appearing at Restoran Saloma on April 13. The Saloma act will be a sterner test as the crowd is expected to be more trendy. Jojie revealed that the set at Saloma would be different, featuring more ballads than rock oriented songs. The Queen of Rock is also planning to reveal her softer side there. Ella is planning to go ‘unplugged' at some point and is likely to feature songs like Nelly Furtado's I'm Like A Bird and her own hit, Sepi Sekuntum Mawar Merah. Meanwhile, word has it that Planet Hollywood is keen to sign Ella up, where she can take her place among her peers like Sheila Majid, Zainal Abidin and Ning Baizura, who have already performed there. Let's hope the deal is sealed before Ella goes on her Asian tour of Hard Rock Cafe outlets.