Actors - Regine Velasquez

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	Actors - Regine Velasquez

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez (born April 22, 1970), also known as Asia's Songbird, is a ballad, jazz, pop, pop rock, and r&b singer, actress, model, entrepreneur, and record producer from the Philippines.

Outside the Philippines, she is known for the song "In Love with You" sung with Hong Kong's Jacky Cheung. She has also collaborated with international artists including Paul Anka, David Hasselhoff, 98 Degrees , Mandy Moore, Brian McKnight and Michel Legrand.

Early life and family, 1970–1983

Regine Velasquez was born to a poor family in Manila, Philippines on April 22, 1970, the first child of Teresita and Gerry Velasquez. They later moved to Hinundayan, Southern Leyte. There she studied at Henundayan Central School.

At six years old, Velasquez joined an amateur singing contest, singing Buhat Nang Kita'y Makilala. She did not know how to read at that time, so her father would sing it to her and she would memorize the lyrics. She lost that contest, but was given a special award for the brave performance. With the support of her parents, Velasquez joined various singing competitions in provinces around the country. Out of 200 competitions she entered, Velasquez won 67 of them. At nine years old, she and her family moved to Bulacan, where she continued her elementary education at Balagtas Central School. She later studied at St. Laurence High School, the school to which she attributes her good English diction. She also credits her singing talent to her father, who would submerge her in water up to her neck and have her do vocal exercises to strengthen her voice.

Early commercial success, 1984–1989

At the age of fourteen, Velasquez entered Bagong Kampeon, a television contest featuring the singing talents of Filipinos. She qualified with "Saan Ako Nagkamali", chosen by her father, and won with "In Your Eyes". The prize was a record deal from Octoarts. She recorded the single "Love Me Again" under the name "Chona Velasquez." Despite the flop of this single, Velasquez was invited to the talk-show Penthouse Live on February 16, 1986. Ronnie Henares, the show's producer, offered to manage her career; she accepted. Concert mogul Martin Nievera, a Penthouse Live co-host, suggested she change her name to the more glamorous "Regine." That same year, her father resigned from his job as a construction estimator to fully attend to his daughter's career. Velasquez earned the money to send her siblings to school.

In 1987 Velasquez released her self-titled debut album at the age of seventeen. The album contained tracks like "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang", "Isang Lahi" and "Urong Sulong", anchoring her place in the Philippine music scene. Soon she released a string of successful albums such as Nineteen 90 and the award-winning Talaga Talaga, producing several hits.

Asian stardom, 1990–1998

Velasquez represented the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific Singing Contest held in Hong Kong. On December 23, 1989, she won the contest with her songs, "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "And I'm Telling You". The contest sky-rocketed her from Filipino celebrity to Asian music superstar; from then on, she was hailed as Asia's Songbird.

Velasquez's first pan-Asian studio album was the well-received Listen Without Prejudice, released in 1994. The album featured the hit "In Love with You" with Jacky Cheung, "Follow the Sun", "What Kind of Fool Am I", and "Reason Enough". Its sales totalled over 300,000 units throughout east Asia. Two further best-selling albums were released in the region: My Love Emotion, which doubled the success of her preceding album, and Retro, which contained covers ("revival cuts").

In 1990, Cameron Mackintosh Group, makers of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon auditioned Velasquez and others in New York, offering roles to Velasquez and Jamie Rivera. Velasquez, citing inadequate theatrical experience, declined the offer and stayed in the Philippines.

Velasquez's prominence blossomed during the 1990s. 1993 saw the release of her fourth LP Reason Enough, which attained platinum status. It featured songs such as "Sana'y Maulit Muli", "Babalikang Muli", and her duet with Gary Valenciano, "Slip Away". It also included a collaboration with music legend Paul Anka, called "It's Hard to Say Goodbye".

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Regine Velasquez ]

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