Why Regine said no to Miss Saigon
Maih Jongs
DIRECTLINE by Boy Abunda
The Philippine Star 11/25/2002
(First of two parts)
Regine Velasquez is undoubtedly today's hottest female singer. She has
a voice that soars. She is a powerhouse performer with scintillating
showmanship. She croons like it's nobody's business. She belts out
like no one else could. And in Regine Velasquez's Songbird Sings at
the Onstage slated on Nov. 29, 30 and all Saturdays and Sundays of
December, she is poised once again to leave her audience breathless.
Singing her signature songs, numerous high-energy dance numbers and a
slew of her personal favorite ballads, Regine will display in great
abundance of her vocal dexterity in this concert. Check out a
conversation I had with her recently.
Boy Abunda: How does it feel? To be Asia's songbird?
Regine Velasquez: I'm not sure. Asia's songbird, yun ang naging title
ko for the longest time. Hindi siya superstar, bird lang siya. That's
ok. If it's Asia, I'm no longer sure because I'm not known in Asia.
Only in the Philippines.
With your status, is there anything you wish for?
Right now, I really can't ask for anything else. Sana naging ganito...
sana makapagconcert ako. I'm so blessed. It will be too much if I ask
for more.
International stardom – do you pray for it?
No more. I'm flattered and happy a lot of people believe that I can
make it.
What is your priority now?
Philippines pa rin! Because I'm here. It's hard to penetrate the
international scene pero kung may maka-discover, I'm very open.
Do you still remember your Miss Saigon audition in New York?
I never auditioned here. I went straight to New York. I was with Jamie
Rivera and Dulce. Grabe si Dulce kumanta, grabe! But me, I auditioned
there. After that, Cameron told me, "Miss Velasquez, don't cut your
hair short." I didn't really think I could do so! Then they said, "We
regret to inform you..." etc. Tapos, we received a letter that they
want to train me in London!
Did you deliberate on it much?
Not much, actually. It's just that I've never done theater before so
talagang walang contest. That was a break but I said no. I can't leave
my family. I'm more familiar with concerts, not theater. I was also
scared.
You're a trendsetter, whether you admit it or not. Air Supply...
Urong-Sulong... You cut your hair short... why so?
I was depressed. My concert was postponed and it was my 18th birthday.
No one was buying the tickets kasi kasabay ng the Jets concert.
Inisnab nila beauty ko! I was depressed so I cut my hair short. That
was 1989. Then when I joined the Asia Pacific Singing Contest, the
blessings came one after the other.
When it comes to fashion, a lot of people try to copy your style. How
did you develop your fashion sense?
Sira kasi ulo ko eh! Ha ha! I'm very daring when it comes to fashion.
All I know is, I don't want to be anyone else. So whatever is the
trend right now, I don't follow it.
You also became very daring, very sexy....
Medyo...I like change eh. Like everytime I cut my hair short, some
people try to copy it. I don't mean to start any trends naman.
What's the sexiest dress you've ever worn?
Yun' sa Songbird Sings the Classics. Maybe I got this so-called
fashion sense from my Dad. He used to work in a tailoring... He would
mix orange and green. Before, when I was just starting, he was the one
making my clothes!
So fashion consultant mo din pala si Mang Gerry? What was the wildest
you've ever worn?
One time when I guested in a variety show, I was wearing a gown with
boots. Talagang pinaghalo ko yan!
How much do you spend in clothes?
I don't really buy expensive clothes. If ever I buy, yung mga suits
lang because I could use them in other occasions. I attended an MTV
event, I wore a Rajo Laurel gown which I wore on MTB! Ha ha! That's
what I do now, sinusuot ko ulit. I recycle. Life is hard. Clothes are
expensive. So it's okay to recycle! find it weird that you buy a dress
then you won't be able to use it anymore after you wear them. What
will you do with it? Just stare at it?!?! Ha ha!
How do you wear your clothes that they don't upstage you?
You're supposed to carry your clothes. If you wear them, panindigan
mo. If you wear your clothes, todo project ka dapat!
Regine, how rich are you?
Ha ha ha! Nice question: Ikaw, how rich are you?
I work.
Uy, baka ma-kidnap ako niyan ha! My family right now is living
comfortably. We're not extravagant. We're okay.
Did you ever wish to be rich?
Lahat naman yata ng mahirap na tao, pinangarap yun. I wished to help
my family, send my siblings to school and I was able to do that. I'm
really proud of myself for doing that. If I get the chance, I want to
go back to school. I want to take up Fine Arts. I'm so happy for
singers like Roselle Nava who were able to finish schooling and at the
same time stay in showbiz.
