Regine Velasquez

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Regine Velasquez Biography

Winner of Hong Kong’s 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest Grand Prize. She was the first Asian artist to hold a solo concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Her first Asia-released album, Listen Without Prejudice, dropped in 1994 and sold upwards of 700,000 units in Asia, 100,000 in the Philippines, 300,000 in China, and 20,000 units in Thailand.

Her 2000 music video “In Love With You,” was #1 on the MTV Asia list of the Top 20 Asian Videos and featured a duet with Jacky Cheung.

She dated Ogie Alcasid for seven years; they announced their engagement on the afternoon variety show Party Pilipinas. They finally wed in 2010. They welcomed their son, Nathaniel James Alcasid, in 2011.

She collaborated with such popular performers as David Hasselhoff, Paul Anka, Billy Crawford, and Alicia Keys.

With her seventh studio album, Retro, Velasquez recorded cover versions of singles in the 1970s and 1980s from artists including Donna Summer, Foreigner and the Carpenters. Its single “Fly”—the only original song on the record—credited Earth, Wind & Fire members Maurice White, Al McKay and Allee Willis, because the song interpolates the melody of their single “September”. In 1998, Velasquez parted from PolyCosmic and signed a six-album contract under the MJF Company. That year, her ninth studio album, Drawn, was released. Australian musician and head of MJF Company Mark Feist, served as executive producer with songwriting and musical arrangement credits for a majority of the tracks including the lead single, “How Could You Leave”. Drawn sold more than 40,000 copies and earned a platinum certification within two weeks of its release.

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez was born on April 22, 1970 in Tondo, Manila, to Teresita (née Ansong) and Gerardo Velasquez. The singer has three sisters named Cacai, Diane and Deca, and a brother, Jojo. The family moved to Hinundayan, Southern Leyte where Velasquez spent the early years of her life. At age three, Velasquez became interested in music from listening to songs her father sang to lull her to sleep. She recalled that she would listen to her mother play the guitar and piano while her father sang, and referenced “Mr. DJ” by Sharon Cuneta as one of the first songs she learned to sing.

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez (/r ɪ ˈ dʒ ɪ n v ə ˈ l æ s k ɛ z / REE -jeen VEH -las-KEZ ) (born April 22, 1970) is a Filipino singer, actress and record producer. She came to prominence after winning the 1984 Ang Bagong Kampeon and the 1989 Asia-Pacific Song Contest. Velasquez signed with OctoArts International under the name Chona in 1986 and released the single “Love Me Again”, which was commercially unsuccessful. After adopting the stage name Regine Velasquez, she signed a recording contract with VIVA Records in 1987 and released her eponymous debut album containing the singles “Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang” and “Urong Sulong”.

When she was nine, her family moved to Balagtas, Bulacan where she attended St. Lawrence Academy. Velasquez remained involved in extra-curricular activities, particularly music, and competed for her school at the annual Bulacan Private Schools Association competition. At fourteen, Velasquez auditioned for the reality television series Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984. She qualified and became the show’s senior division winner defending her spot for eight consecutive weeks. Velasquez won the season and signed record deal with OctoArts International.

Velasquez initially took the stage name “Chona” and recorded the single “Love Me Again”, which was released in early 1986. However, the single was commercially unsuccessful. At the behest of another OctoArts recording artist, Pops Fernandez, she was invited to appear on her late night television show, The Penthouse Live! While she was rehearsing for the show, producer and talent manager Ronnie Henares showed interest and signed her. At the suggestion of Fernandez’s husband and the show’s co-host, Martin Nievera , Velasquez adopted the stage name “Regine”.

In 1987, VIVA Records head Vicente del Rosario, signed Velasquez and released her debut album, Regine . Del Rosario and Henares both served as executive producers and enlisted songwriters Joaquin Francisco Sanchez and Vehnee Saturno. Three singles were released throughout 1987 and 1988: “Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang”, ” Urong Sulong” and “Isang Lahi”. During this period, she made appearances on ABS-CBN television variety shows Triple Treat and Teen Pan Alley. Two years after the release of her debut album, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong. She went on to win the contest, performing the songs “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the musical Carousel and “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the musical Dreamgirls.

