True Faith

The Filipino band Truefaith took its name from New Order's 1987 hit single "True Faith," revealing the group's new wave origins. At first, Truefaith mined mid-'80s new wave sounds for its breezy pop formula, but the group eventually ventured further into the Philippine mainstream, firmly embracing MOR radio. In 1993, a demo tape of the band's song "Perfect" -- a romantic ballad with jangling guitars and longing vocals à la the Railway Children and the Lotus Eaters -- hit number one on Manila Top 40 radio station DWRT. The accessibility of "Perfect" opened the doors to the masses, a much larger crowd than the cult of fans who watched them perform new wave covers in small clubs. Signed to OctoArts/EMI in the Philippines, Truefaith's 1995 album, Build, was the group's first big smash, elevating it to superstar status in its native land. However, Build was greeted with controversy, as three of the band's founding members fought with vocalist Medwin Marfil over the use of the group's name in court. Marfil won and re-created the band with new and old members. In 2000, the group was nominated for the Asian Viewer's Choice award at the MTV Video Music Awards. Although Truefaith didn't win, the nomination brought the band back into the public spotlight. Memories Are Cheap: The Best of Truefaith, 1993-2000 was also released that year, a hugely successful overview of Truefaith's success and a look at how the group evolved from its new wave roots to becoming an easy listening icon. ~ Michael Sutton, Rovi