ONE late Saturday afternoon in July, a thumping soirée was going full power in Cebu City. The stage light worked its magic as guys in pit-soaked button downs and skinny pants shimmied alongside leggy girls in bandage-style dresses. But among this predictable mass of young uptown types was a diva not usually seen among a large crowd from this generation’s fandom: Regine Velasquez who showed her moves in the opening number, a rendition of Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be.”
On her 30th year as Asia’s Songbird, she is a hero for doing what was once unthinkable: reaching the height of showbiz bankability at twice the age of the average matinee idol. Regine has come into her own so masterfully, not because she fits some platonic ideal of what a pop queen should be, but because of her personality—rare as the Earth Star diamond—and her gale-force charisma.
Everybody always sees her in action with too many balls to juggle. All the recipes featured on her current TV show on GMA Network, “Sarap Diva,” has now been compiled in a cookbook, Bongga Sa Kusina, launched last July 17.
In 2015, the singer completed five installments of PLDT Home’s nationwide caravan, The Regine Concert Series. For her third leg this year,
in Cebu, the singer revealed about the depth of enduring unexpected roles, how she truly felt when her singer best friend departed their home network, and a musical surprise she reserved only for the Cebuanos.
But the most delicious flavor to us? Twelve months of everything Regine Velasquez beginning this October.
What should fans look forward to in the coming months?
I am signing up with Viva Records again, and for my anniversary—my 30th year in the business—I will be recording something like 30 songs. Oo, yu’ng iba compilations, yu’ng iba new recording. It’s pretty exciting: 30 songs representing 30 years in the business. I just finished my soap, “Poor Señorita.” To culminate everything, I am also doing a concert in October to celebrate the 30 years. Para kasing naisip ng manager ko, my sister Cacai, na para’ng sayang naman not to celebrate the 30 years. It’s a milestone. Pero sabi ng Viva, it’s going to be a yearlong celebration.
What’s your typical Sunday like?
Typical Sunday, pag walang work, tulog kami. And usually, we have family day on a Sunday. My mom, my siblings would come to our house and have dinner. Sometimes, I cook when I have time; sometimes, I just order. That’s our usual Sunday, pero pag may work, we do it on another Sunday, pero nakakatawa kasi, pag may birthday, we have to blow the birthday candle in the house. It’s like a tradition already. I love having family day kahit pa nu’ng buhay pa yung Papa ko we always have that. We’re just continuing the tradition.
Do you ever get tired of singing and staging concerts?
You know, with every performer, that happens once in awhile, especially when you get tired of doing the same thing. You’re like, parang burned out. What I do is rest for two weeks or a month. But after that, I am back to being a singer again, wanting to perform. If you’re a performer, you will look for it, eh. It’s in your system already. I remember a time when I took a month’s break pero three weeks pa lang, inip na inip na ako. I wanted to go back to work. I wanted to sing again. When I got pregnant four years ago, it was my first time to rest for almost two years. This project with PLDT came at the right time. It started last year when I wasn’t so busy and I missed performing for everyone. When this project came to us, I was so happy. Like I said, PLDT has been so supportive with everything that I’m doing. They’re supporting me in my 30th (anniversary celebration). Napakalaking impact ang PLDT sa buhay ko…, not to mention, may PLDT na sa village namin.
How was the experience of the long hiatus?
That was the only time I stopped talaga, but in my entire career, I never stopped working except when I got pregnant. And I actually enjoyed the luxury of time to be a pregnant woman and be a wife. But after that, I missed singing so much. Last year, di ba, we were talking to you, guys (PLDT executives). PLDT gave me the opportunity to sing again. In Manila, pupunta kami ng iba’t ibang malls, and I
enjoyed it so much. And this year, we’re going out of town na naman. I am very thankful to PLDT kasi more than acting, this is my first love—
performing and singing.
The Regine Series is part of PLDT Home. Has your concept of home changed now that you’re married, now that you are a mother?
This August, I will be in Davao for another Regine Concert Series, then SM Megamall… so I travel a lot now. But home is where my husband is and where my son is— kahit saan lupalop pa kami, basta kung saan sila. That is my concept of home, where my family is.
The PLDT project is centered on technology. Is it more effective now to promoteyour music with these advancements?
To promote a show or my albums, I can’t say it’s very effective. But at least, we have a lot of venues now. You have Facebook; you have Twitter; you have Instagram. You can’t really say everyone’s reading it, but at least, they help. That’s a good thing.
Has technology influenced your music?
As far as changing my music, I do not know if it has. Kasi I also don’t want to veer away so much with what people know about me, or with the sound that I do, or with my trademark. My sound will always be my sound. I do not want to change it. I do not want to try hard na nagpapabata ako. Feeling ko naman that technology has not changed my sound.
You’ve done five PLDT concerts last year. The Cebu leg is your third this year. What’s your most memorable?
This one (Cebu) is very memorable. First of all, ang dami kong guests (Christian Bautista and an impromptu performance by her husband Ogie Alcasid and Donna Cruz). Ito yata ang pinaka mahaba, eh. This is where I performed more songs, and I added new songs here, too.
How do you find the Cebuano audience?
My son (Nathaniel James) got very excited. It’s his first time to be in Cebu, plus I brought along my mom. We had extra two days here before the concert. I love being here. I love the people, although I have to tell you guys ha… you are one of the hardest audiences to please. It’s true, but once you get their attention, that’s it. It’s always a challenge for me. Maganda din naman yung may challenge.
What’s your advice to young singers?
Keep singing. Keep practicing. You know what they say—practice makes perfect. It really is true. Even up to now, I still practice. Kasi minsan, pag di mo ginagamit… parang it’s a muscle memory… you’ve got to keep using it. Keep dreaming. Keep praying. Keep hoping that one day, all your dreams will come true. Parang ako, ganun din nagsimula.
Regine’s singer-songwriter husband Ogie Alcasid joins her onstage.
Can you pick one favorite song from other artists?
That’s so difficult to answer. Since I sang so many songs, I don’t know which one is my favorite. Nasa utak ko yung mga songs ni Nina. I love her songs. I sang them kasi so I’ve been studying them.
How do you feel about Jaya’s move to another TV station?
You know we’re artists, and as much as we want to stay in one place, we can’t because where there’s work. But I am very, very happy for my
ku-mare dahil ang ganda ng pagkatanggap sa kanya ng ABS, ang ganda ng pagka-present sa kanya. She even texted me, eh, parang: ‘O, mare, nandito na ako baka magulat ka lang.’ Ganun talaga yun, ‘te, you go where there’s work.
After a long tiring day, where do you draw inspiration?
The inspiration na binibigay sa akin ng family ko, syempre ng anak ko, ng asawa ko. This is a gift from God. I’ve read somewhere that you should share it. If you have a wonderful gift, tapos hindi mo na share, sayang. Magalit si Lord, ayaw ko lang siyang ma-irita. (Laughter). Kaya I keep sharing it.
After staying in the business for 30 years, how do you measure your performance now?
If you guys are enjoying it, or kahit nga di ako sure kung nag-enjoy kayo, basta lang maka-kanta lang ako. It’s a different feeling when you’re on stage. Minsan, I try to hold back because I don’t want to be screaming all the time kaya lang, I get so excited na kahit yata “Bahay Kubo” pahihirapin ko. When I’m singing, I want to sing to you. I want you to feel what I’m singing. I get very passionate. Kahit nakatayo lang ako, lahat nilalabas ko. Tinitignan ko kayo sa mata kasi I want you to feel what the song is saying. And I hope it gets across. Yun naman talaga ang point ng pagkanta.