Velasquez made her cinematic debut in January 1988, beginning with a brief appearance in The Untouchable Family, an action comedy film. Its soundtrack contained her single “Urong Sulong”. She continued to appear in a series of supporting roles in comedies that included Pik Pak Boom (1988) and Elvis and James 2 (1990).

During the mid-1990s to early 2000s, Velasquez’s albums consisted primarily of cover versions of international material because of its commercial viability, and Filipinos’ preference for American music. According to CNN Philippines, “Regine has a knack for choosing songs which at first, may not fit her, but eventually become her own.” Many of her songs, particularly in Retro, Drawn and R2K contained R&B, soul and hip-hop influences. Velasquez’s eleventh studio album Reigne is an OPM album that she described as “songs influenced by the music, artists, and genres that I enjoy listening to,” and included tracks that are reflectively melancholic, lyrical and poetic. Her crossover to film saw significant use of contemporary love ballads in her catalog of soundtrack themes. Her records often blend ballads and uptempo tracks that are straightforward, earnest and lyrically simple.

In 1990, Velasquez released her second studio album, Nineteen 90. She worked with Louie Ocampo for the album’s lead single “Narito Ako”, which was originally recorded and performed by Maricris Bermont and written by Nonong Pedero for the 1978 Metro Manila Popular Music Festival. That year, Velasquez headlined her first major concert in support of the album at the Folk Arts Theater. She recorded a duet with Jose Mari Chan, “Please Be Careful With My Heart”, for his sixth studio album Constant Change, and contributed backing vocals for Gary Valenciano’s “Each Passing Night”, a single from his sixth studio album, Faces of Love. In 1991, Velasquez made her North American concert debut at the Carnegie Hall in New York City, a first for an Asian solo artist. Soon after, British theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh invited Velasquez to audition for the West End production of the musical Miss Saigon. She received a letter from the production offering to train her in London, but she declined citing inadequate musical theatre experience as one of the reasons.

Velasquez’s third studio album Tagala Talaga was released in October 1991, and included cover versions of classic OPM recordings by National Artist for Music recipients Ryan Cayabyab , Lucio San Pedro and Levi Celerio. The album’s lead single “Buhay Ng Buhay Ko”, originally recorded by Leah Navarro, was also written by Pedero, who Velasquez previously worked with on Nineteen 90. Two more singles were released during 1991 and 1992: “Anak and “Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan”.

In July 1993, PolyGram Far East announced its joint venture licensing deal in the Philippines with the formation of its subsidiary, PolyCosmic Records. Velasquez recorded a duet with Canadian singer Paul Anka, “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye”, which became the newly-formed label’s maiden release. The single was later included in her fourth studio album Reason Enough. David Gonzales of AllMusic described the album as “more attuned to international ears,” and felt Velasquez’s vocals were “thin and unimpressive.” One of its singles, “Sana Maulit Muli”, won the Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in 1994.

In 1994, Velasquez released her fifth studio album Listen Without Prejudice. She worked with songwriters including Glenn Medeiros, Trina Belamide and John Laudon. The album was released in several countries in Southeast and East Asia including: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The album’s lead single, “In Love With You”, featured Cantonese singer-songwriter Jacky Cheung. AllMusic’ s David Gonzales called the record “adventurous,” but felt “Cheung’s presence on the duet had much to do with the overseas success.” The album had sold more than 700,000 copies regionally, including 100,000 in the Philippines, making it the best-selling album of her career to date.

After being signed to Polygram Records, Velasquez gained recognition in Southeast and East Asia with her albums Listen Without Prejudice (1994) and My Love Emotion (1995), the first of which became her best-selling record to date and produced “In Love With You”, her most successful single of the 1990s. She followed this with 1996′ s Retro, a cover album incorporating rhythm and blues, jazz and disco. After parting ways with Polygram Records, she released Drawn (1998), a joint deal with Los Angeles-based producer Mark Feist and VIVA Records. Velasquez was then given full creative control as executive producer to R2K (1999). The album became the highest-selling by a female artist in the Philippines. During this period, Velasquez ventured into acting, playing leading roles in the romantic comedy film Pangako Ikaw Lang (2001), for which she received a Box Office Entertainment Award, and the drama series Maalaala Mo Kaya (2002), which earned her a Star Award for Best Actress. She expanded her career into reality talent shows serving as a presenter in Star for a Night (2002-2004), Pinoy Pop Superstar (2004-2007) and The Clash (2018); and as a judge in StarStruck (2015) and Idol Philippines (2019).

