Regine Velasquez

**Artist**
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Discography

**Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez**, known professionally as **Regine Velasquez** (later **Regine Velasquez-Alcasid**), is a Filipino singer, actress, TV host, and record producer. Referred to as "Asia's Songbird", she is well-recognized for her vocal range, belting technique, and the unorthodox voice training she received during her childhood, where she was immersed neck-deep in the sea. Velasquez rose to prominence after winning two talent competitions: *Ang Bagong Kampeon* in 1984 and the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest. Under the stage name Chona, she signed a recording contract with OctoArts International in 1986 and released the single "Love Me Again". Following her debut single's commercial failure, she adopted the stage name Regine Velasquez and signed with Viva Records in 1987. She released her debut studio album *Regine*, under the guidance of Viva Records executive Vic del Rosario and producer Ronnie Henares.

## Early life

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

Velasquez started singing at age six; she underwent intensive vocal training with her father, who immersed her neck-deep in the sea and had her go through vocal runs. She credits this unorthodox method for strengthening her core and stomach muscles, and developing her lung capacity. Velasquez placed third in her first singing competition on Betty Mendez Livioco's *The Tita Betty's Children Show*.

When Velasquez was nine, her family moved to Balagtas, Bulacan, where she attended St. Lawrence Academy and competed for her school at the annual Bulacan Private Schools Association singing competition. In 1984, at fourteen, Velasquez auditioned for the reality television series *Ang Bagong Kampeon*. She qualified and became the show's senior division winner, defending her spot for eight consecutive weeks. Velasquez won the competition and was signed to a record deal with OctoArts International.

## Music career

### 1986–1989: Career beginnings and *Regine*

In 1986, Velasquez initially used the stage name Chona and released the single "Love Me Again", which was commercially unsuccessful. At the recommendation of another OctoArts recording artist, Pops Fernandez, she appeared on *The Penthouse Live!* While rehearsing for the show, Velasquez caught the attention of Ronnie Henares, a producer and talent manager who signed her to a management deal. Velasquez adopted the stage name Regine at the suggestion of Fernandez's husband and *The Penthouse Live!* co-host, Martin Nievera.

Velasquez signed with Viva Records and released her debut album *Regine* in 1987. Henares served as an executive producer and worked with songwriters Joaquin Francisco Sanchez and Vehnee Saturno. Three singles were released in 1987: "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang", " Urong Sulong", and "Isang Lahi". During this period, Velasquez appeared on the ABS-CBN television shows *Triple Treat* and *Teen Pan Alley*. Two years after *Regine*'s release, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong and won, 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*.

### 1990–1993: *Nineteen 90* and *Reason Enough*

Velasquez released her second studio album *Nineteen 90* in 1990. She worked with Louie Ocampo on 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. Later that year, she headlined her first major concert at the Folk Arts Theater. She recorded "Please Be Careful With My Heart" with Jose Mari Chan, who released the track on his album *Constant Change*; she also sang backing vocals on Gary Valenciano's "Each Passing Night", which appears on his album *Faces of Love*.

In 1991, Velasquez made her North American concert debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, a first for an Asian solo artist. British theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh later 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, which she declined: partly due to her lack of experience in musical theater, and because she wished to remain with her family.

Velasquez's third studio album *Tagala Talaga* was released in October 1991. It includes cover versions of recordings by National Artist for Music recipients Ryan Cayabyab, Lucio San Pedro, and Levi Celerio. The album's lead single, titled "Buhay Ng Buhay Ko", was originally recorded by Leah Navarro and was written by Pedero, with whom Velasquez had worked on *Nineteen 90*. Other notable singles from the album include "Anak and "Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan".

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

### 1994–1998: *Listen Without Prejudice* and *My Love Emotion*

Velasquez released her fifth studio album *Listen Without Prejudice* in 1994. 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" features Cantonese singer Jacky Cheung. Gonzales commended the record's themes and said, "Cheung's presence on the duet had much to do with the overseas success". The album had sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide, including 100,000 in the Philippines, making it the best-selling album of Velasquez's career to date.

Velasquez's sixth studio album *My Love Emotion* was released in 1995. The title track, which was written by Southern Sons vocalist Phil Buckle, was described by Gonzales as a "triumph [and] 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.

For her seventh studio album *Retro* (1997), Velasquez recorded cover versions of popular music of the 1970s and 1980s from artists, including Donna Summer, Foreigner, and the Carpenters. The album's only original track, "Fly", is credited to Earth, Wind & Fire members Maurice White, Al McKay, and Allee Willis because the song interpolates the melody of their single "September". Velasquez left PolyCosmic in 1998, and signed a six-album contract with the MJF Company. That year, her ninth studio album *Drawn* was released. MJF head Mark J. Feist wrote and produced most of the tracks, including the lead single "How Could You Leave". *Drawn* sold more than 40,000 copies and was awarded a platinum certification within two weeks of its release.

