Cynthia Alexander

Singer/songwriter Cynthia Alexander is a multi-instrumentalist who began playing guitar at the age of seven. Her brother, renowned ethnic musician Joey Ayala, provided her with early chord lessons. In the late '80s she was the bassist for the group Hayp. Hayp were regulars at Manila underground venues such as Club Dredd and Mayric's, but Alexander's skills with the bass instantly brought her international recognition. In 1989, she was selected Best Bass Player at the World Band Explosion Finals in Tokyo, Japan. Cynthia Alexander writes, performs, arranges, produces and distributes all her albums and even designs the covers and inlays. Alexander has gathered awards for her solo work, her albums INSOMNIA & other Lullabyes (1997), Rippingyarns (2000) and Comet'sTail (2005) are multi awarded. She is NU 107 Rock Award's first Female Icon (2004). Her latest release 'Walk Down the Road' (2009) is a celebration of over a decade of songwriting that the artist reflects on the themes of transformation. Born in Quezon City, Philippines and raised by the beach in a banana plantation in Davao, Mindanao (south of the Philippines), Cynthia is borne from the genes of the Ayala (Davao) clan of artists - daughter of poet and painter Tita Lacambra-Ayala and fictionist painter Jose V. Ayala, Jr.; younger sibling of ethnic folk-rocker Joey Ayala.