In 1995, Velasquez began working with composer Ryan Cayabyab for the musical theater production of José Rizal’ s Noli Me Tángere, where she played the female lead, María Clara. Del Rosario, who also headed VIVA Entertainment’s film production arm, saw Velasquez in one of her performances and offered her a starring role in a film. Following this, she was given her first leading role, playing a music teacher in the romantic comedy, Wanted Perfect Mother (1996). Nievera and Ocampo co-wrote the single “You Are My Song”, for the film’s soundtrack. The musical comedy Do Re Mi—in which she played alongside Donna Cruz and Mikee Cojuangco—was released in the same year. Velasquez continued to play leading roles in romantic comedies, appearing in Honey Nasa Langit Na Ba Ako (1998) with Janno Gibbs, and Dahil May Isang Ikaw (1999) with Aga Muhlach. Her first television role came in 2000 in an episode of the IBC-13′ s weekly drama series Habang May Buhay, playing Piolo Pascual’ s cancer-stricken love interest.

Velasquez’s sixth studio album, My Love Emotion, was released in 1995. She enlisted Japanese songwriters Mariya Takeuchi, Kazufumi Miyazawa and Mariya Takeuchi during its recording. The title track, written by Southern Sons’ vocalist Phil Buckle, was heralded “a triumph” by AllMusic editor David Gonzales, describing it as “an outstanding vehicle, containing a strong melody and hook in the chorus”. The album made a combined regional and domestic sales of 250,000 copies.

R2K, produced mainly by Velasquez, was released on November 27, 1999. For the album, she recorded covers that include Jeffrey Osborne’s “On the Wings of Love”, Dionne Warwick’s “I’ll Never Love This Way Again”, Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” and ABBA’s Dancing Queen, which were released as singles throughout 1999 and 2000. AllMusic editor David Gonzales criticized the record’s “infatuation with Western popular music,” while calling Velasquez’s singing “self-assured” albeit rather “unimpressive.” Commercially, R2K sold more than 40,000 copies in its second week of release and earned a platinum certification. A year after its release, the album was certified 4× platinum. R2K has since been certified 12× platinum becoming the highest-selling album by a female artist in the Philippines. On December 31, 1999, Velasquez was a featured musical act in 2000 Today, an internationally broadcast BBC millennium television special, which attracted a worldwide audience of more than 800 million viewers with its core broadcast beginning with the Kiribati, Line Islands and culminating in American Samoa.

A key point in Velasquez’s film career came when Joyce Bernal cast her as the lead in the romantic comedy Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw (2000) opposite Robin Padilla. Cinemaya and Film International correspondent and film critic Noel Vera described the film’s formula as “nothing really new, … it’s the nth variation of Roman Holiday”, although he complimented the singer for bringing her own public persona, charisma and sense of humor to the role. Her next film role was in the romantic comedy Pangako Ikaw Lang (2001). The film re-united her with Bernal and Muhlach. Vera was impressed with the film’s direction and writing, and described her performance as “sunny good nature”, played with a “light comic touch”. Pangako Ikaw Lang became the highest-grossing Filipino film of 2001. Due to the film’s commercial performance, Velasquez was the recipient of the Box Office Queen title at the 32nd Box Office Entertainment Awards. Her next television appearance was in an episode of ABS-CBN’s weekly drama series, Maalaala Mo Kaya (2001), playing a woman with autism. The role won her the Best Actress award at the 16th Star Awards for Television. In 2002, she starred in Ikaw Lamang Hanggang Ngayon with Richard Gomez . Filmed entirely in Manila City, her performance of a disenchanted postal clerk earned a Young Critics Circle nomination for Best Actress. Pangarap Ko Ang Ibigin Ka (2003) re-united her with Christopher de Leon of Wanted Perfect Mother. The film premiered at the Manila Film Festival in July 2003. Mars Ravelo’s Captain Barbell was her second film released in 2003.

