The Enthralling Rebekah Del Rio

All Photos: Alan Mercer

RebekahDel Rio began her professional music career when she was just 11 years old inher hometown of San Diego, California.I met Rebekah a few years ago through my friend Rudy Calvo. I fell in love with her and her artistry immediately. We shot her album cover for 'All My Life' inher bedroom on her bed. I have seen herperform live several times and she is always outstanding.

Herunique style is perhaps best represented in her signature song, the wrenchinglybeautiful ballad "Llorando,"a Spanish-language version of Roy Orbison's 'Crying,' which strongly evokesboth her Latin roots as well as such vocal influences as Patsy Cline, LindaRonstadt, Eydie Gorme, and Karen Carpenter.

DavidLynch cast Rebekah as herself in his nightmarish hymn to L.A.,'Mulholland Drive.' In apivotal scene, Rebekah plays an otherworldly cabaret singer who sings anelectrifying a capella rendition of 'Llorando.'

In aVillage Voice interview, Lynch describes his partnership with Rebekah as a"happy accident": Her noteworthy performance has been universallypraised as "a dazzling star turn," by John Powers in the L.A. Weekly, to "uniquelytwisted," and "utterly enthralling," by Gregory Weinkauf fromthe New York Times.

Ms.Del Rio was received with a standing ovation at the 12th Annual RainforestFoundation Benefit Concert at CarnegieHall after singing "Llorando" a capella. Rebekah was joined by Sting, Sir Elton John, and James Taylorclad in sombreros and maracas while she sang "La Bamba" for a tributeto the 60's. Rebekah has also performed with the Royal Philharmonic in England.

Youcan hear Rebekah’s haunting vocals on numerous soundtracks such as 'Sin City,' 'Streets of Legend,' 'Man OnFire,' 'Mia Sarah,' and she’s featured in new Richard Kelly film, 'SouthlandTales' where she plays an Opera Diva. Rebekahis in another David Lynch film, his movie 'Inland Empire.'

Thisyear the European singing group Il Divo recorded her classic song 'Llorando' asa duet with Rebekah. Her new album 'LoveHurts Love Heals' is a tribute to her son Phillip who lost his battle withcancer in 2009 at the age of twenty-three. Rebekah is a strong and passionate artist who will go on and create manymore hours of beautiful music for all of us to enjoy!

make-up: Rudy Calvo

AM: How did Il Divohook up with you Rebekah?

RDR: I got an emailfrom Il Divo's management telling me they wanted to do a cover of 'Llorando'but they really wanted to do it with me and would I be interested in recordingit with them.

AM: How exciting that must have been!

RDR: I said of courseI would but I was stuck in San Franciscodoing a show so I couldn't leave. Theyput me in a fabulous studio and the boys were in London,the producers were in Prague andthey skyped in to me so I could sing along on the second verse.

AM: I really like it.

RDR: It's harmoniousand beautiful, quite dynamic. I justhoped for the best, just because you record something doesn't mean itwill ever be released.

make-up: Rudy Calvo

AM: You are going togain a lot more fans!

RDR: Yes! They've sold 25 million records already inseven years.

AM: Now tell me aboutyour new recording...

RDR: In 2010 I hadbeen through so much. I really needed toget my act together and figure out what my destiny is. I am here and yes my son had to leave, butI'm still here.

AM: You must reallymiss Phillip.

RDR: I had such astrong connection with my child. We madea decision that after he passed whenever I saw 11/11 I would know he wasthinking about me. That was our sign toeach other.

make-up: Rudy Calvo

AM: Do you see itoften?

RDR: I see it all thetime! I see it almost every day. Once I was getting some things for his gardenand the total price was $111.11! Thenwhen I was putting my show together the ticket sales were one thousand, one hundredand eleven dollars and eleven cents!

AM: How unbelievableis that?

RDR: That was Phillip saying Mama everything is going to befine. I realized 2011 was never goingto happen again. I'd been wanting to dothis record with all these songs I wrote over the course of Phillip'sillness. I wrote so many torch songsfull of hurt and gorgeous songs about the spirit and how we evolve. I decided Iwas going to set goals and make them happen.

AM: What did you dofirst?

RDR: I got togetherwith these wonderful songwriters and musicians in New York. In 2008I met Heather Holley who is this amazing songwriter and we started writingtogether. She is responsible for gettingChristina Aguilera her first record deal. She has written many songs with Christina.

AM: That iswonderful!

make-up: Rudy Calvo

RDR: It was an honorto write with her. Fast forward to 2010when I hear Heather Holley's name and I think to myself that I should reconnectwith her and ask her if she would be interested in doing one song for this new project. So I wrote her and asked what she thought andshe told me she loved my songs and would do the whole album!

AM: I like the wayyou describe the music as cinematic and epic.

RDR: It is like asoundtrack to a movie you just watched.

AM: It also soundslike rock music from England! I love the song "Damned"

RDR: Interestinglyenough Alan that song was written with Heather in 2008. She had written this as a poem. She asked me if I wanted to write music to thelyrics. I said I would love to and I satdown at the piano and worked it out. Wehad the great fortune of working with Dave Eggar who just played cello on thenew Evanescence album. He really made that song and he is part songwriter now.

AM: It is one of themusical highlights on the album.

make-up: Rudy Calvo

RDR: His take on itis so gorgeous. This is all real musicwith real instruments, not from a computer. This song has become an anthem to 'Love Hurts Love Heals'. When you want something so bad and having itis not good for you and you know it you are 'Damned'.

AM: Will you have avideo on Youtube soon?

RDR: As soon aseverything gets approved we will have one! I really feel this is my destiny now. This is my son and I giving it to you.