Almost all your wishes natupad na. How about your personal life?
Yun' nalang siguro...my lovelife. I think it will come. I think my man
is just lurking around looking for the perfect timing! Ha ha!
A lot of people are whispering around that you're Noynoy Aquino's
type...
You know, we were linked to each other. I don't even remember meeting
him. It started when I left the country. When I went back, the rumors
started. Nakakahiya nga kay Noynoy eh. (To be continued)
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Jong Jong
Regine too... I like some of her songs and most especially I admire
her awesome vocal range. Her voice actually isn't as beautiful as
compared to Lea, Monique, Lilet or Joanna Ampil's crystalline soprano
voices but Regine in her own way could move the audience by her
awesome range and vocal powers...
though, there are some things that I don't like about her... she
doesn't have originality ("copy cat" of mariah carey) and sometimes
her personality.. she is often being criticized with the way she
speaks... but she's great though and also Philippine's pride. I wish
her LeGrande album becomes a huge hit!!!
Jong Jong
edcel
"Jong Jong" <jon...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9342ab7d.02121...@posting.google.com...
Speaking of Regine, I just watched her last night from her Onstage concert:
Songbird sings. Well, I could say that she's good but I had to save my
eardrums from breaking. And paging Anna and Tin, she sang 'Dadalhin' and it
was well-applauded.
Jong Jong
> Songbird sings. Well, I could say that she's good but I had to save my
> eardrums from breaking. And paging Anna and Tin, she sang 'Dadalhin' and it
> was well-applauded.
Great! I watched "Back to Back to Christmas" last night... a GMA
christmas special headed by Janno Gibbs, Ogie Alcasid, Jaya, Lani
Misalucha and Regine together with Paolo Montalban (Mortal Combat) and
an orchestra (I forgot).... The show was good. I didn't know that
Paolo could sing very well. Lani's really a very good coloratura
soprano. She sang "The Prayer" with Janno Gibbs.
Jong
dennisjcc =
her CD, my mom always asks me to lower the volume, because she's
having a headache everytime she listens to Regine!
dennis 8)
Broadway Koala
Movie/Musical that aired several years ago. He was also on something else.
I forget.
--- Tara
"Jong Jong" <jon...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:9342ab7d.02121...@posting.google.com...
IvanMarkQuesada
she doesn't have an agile voice, plus the notes are just not there. as for
regine, i like her belting, even if it's shrill at times. there's a sense of
excitement in her singing, not to mention guts to sing those notes by belting.
Jong Jong
Lani is a coloratura soprano. She sings classical arias including "The
aria of the queen of the night" (Magic flute)... in her crossover
concert, she mixed it up with Whitney Houston's pop-dance tune Queen
of the Night... The aria of the queen of the night can only be sung by
good sopranos (High F) like Sumi Jo and the late Maria Callas.....as
for Regine, according to my professor (in classical voice) she could
be a coloratura too but not trained classically... because she's more
on shouting...screaming... if you'll compare them, Lani's quality is
clearer and more flexible... she can sing the way Regine, Jaya, Zsa
Zsa, Sharon and Kuh can while they (these ladies) can't sing the way
Lani can. Even Gary Valenciano (on TV Patrol) said that Lani is far
better than Regine...
By the way... I like your name. A name very closed to me... very very
closed.
Jong Jong Jong Jong :)
IvanMarkQuesada
I have her crossover cd, and she never sang the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT ARIA! its
the QUEEN OF THE NIGHT by chaka khan!
" Queen of the night, i am queen of the night" and for your info, she has only
reached a C6, not F6!
her voice isnt light! her tones are heavy, not suited for coloratura. PLUS, she
gets shrill above the staff. if you listen, she cracks several times in her
crossover concert.
she has the delusion to think that she can sing like whitney, when she can only
sing like PWITNEY! LOL!
I like Lani, but she isnt coloratura. Sumi Jo is okay, very light voice. she
nothing like Dame Joan Sutherland in terms of voice. NOW THATS A DRAMATIC
COLORATURA!
IvanMarkQuesada
weren't trills, but trembles. her notes were shaky and her voice was often
ugly. she was dramatic as a singer and paid close attention to lyrics and
phrasing, but she was hardly a coloratura. the only reason why she is
associated with that category was because she helped revived the BEL CANTO
genre, along with Joan Sutherland.
Lani misalucha is not a coloratura. If she is, Im BARBRA STREISAND and JOAN
SUTHERLAND COMBINED! As for Regine, her voice is flexible, but far from being a
coloratura soprano. She hasnt hit a note above high G, and usually she shrieks
the note, which to me isnt singing! I would consider her a pop belter.
