Korell was the stage name of Phil Forteza Melegrito Jr. (born on May 13, 1968 in Quezon City, Philippines), a San Jose–based freestyle singer who emerged on the West Coast club circuit in the early 1990s and crystallized his sound with the 12-track debut album Make It Last Forever in 1994. The LP featured a set that paired Latin freestyle grooves with pop-leaning hooks and introduced staples such as “Paradise,” “Paradise II,” “Let Me Be the One,” and “So in Love with You (Nina).” Cut during a period when established freestyle hitmakers were shaping the next wave, the “Paradise”/“Paradise II” run connected Korell to the genre’s mainstream lineage through production work with Stevie B. Building on that momentum, Korell issued the follow-up album In My Arms in 1996, expanding his repertoire with new uptempo material and ballads aimed at radio–club crossover while continuing to tour the Northern California and West Coast freestyle circuits. His catalog was revived for the digital era with the remastered reissue Make It Last Forever (Digitally Remastered) in 2009 and remained active with the single “Each Time” in 2010, bringing his songs to a new streaming audience. Following his passing on January 30, 2015, Korell’s recordings—especially “Paradise II”—have continued to circulate widely on platforms and freestyle playlists, preserving his role in the genre’s mid-1990s revival and cementing his reputation among collectors and DJs dedicated to the sound.
