Regine Velasquez
Nobody does it better than Asia’s Songbird.
Still grieving the loss of her beloved father and mentor—he who trained her to sing in neck-deep waters in Leyte at a young age — Regine Velasquez truly proved her mettle and vocal prowess in her recent Valentine’s concert. In fact, a video clip uploaded to YouTube became “trending” weeks after the performance.
Everybody knows the fairytale-like story of this poor girl with a golden voice. From winning the grand title in “Bagong Kampeon” at the age of 14 to bagging the grand prize at the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong, the Songbird continues to soar. Regine holds the record as the first Asian artist to stage a solo concert at the Carnegie Hall in New York, as part of Carnegie Hall’s centennial-year concert series. She was hailed by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) as the Philippines’ Best-Selling Artist of All Time with seven million albums sold in the Philippines and 1.5 million in Asia.
Play! caught a very casual Regine—thanks to her dear friend Cebu designer Cary Santiago, who arranged this interview—before her corporate gig in Cebu City.
Here, she talks about life after giving birth, life after losing her father to cancer, and life after giving the greatest performance of her life.
IF THERE’S A SONG YOU WISH YOU’D COMPOSED, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
Wala. ‘Cause wala akong talent sa pag-ko-compose ‘eh. I wouldn’t even try. I’m okay being an interpreter. I’m happy being that.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT SONG YOU’VE SUNG?
“Lupang Hinirang.” First of all, it’s a really hard piece. Also, it’s the National Anthem and people know it by heart. As a performer, being aware that the whole country knows it adds to the pressure when you sing it. Plus the fact that there’s a law you can’t sing it any other way.
HOW DID YOU FIND ALICIA KEYS IN PERSON? (Regine was a special performer in the concert of Keys in Manila.)
Nice, sweet. Sobrang mabait.
DID YOU REHEARSE FOR THAT NUMBER YOU DID WITH HER?
We did. I rehearsed with her in her dressing room. She was very warm. Right away we talked about being moms—we had something in common since she has a three-year-old. Hiyang hiya nga ako sa kanya. She said, maybe we could schedule a play date for the kids. Sa sobrang hiya ko I didn’t get what she was saying. She asked me where I lived. I said I live in Quezon City, which is 45 minutes away from MOA (the concert venue). And she said, “That’s not so far.” Sa hiya ako, parang I just laughed. So the play date didn’t push through. Maybe I shouldn’t have reacted that way.
HOW HAS MOTHERHOOD CHANGED YOU AS A PERFORMER AND AS A PERSON?
I haven’t thought about how it has changed me as a performer. But as a person, of course, it has changed me a lot. It changed my life, perspectives, priorities. Simple things as saying yes to a project.
I have to consider schedules and time for Nate. Bihira na akong umaalis out of the country, unless kasama ko ang mag-ama ko. I don’t see the point of me leaving and mami-miss ko lang din sila. So dito na lang tayo, lalo na ngayon that I have a baby.
HAS YOUR VOCAL RANGE CHANGED AFTER GIVING BIRTH? THEY SAY THE TONE OR PITCH BECOMES LOWER?
I had a hard time. It was very difficult going back to my normal … Actually, even now I’m still trying, titimbangin ko pa rin. I forgot how to sing na somewhat ‘cause two years akong huminto. I had to learn it again, the proper way of breathing. Ngayon, okay na, alam ko na ulit ‘yung mga techniques ko. But now, I have acid reflux. Minsan ‘yung mga Twitter people, they would post na “parang nagka-crack ‘yung voice niya.” That cracking sound is actually the acid. Even if I have a voice, minsan talaga nagka-crack. I cannot do anything about it. I can hit my notes and then magka-crack siya. Wala na akong magagawa du’n.
SO, HOW DO YOU KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING?
I have medicine for it.
WHAT CAUSES THIS?
Stress. But mine was triggered by pregnancy. But it’s a singer’s sickness. Even Martin (Nievera) and my husband have it now. Parang malat pero hindi naman. So pagka may attack ng acid reflux it’s very hard. Although hindi naman siya every day meron, like kunwari stressed… and stress can be anything… or like recently, may pinagdaanan ako, lalabas ‘yun.
YOU WERE VERY EMOTIONAL DURING THE TRIBUTE TO YOUR DAD MANG GERRY IN THE VOICES OF LOVE CONCERT.”
Actually, I was trying to avoid singing songs that I would associate with my dad. Di ko naman talaga kinanta ‘yung “Leader of the Band” ‘cause alam kong I’ll have a hard time. Doing the concert, talaga, it was really hard. It was the only concert … well, and the ones to follow… na wala si Papa. He has never missed a show. It was really very difficult for me to sing and perform knowing that he wasn’t there anymore. Mahirap sobra, kahit sa rehearsal pa lang, but the show must go on.
WILL THE “VOICES OF LOVE” CONCERT BE A TOUR?
We are still talking about it. But that’s the plan. Dito muna sa Philippines. It’s not going to be like our past world tours. It was easier then ‘cause I was still single. I wasn’t leaving anybody behind. But now kasi I have a child na so it’s harder, plus times are different now, times are harder. Mahal na lahat.
IN YOUR RECENT ALBUM, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG?
“Hulog ng langit,” “Amazing.” Dami ‘eh. Gusto ko talaga ‘yung mga kanta ‘eh.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG?
Wala akong ganun ‘eh. Kasi pagkinakanta ko na, nagsasawa na ako.
