Pilita Corrales

Pilar Garrido Corrales (born August 22, 1939 – died April 12, 2025) is a Filipina pop singer-songwriter, actress, comedian, and television presenter. In 1958, Corrales began her recording career after arriving in Australia for a brief period. She left her legacy by becoming the first woman to make the Australian pop charts with a local recording called 'Come Closer to Me'. She became a star of the Victoria Television circuit and her first hit, Come Closer to Me, became part of a collection on which she’s billed as one of the Grand Dames of Victorian Radio and Television. Corrales holds the distinction of being the first female artist to top the Australian pop music charts long before Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue. She also recorded at least 3 LPs in the late 1950s early 1960s: Pilita with Arthur Young :Pilita tells The Story of Love, I'll Take Romance and This is Pilita under Astor Records. Being one of the pioneers of Australia's early television years, a street was named after her in Victoria. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) featured Corrales and several pioneering female artists in Australia in the 2nd episode of the highly acclaimed TV special, Love is in the Air. She is dubbed as "Asia's Queen of Songs" in her home country and is widely known for her rendition of "Kapantay Ay Langit" which eventually became her signature song. She was a judge on the first season of The X Factor Philippines in 2012.