I know you like these singers, but dont let your adoration for them blind you
to the point that you make little to no sense at all.
They are all good singers, but not close to what you say they are. For someone
to be a coloratura soprano, one must be able to reach at least an E6 and a
voice as agile as a violin.
JONG, Maria Callas late in her career was awful, even her most devoted fans
would tell you that. Her voice was just not there anymore. Her high notes gone,
her voice shaky, and unable to hold notes. Some people even classified her as a
BELT CANTO singer, not a bel canto. if you want proof, buy the NORMA album from
1965. For that matter, just listen to any of her recording after 1958, you'll
hear what I am saying.
MCde19
<Broadw...@aol.com> writes:
> He was also on something else.
>I forget.
Didn't he also play the king in "The King and I" on Broadway after Lou Diamond
Philips? I could be wrong.
~Mich~
Jong Jong
> coloratura soprano. She hasnt hit a note above high G, and usually she shrieks
> the note, which to me isnt singing! I would consider her a pop belter.
>
coloratura... even another octave after the high F.... what can you
say about this Ivan?
> I know you like these singers, but dont let your adoration for them blind you
> to the point that you make little to no sense at all.
>
> They are all good singers, but not close to what you say they are. For someone
> to be a coloratura soprano, one must be able to reach at least an E6 and a
> voice as agile as a violin.
>
> JONG, Maria Callas late in her career was awful, even her most devoted fans
> would tell you that. Her voice was just not there anymore. Her high notes gone,
> her voice shaky, and unable to hold notes
She sang as mezzo-soprano in her later years, right? and she used to
be a dramatic soprano or a spinto..... how about Renata Tribaldi? is
she good far better than Callas?
Tin Samson
news:iPyL9.31717$4W1....@nwrddc02.gnilink.net...
> I believe he was the Prince in the Brandy/Whitney Houston Disney
> Movie/Musical that aired several years ago. He was also on something
else.
> I forget.
Mortal Kombat? (sp?)
Tin =)
fhc
in L.A.
"Tin Samson" <tin...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:au27gv$3o0pu$3...@ID-128375.news.dfncis.de...
MCde19
>Mortal Kombat? (sp?)
I think he was in the second Mortal Kombat movie. I forgot who he played,
though.
~Mich~
IvanMarkQuesada
regine singing another octave above high F is just impossible. Her notes really
thin out above high F, even her falsetto is thin and without color. The highest
note I have heard her sing in falsetto is a b-flat above high C. Without
thinking of vocal color and such, I would say that Regine is a mezzo-soprano
with great flexibility.
Maria Callas late in her life was still considered a soprano, a dramatic
soprano because of the big sound she produced. Renata Tebaldi could be
considered a spinto, but more a lyric soprano I would think.
Side note, Callas retired when she was in her mid-thirties because she abused
her voice. Her technique was flawed, and she often screamed her notes, which
inevitably ruined her voice. Most sopranos get better during their 30's and
40's - their prime, but Callas peaked too fast, too early.
So again, Regine is not a coloratura. FAR FROM ONE. I dont think she even
thinks of herself as one. I dont think she even knows the word, but she
definitely can sing. She has a good pop-belter voice.
Lea could be a lyric soprano.I heard a tv clip of her singing a duet with jose
llana from FDS, and her voice sounded great in her head voice, filled with
color. It was just a beatiful sound. I wish she would take advantage of her
operatic voice. Just imagine the songs she can explore. She doesnt have to sing
opera, but at least songs that would expand her repertoire and talent, and
songs that would allow her to utilize her upper range - anything beyond a high
C and D, her top belting notes.
Scooby
>
>Paolo Montalban was also originally scheduled to play Ta in Flower Drum Song
>in L.A.
And let me tell ya, I was looking soooo forward to that >=[
Scooby
..hubba hubba...
*****
No way...yes way
fhc
"Scooby" <nos...@newsranger.com> wrote in message
news:RTaN9.2060$15....@www.newsranger.com...
Scooby
>
>vocally, I thought Jose Llana was better than Paolo. what do you think?
I've only heard Paolo sing in Cinderilla and I don't really remember that too
well =\
So I'd have to say I need to hear Paolo sing some more before I make a choice =)
Scooby
*****
No way...yes way
edcel
"Scooby" wrote:
> So I'd have to say I need to hear Paolo sing some more before I make a
choice =)
Hahaha, not really Scoob. Actually, one time I was quite surprised to see
Paolo singing 'The Last Night of the World' with Ima Castro (who also played
Kim during the MS Manila run) in a local TV show, and definitely he has a
nice voice for that matter.;P
Edcel