YOU HAVE SONGS THAT HAVE BECOME “CLASSICS” BUT YOU ARE STILL REQUESTED TO SING EVEN AFTER 10 YEARS OR SO. HINDI KA BA NAGSASAWA?
When you’re the one singing it siyempre may sawa factor talaga. But then you realize later on na maganda pala itong kantang ito. Like when I stopped singing for two years, na-miss kong kumanta ng “On the Wings of Love” na sukang suka na ako before. Pag medyo nakapagpahinga ka na ng konti mami-miss mo din. When you’re performing it naman talaga, nawawala ‘yun ‘eh ‘cause all you have is the joy of singing. Especially when you see that your audience is enjoying it. Mas lalo kang ma-e-encourage to sing.
NAME ONE PERFORMER YOU WANT TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH?
Barbra Streisand. She’s my idol ‘eh. Idol din ng mga bakla ‘yun!
WHO AMONG OUR YOUNG PERFORMERS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE NEXT REGINE VELASQUEZ?
Madami. Sarah (Geronimo), Kyla, Rachelle (Ann Go). Pero hindi naman talaga ako naniniwala du’n sa pinapalitan mo ‘eh. Noong dumating ako, wala naman akong pinalitan.
SAAN MO NAKUKUHA ‘YUNG GAY SIDE MO?
Hindi ko rin alam. Ewan ko sa inyo! Kasi noong dumating ako, uso nuon sila Kuh Ledesma, Joey Albert, Zsa Zsa Padilla. Talagang prim and proper and they all speak English talaga ‘te! Eh, taga Bulacan ako, hindi naman ako nag-e-English! Kasi my story was interesting din, rags to riches… and I never hid that. Kung ano lang ‘yung totoo. Alangan naman magpakasosyal ako, e hindi naman talaga ako sosyal. Siguro din, kaya ako gusto ng sangbaklaan because they can see themselves sa akin, na that’s how they start. Kasi mahirap ang buhay ng mga bakla, you have to hide, tatay mo baka bugbugin ka. Pero hindi ako binugbug ng tatay ko ha! Never! What I’m saying is, ‘yung ganoong start na mahirap, ang slow-slow. Kasi noong araw hindi naman ganun kadali sumikat.
YOU WERE ONCE THE BOX OFFICE QUEEN. ANY PLANS TO DO A MOVIE SOON?
Ayoko na muna siguro. Kasi parang di ko rin alam kung anong gagawin ko, although I’m supposed to do another soap. Pag movie kasi, ang hirap. Ano ‘yung gagawin ko? Magro-romantic comedy na naman ba ako? Kasi ‘yun naman talaga ang forte ko ‘eh. Doon ako pinaka-comfortable. Kaya lang hindi naman siguro du’n sa mga pa-cute, majonders na ako. Siguro, if there’s a movie that I will do, it has to be the right project. Right now, ang interest ko talaga is sa singing. And I kinda enjoy the freedom, more free time that I have. I can sing, I go home, I see my son and I take care of him. Kasi when you’re doing a lot of things at the same time, like what I used to do before, saan ko pa ilalagay time ko sa asawa at anak ko?
DOES THIS NEW SOAP HAVE A TITLE ALREADY?
Wala pa, wala pang details. But I’m supposed to start taping already, siguro mga midyear.
ANONG CHARACTER MO DITO?
Loka-loka pa rin.
ANY PLANS OF GIVING NATE A LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER?
We’ve been trying. Pero kung ibibigay ni God then, why not? Kung hindi, okey lang din.
DOES NATE UNDERSTAND THAT HIS MOM SINGS?
Syempre hindi pa, he’s only two. Sasabihin ko lang sa kanya: “Mommy, ah work, work. Okay, bye bye!”
HOW DO YOU FEEL EACH TIME THE AUDIENCE GIVES YOU A STANDING OVATION?
You feel overwhelmed. Kasi it’s different every time. I’ve done so many shows and concerts pero every time you stand on that stage it’s always different. Kaya ka kinakabahan, kasi parang: “Shucks, baka di magustuhan ‘yung gagawin ko, or pag-magkamali ako baka mag-alisan ang mga tao. Shucks, baka pumiyok ako.” Lagi kang may fear na ganun.
Being on stage kasi… parang ang tingin sa ‘yo ng mga tao as a singer ay plaka ka na pag pinatugtog mo, perfect. We’re not like that. We’re not perfect. There are days we’re good and there are days we are not good. And you cannot do anything about it. When you get sick, just like what happened to me, when I lost my voice, still the show must go on. So, lagi kang may fear na baka di ka nila magustuhan. Even if you’ve been doing this for years. So when they stand up and clap their hands and they appreciate what you gave them, you get overwhelmed. Oh, my God! Nagustuhan nila!
When you’re singing, you’re actually opening yourself up. Pinapakita mo sa mga tao ang vulnerabilility mo, and that’s not an easy thing to do. Akala nyo ba na pag umiiyak kami sa TV parang umaarte lang kami? It’s not easy… pinapakita namin ang nararamdaman namin. Minsan meron akong kinakanta na sobrang nararamdaman ko ang kinakanta ko na napapaiyak ako. Wala namang kinalaman sa akin ‘yung kanta. Kaya lang, ramdam na ramdam ko ‘yung kanta, binubuksan ko ang sarili ko sa mga tao. Because I also want for them to feel the song. Para din siyang acting, except I’m not acting. It’s real.