### 1999–2003: *R2K* and *Reigne*

Velasquez produced most of her next album *R2K*, which was released on November 27, 1999. She recorded remakes of 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, among others. Gonzales criticized the record's "infatuation with Western popular music" and called Velasquez's singing "self-assured [but] also unimpressive". Commercially, *R2K* sold more than 40,000 copies in its second week of release, earning a platinum certification, and was certified four times platinum a year later. *R2K* has since been certified twelve times 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*, a BBC millennium television special that attracted a worldwide audience of more than 800 million viewers with its core program broadcast across the world's time zones, which began with Kiribati Line Islands and ended in American Samoa.

Velasquez headlined and directed the R2K Concert at the Araneta Coliseum in April 2000, which won her Best Female Major Concert Act at the 13th Aliw Awards. Ricky Lo from *The Philippine Star* was generally impressed with the production and complimented Velasquez's "boundless energy and creativity". She also performed a concert at the Westin Philippine Plaza that year, which spawned the release of her first live album *Regine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics* in December 2000. Despite being criticized for the audio mixing, the album was certified six times platinum. Velasquez worked with Filipino songwriters for material on her eleventh studio album *Reigne*. The album and its lead single "To Reach You" were released in December 2001. Other singles were Tats Faustino's "Dadalhin" and Janno Gibbs' "Sa Aking Pag-iisa". Gonzales called the album "an adventurous set" and praised the quality of the songwriting.

Velasquez won the inaugural MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist Philippines in February 2002. She performed "Cry" with Mandy Moore to promote the theatrical release of Moore's film *A Walk to Remember*. In March, Velasquez hosted the first season of *Star for a Night*, which is based on the British talent show of the same name. In April, she headlined a benefit concert called One Night with Regine at the National Museum of the Philippines, which was a collaboration with ABS-CBN Foundation to benefit Bantay Bata Foundation's child abuse response fund. 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 Nievera. The following month, Velasquez returned to host the second season of *Search for a Star*. That November, she had a concert residency named Songbird Sings Streisand, a tribute to American singer and actor Barbra Streisand, at Makati's Onstage Theatre.

### 2004–2007: *Covers Vol. 1* and *Vol. 2*

In February 2004, Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid co-headlined a concert, The Songbird & The Songwriter, at the Araneta Coliseum, and embarked on a North American tour that April. At the 17th Aliw Awards, she won Best Female Performance in a Concert and was nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the collaboration. Velasquez hosted the reality talent show *Pinoy Pop Superstar*, which began airing on GMA Network that July. In October 2004, she released "Forevermore", the lead single from her twelfth studio album *Covers, Vol. 1*. Its songs were 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, including Ariel Rivera's "Minsan Lang Kita Iibigan", Basil Valdez's "Say That You Love Me", and Nonoy Zuñiga's "Araw Gabi". The album has since been certified six times platinum.

Later in November and December 2005, Velasquez had an eight-day concert residency named Reflections at the Aliw Theater. The sequel album *Covers, Vol. 2* was released in February 2006. Unlike its predecessor, it contains songs by foreign artists, including Alanis Morissette's "Head Over Feet", Blondie's "Call Me", and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes". *Manila Bulletin*'s Jojo Panaligan was generally impressed with Velasquez's "versatility" and the album tracks' "jazzy and blues-y interpretation". In October 2006, she performed a concert titled Twenty at the Araneta Coliseum, which won her Best Female Major Concert Act and Entertainer of the Year award at the 20th Aliw Awards. In 2007, she became co-host of the reality television show *Celebrity Duets*, an interactive music competition based on the eponymous original US show.

### 2008–2012: *Low Key* and professional hiatus

Velasquez developed other television projects in 2008. She appeared in *Songbird*, a weekly late-night musical television show that featured performances by a musical guest. She also featured in the musical television special *The Best of Me*, which was filmed at her residence in Quezon City. Velasquez signed a deal with Universal Records and released an album titled *Low Key* in December 2008. The album consists of cover versions of international songs that she described as "more relaxed, laid-back and restrained". It includes 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, "[Velasquez] no longer shrieks and shouts as much as she used to". The album sold more than 25,000 copies within two months of its release and was certified platinum. In May 2009, she appeared on the television documentary *Roots to Riches*, which chronicles her personal and professional struggles, and includes musical performances filmed in her hometown Malolos. Later that month, she hosted the television talent show *Are You the Next Big Star?*.