In support of the album, Velasquez headlined and directed the R2K Concert at the Araneta Coliseum in April 2000, which won Best Female Major Concert Act at the 13th Aliw Awards . Ricky Lo from The Philippine Star described the production as “electrifying” and complimented Velasquez’s “boundless energy and creativity.” She also performed a concert at the Westin Philippine Plaza that year and spawned the release of her first live album, Regine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics, in December 2000. Despite being criticized for the technical mixing, the album was certified 6× platinum. In 2001, Velasquez worked with Filipino songwriters for OPM material on her eleventh studio album, Reigne. The album and its lead single “To Reach You” were released in December 2001. AllMusic’s David Gonzales heralded the album as “an adventurous set” and praised the song writing’s “high quality”. Two other singles, Tats Faustino’s “Dadalhin” and Janno Gibbs’ “Sa Aking Pag-iisa”, were released from the album.

Velasquez has been involved with several charitable organizations. She became associated with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2001, and worked on a documentary produced by MTV Asia, titled Speak Your Mind. The organization sought to encourage broadcasters to play a more active role in promoting and protecting children’s rights. The documentary featured the plight of homeless children in Payatas, Quezon City, one of the Philippines’ largest open dumpsites. It explored issues concerning children’s welfare with an in-depth focus on hazardous working environment risks and child abuse. The production was nominated for the UNICEF Child Rights Award.

Throughout Velasquez’s career, she has collected many honors and awards, including MTV Asia’ s Favorite Artist Philippines in 2002 and 2003, the Asian Television Awards’ Best Musical Program in 2002 and Best Entertainment Special in 2003 and the Aliw Awards’ Entertainer of the Year in 2007, 2009, and 2019. She has been the recipient of lifetime achievement awards, including the Awit Awards’ Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino, the Star Awards for Music’ s Pilita Corrales Lifetime Achievement and Natatanging Alagad Ng Musika, FAMAS Awards’ Golden Artist, and Myx Music’ s Magna Award.

One of Velasquez’s highest-profile benefit concert appearances was on ABS-CBN’s 2002 special, One Night with Regine, during which she performed at the National Museum of the Philippines in support of the Bantay Bata Foundation, a child welfare organization. In 2005, Velasquez appeared in an episode of the lifestyle talk show Mel and Joey and donated proceeds from her auctioned gowns to the GMA Kapuso Foundation’s Christmas Give-a-Gift project. In 2009, Velasquez headlined a musical special, After The Rain, a nationally televised fundraiser and documentary in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy). In October 2010, Velasquez became an ambassador for Operation Smile, a nonprofit medical service organization that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide. She recorded the theme “S.M.I.L.E.”, which was written for the project, and appears on her fifteenth studio album. In November 2013, proceeds from the sales of her album Hulog Ka Ng Langit were donated to the Philippine Red Cross in support of the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) relief.

In February 2002, Reigne earned Velasquez the inaugural MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist Philippines. She performed “Cry” with Mandy Moore to promote the theatrical release of the latter’s film, A Walk to Remember. In March, Velasquez hosted the first season of Star for a Night, a format based on the British talent show of the same name. In April, she headlined a benefit concert, One Night with Regine, at the National Museum of the Philippines, a collaboration with ABS-CBN Foundation to benefit Bantay Bata Foundation’s child abuse response fund. Later that year, the show won Best Musical Program at the 7th Asian Television Awards.

At the 2003 MTV Asia Awards, Velasquez won her second consecutive award for Favorite Artist Philippines. In May 2003, she embarked on the Martin-Regine World Concert Tour with Martin Nievera. The following month, Velasquez returned to host the second season of Search for a Star (formerly Star for a Night). That year in November, she had a concert residency at Makati’s Onstage Theatre named Songbird Sings Streisand, a tribute to American singer and actress Barbra Streisand.

Velasquez did not make any film appearances in 2004, but made her prime time television debut in the drama series Forever In My Heart. In the series, she re-united with Gomez and worked alongside Ariel Rivera and Dawn Zulueta. She next starred in romantic dramas re-uniting with Padilla in Till I Met You (2006), and with Pascual in Paano Kita Iibigin (2007). For the latter film, Velasquez received FAMAS and FAP awards nominations for Best Actress. In 2008, she returned to television playing the titular character in the comedy series Ako Si Kim Sam Soon, an adaption of the South Korean television show. Velasquez also voiced the eponymous character in the animated film Urduja (2008). In 2009, she made cameo appearances in Kimmy Dora, OMG (Oh, My Girl!), and Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie. In March 2010, Velasquez appeared in the musical television series, Diva, playing a facially disfigured ghost singer aspiring to pursue a music career. The following year, she teamed with Dingdong Dantes in the television comedy I Heart You, Pare! (2011). She later dropped out of the show for health reasons and was replaced by Iza Calzado.

