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Regine Velasquez

Regine Velasquez is a multi-genre singer/songwriter, music producer, actress, endorser and host who debuted in the OPM scene in 1987. She is known for her sustained and unbeatable vocal power.

Profile

  • Stage Name: Regine Velasquez
  • Birth Name: Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez
  • Other Name: Chona Velasquez (she first used her nickname)
  • BirthdDate: April 22, 1970
  • Birthplace: Bulacan, Bulacan, Philippines

Biography

Velasquez's father, a frustrated musician, had started training her to be a singer when she was 6. His father's unique training was now being applied to various Music and Performing arts school. In this training, Velasquez was made to sing and vocalize while being submerge in a chin-deep water. Her father explained that this is to strengthen her lungs so she can carry the highest and lowest of all notes. Due to this, she was not allowed to eat Ice cream and all sorts of cold/sweet treat for it might cause damaged to her vocal chords (Although she made a Magnolia ice cream Commercial when she grew-up and now famous). She is noted to have a full head voice of 5 Octaves and can reach up to the 7th Octave when she does falsetto and whistle register (ala Mariah Carey).

Velasquez had a record of 200 competitions participated in and 67 of which that she had won. The most remarkable of which is in 1984 when she joined Ang Bagong Kampeon (The New Champion) / Tawag ng Tanghalan (Stage Call). She had qualified with the song "Saan ako Nagkamali" (Where di I go wrong) and won the championship with the song "In your Eyes". After which she had won a contract form Octoarts and was released under the name Chona Velasques with the single "Love me again", though she didn't hit it big. It wasn't until Velasquez had guested in the late night talk show Penthouse LIVE where Ronni Henares had offered to manage her. The same year she had been re-debuted under the name Regine. It was then that her father had decided to resign in his job to attend to her career. In 1987, She finally hit it big with her self titled album. This had made her first mark in the music scene.

In 1989, Velasques was the official Philippine representative in the prestigous Asia-Pacific Singing Contest held in Hong Kong on December 23. Winning the competition with the pieces "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "And I'm telling you", she had gained the title Asia's Song Bird and was the start of her international Asian success. She had collaborated with artists such as Jacky Cheung, Paul Anka, David Hasselhoff, 98 Degrees, Mandy Moore, Brian McKnight and Michel Legrand.

By the start of 1990, despite being declined in the Cameron-Mackintosh Production of Miss Saigon she had started holding the position as Philippine's highest selling and most popular artist. In 1996, she had recorded the song "Emotions" which was produced by Mark Feist (who also produced the same song for Destiny's Child in 2001). She was also cited as the main influence of the next generation Divas (such as Kyla, Nina and Sarah Geronimo). Until now, she is still considered the reigning queen of Philippine music.

Besides being a singer, she also acted in several dramas and movies and had been a frequent host of various Singing contests. Right now she had just released her album Covers Volume II.