Regine Velasquez

Regine Velasquez (born Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez on April 22, 1970, in Tondo, Manila, Philippines) is a multi-awarded Filipino singer, actress, and record producer, widely acclaimed as the "Asia’s Songbird" and considered one of the greatest Filipino singers of all time. Regine Velasquez began her professional music journey in the mid-1980s after gaining national attention by winning the televised talent competition Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984. This victory marked the beginning of her rise in the Philippine music industry. She was initially managed by Ronnie Henares and later signed a recording contract with OctoArts International. Her debut album, Regine, was released in 1987 and featured the hit single "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang," which quickly established her as a powerful vocalist in OPM. This was followed by the release of her sophomore album Nineteen 90 under Viva Records, which included songs like "Narito Ako" and "Urong Sulong," helping cement her status as a leading pop balladeer. In 1989, her international breakthrough came after winning the Asia-Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong with her performance of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "And I Am Telling You." This victory led to international appearances and collaborations, including a Japanese-language single, “It’s Hard to Say Goodbye,” a duet with Paul Anka released in Asia. Throughout the early 1990s, Velasquez released a string of successful albums such as Tagala Talaga (1991), a tribute to classic Filipino songs, and Reason Enough (1993), which featured both original tracks and covers including the hit "Sana Maulit Muli" with Gary Valenciano. Parallel to her music career, she began acting in films, starting with a lead role in Wanted: Perfect Mother (1996), which showcased her comedic and dramatic talent. Her early filmography also includes Do Re Mi (1996), where she starred alongside Donna Cruz and Mikee Cojuangco, and Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000), for which she also performed the movie’s theme song. These formative years laid the groundwork for Velasquez’s evolution into a multi-platform artist, combining vocal excellence with an expanding presence in film and television.