In February 2004, Velasquez released a compilation album with Ogie Alcasid titled The Songbird & The Songwriter. Later that month, the duo performed a concert at the Araneta Coliseum to promote the album, and embarked on the Songbird & the Songwriter Tour in North America that April. At the 17th Aliw Awards, she won Best Female Performance in a Concert and was nominated for Entertainer of the Year. Velasquez hosted the reality talent show, Pinoy Pop Superstar, which began airing on GMA Network that July. In October, she released “Forevermore”, the lead single from her twelfth studio album Covers, Vol. 1. It contained tracks originally recorded by Filipino male artists and was her most expensive cover album to produce, due in part to the cost of securing licensing rights for songs by local songwriters. Ariel Rivera’s “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigan”, Basil Valdez’s “Say That You Love Me” and Nonoy Zuñiga’s “Araw Gabi” were later released as singles. The album has since been certified 6× platinum.

Velasquez has been involved in brand marketing initiatives for American fast food restaurant chains, Wendy’s and KFC. She has also signed advertising deals with several brands, including, Digitel, Lux, Nestle Philippines, Nokia, and Smart Telecommunications . Throughout 2005, she appeared as the face of the Department of Tourism’s travel promotion campaign. In August 2009, Velasquez released her line of women’s fragrance for clothing brand Bench, called Reigne and Songbird. In February 2020, she collaborated with beauty brand BYS and launched her own line of makeup called Reign.

Velasquez has been involved in brand marketing initiatives for American fast food restaurant chains, Wendy’s and KFC. She has also signed advertising deals with several brands, including, Digitel, Lux, Nestle Philippines, Nokia, and Smart Telecommunications . Throughout 2005, she appeared as the face of the Department of Tourism’s travel promotion campaign. In August 2009, Velasquez released her line of women’s fragrance for clothing brand Bench, called Reigne and Songbird. In February 2020, she collaborated with beauty brand BYS and launched her own line of makeup called Reign.

Velasquez developed other television projects in 2008. She appeared in Songbird, a weekly late night musical television show which featured performances by a musical guest, and was featured in a musical television special, The Best of Me, filmed at her residence in Ayala Hills Estate, Quezon City. Velasquez signed a deal with Universal Records , and released Low Key in December 2008. The album, as with Covers, Vol. 2, contains cover versions of international songs which she described as “more relaxed, laid-back and restrained”. It included tracks such as Billy Joel’s “She’s Always a Woman”, Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band” and Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen”. The Philippine Daily Inquirer praised the album’s maturity and wrote that “[Velasquez] no longer shrieks and shouts as much as she used to.” Commercially, the album sold more than 25,000 copies within two months of its release, and was certified platinum. In May 2009, she appeared in a television special, Roots to Riches, a biographical documentary and musical that chronicled her personal and professional struggles, and included musical performances filmed in her hometown of Malolos, Bulacan. Later that month, she hosted the reality talent show Are You the Next Big Star?.

Velasquez confirmed her relationship with singer and songwriter Ogie Alcasid in June 2007 in an article published by Yes! magazine. On August 8, 2010, the couple announced their engagement, and in December the couple married in Nasugbu, Batangas. On November 8, 2011, she gave birth to their son, Nathaniel James via caesarean section.

Fantasy was released in December 2010 as a double CD set. The first was a disc of OPM recordings; the second included covers of international singles such as Madonna’ s “Papa Don’t Preach”, Toronto’ s “What About Love” and the Eagles’ “Love Will Keep Us Alive” . The Philippine Daily Inquirer called the album “vocally sumptuous” and was generally impressed with Velasquez’s vocals and range. Fantasy received a platinum certification, and received three nominations at the 3rd Star Awards for Music. After receiving the Magna Award at the Myx Music Awards 2011, Velasquez took a hiatus from public engagements following the confirmation of her pregnancy.

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