Velasquez's next album, a double CD set called *Fantasy*, was released in December 2010. The first disc is composed of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) recordings and the second includes 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 earned three nominations at the 3rd Star Awards for Music. After receiving the Magna Award at the Myx Music Awards 2011, and the confirmation of her pregnancy, Velasquez took a hiatus from public engagements. She returned to television on October 6, 2012 with *Sarap Diva*, a weekly lifestyle talk show. On November 16, 2012, Velasquez performed a concert titled Silver at the Mall of Asia Arena, which was cut short after she lost her voice due to a viral infection.

### 2013–2016: Silver Rewind and *Hulog Ka Ng Langit*

After Silver's cancellation, Velasquez restaged the concert on January 5, 2013. The concert received generally favorable reviews; *Manila Bulletin*'s Jojo Panaligan called it a "redemption of reputation", while Dolly Anne Carvajal of the *Philippine Daily Inquirer* said Velasquez did not fail to make up for the initial cancellation of the show. The following month, she co-headlined in Foursome alongside Alcasid, Fernandez, and Nievera. For both shows, Velasquez received four nominations at the 5th Star Awards for Music, winning Best Female Major Concert Act for "Silver" and Concert of the Year for "Foursome".

In November 2013, Velasquez's album *Hulog Ka Ng Langit* was released; it received a platinum certification for two-week sales of 15,000 copies. She won Best Inspirational Record for "Nathaniel (Gift of God)" and Best Christmas Recording for "Hele ni Inay" at the 27th Awit Awards, while *Hulog Ka Ng Langit* won Album Cover of the Year at the 6th Star Awards for Music. In 2014, she worked with Nievera in a one-night show titled Voices of Love, with Gloc-9 on "Takipsilim", and with Vice Ganda on "Push Mo Yan Teh".

In February 2015, Velasquez appeared alongside Nievera, Valenciano, and Lani Misalucha in a concert titled Ultimate at the Mall of Asia Arena. She received accolades at the 47th Box Office Entertainment Awards, 7th Star Awards for Music, and 5th Edukcircle Awards for the production. In the same year, Velasquez served as a judge on the sixth season of the reality talent television show *StarStruck*. In November 2015, Velasquez headlined a four-date concert residency called Regine at the Theater, which featured songs from musicals.

For a third consecutive year, Velasquez appeared in a co-headlining concert at the Mall of Asia Arena in February 2016. The two-night show, Royals, reunited her with Nievera and also features Angeline Quinto and Erik Santos. Due to the concert's positive critical reception, Velasquez won Best Female Concert Performer at the 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards and Most Influential Concert Performer of the Year at the 6th Edukcircle Awards. In December 2016, *People Asia* magazine included Velasquez on its annual People of the Year list.

### 2017–present: *R3.0*, television projects and Freedom

Velasquez hosted *Full House Tonight*, which ran from February to May 2017. The following month, she announced her return to Viva Records and that she had begun production of a new studio album called *R3.0*. In August 2017, a cover of Up Dharma Down's 2010 song "Tadhana" was released as a promotional single. An original track called "Hugot" was released as the album's lead single the following month. In November, she headlined the R3.0 Concert at the Mall of Asia Arena and two months later, with Alcasid, she played a four-date U.S. concert series titled "Mr. and Mrs. A."

In 2018, Velasquez hosted the television talent show *The Clash*, served as a judge on ABS-CBN's revival of the *Idol* franchise series *Idol Philippines*, and hosted the musical variety show *ASAP Natin' To*. In November, she staged a three-date concert series titled "Regine at the Movies" at the New Frontier Theater.

Sharon Cuneta and Velasquez co-headlined a concert, Iconic, in October 2019. For the show, Velasquez won the awards for Best Collaboration in a Concert and Entertainer of the Year at the 32nd Aliw Awards, having won the latter honor in 2007 and 2009. The following month, she released a collaborative single with Moira Dela Torre called "Unbreakable", which was recorded for the soundtrack of the film of the same name. Velasquez appeared as the face of Australian beauty brand BYS and released the promotional single "I Am Beautiful" for the brand's "Be Your Own Expert" campaign. She released the soundtrack singles "Ikaw Ang Aking Mahal" for the action television series *The General's Daughter* (2019) and "Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako" for the drama series *Love Thy Woman* (2020).

Velasquez organized virtual benefit concerts in support of relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She curated One Night with Regine, a collaboration with ABS-CBN to support Bantay Bata Foundation's COVID-19 response fund in April, and appeared in Joy From Home, which raised funds to support Jollibee Group's food aid program in June. On February 28, 2021, she was featured in an online streaming concert titled Freedom.