Sixteen-year-old Filipina singer Charice Pempengco proved she could hold her own among some of the world's best musical stars at the glitzy Andre Agassi benefit concert at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. The Andre Agassi Benefit Concert is held annually in Las Vegas to benefit needy children. It features A-list superstars of the music world and this year, Charice was up on stage performing with Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow and Mariah Carrey.
Before the show began, one of Charice's most fervent dreams came true, when she met and hugged superstar Mariah Carey. Charice was very emotional about the meeting. Carey also had good words about the Filipina. "I am very happy and I home I'm gonna sing with her soon, I wish! You're beautiful, it's so nice to meet you. She's so cute! I love you Filipinos, thank you," said Carey.
Rod Steward and Sheryl Crow each had their turn onstage, but it was Charice that brought the house down as she was given a thunderous standing ovation by the audience. "I probably had at least two dozen people stop me on the street just in the middle of anywhere that are Filipino: 'Hey, thank you so much!' Just out of nowhere, and, ' I want to come there.' We should all be proud of her, thanks to millie and Mike. They started it," said American composer and producer David Foster, who is now Charice's mentor.
I must admit, I had been a fan of Charice since the first time I saw her sing on TV. Said this little girl has enormous talent that couldn't be denied. That's why I was hugely disappointed when she just finished third in the contest's finals where I first admired her vocal prowess. The contest chose to award the grand prize to a better looking but less talented guy. Anyway, with all the big breaks she's now getting, I am so happy and proud of her. Truly, nobody can't bring a good, or should I say talented girl down.
Awkward Sometimes when I go to the internet shop, it feels awkward that someone so astig looking as me is actually digging for Charice Youtube videos instead of cars, sports or the latest gadgets. Then I realized that I shouldn't care for what other people have to say, as long as I enjoy what I am doing and I am not getting in the way of other people. More to Charice videos!
Charice: From Dining Table to Big Stages Charicematic I have become, I search over Youtube to find more of Charice equally amazing videos and here they are:
Charice, then nine years old, while performing during the Grand Finals of MTB's Bulilit StarQuest
Charice's second guesting on Korea's Star King, where she was voted the Most Requested Foreign Act of 2007
Still on StarKing, Charice singing "A Whole New World with Super Junior Kyu Hyun
Charice singing "One Moment in Time" during the TFC program Citizen Pinoy"
Charice doing her rendition of "I Believe" at the 10th Anniversary of Bantay Bata
Charice singing "Listen: during the US - Philippine Expo
Charice performing "Stand Up for Love" at Malacanang
She’s by far the youngest yet perhaps the biggest Pinoy act ever to conquer the international music arena, forget about Leah, forget about Lani, forget about Billy, forget about Arnel, Ladies and gentlemen, hail to the newest international singing sensation, from the Philippines, Charice!
One Moment It was one moment when I truly felt proud of being a Filipino. I was so proud that I cried while getting all the goose bumps. What am I talking about? It’s not something that I did in the bathroom! Hello!, it’s Charice latest international singing performance, a duet with no less than Celine Dion at the Madison Square Garden! From one guesting to another, Charice is really doing something that can make us all proud to be Pinoys. What more? Oprah, David Foster, Andrea Bocelli, to name a few, are all behind her back making sure her star shines the brightest in the months to come.
The Beginning Charice journey to stardom begun through Youtube. In 2007, a series of videos of Charice's performances were uploaded to Youtube by someone who goes by the name of FalseVoice. It was then after that people from around the globe took notice of her incredible set of pipes. But prior to her popularity in the internet, she already has been a staple of many singing contest in the Philippines since age seven. In 2005, she joined Little Big Star, a talent show on ABS-CBN loosely patterned after American Idol. Eliminated after her first performance, she was later called back as a wildcard contender. Charice worked her way up to the finals and eventually placed third.
Jumpstart
Charice’s Youtube videos brought her first to the attention of Sweden based Ten Songs/Production. In June 2007, she flew to Stockholm, Sweden and recorded seven songs. Then a video of Charice performing the Dreamgirls' anthem And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going became a hit on UCC, the Korean version of YouTube. This gained her an invite to perform the same song on Star King, a famous talent show in South Korea, in October 2007.
International Performances In December 2007, she flew to the United States for the first time after having been personally invited by Ellen Degeneres to perform on her show. She sang Whitney Houston's I WIll Always Love You and her popular cover of And I Am Telling You. Right after her guesting on Ellen, Charice became an instant celebrity in the Philippines performing on different TV shows, becoming one of the most sought after young singer in the country.
In April 2008, she guested on The Paul O'Grady Show, performing two songs and earning standing ovations, the first in the show's history.
In May 2008, Charice guested on The Oprah Winfrey Show in their World's Smartest Kids episode. She sang Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing.
In the same month, Charice was introduced to the international concert arena by David Foster in his tribute concert, David Foster and Friends, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. She would again later join David Foster on September 13, 2008, in the David Foster & Friends Charity Gala & Concert at Winspeare Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
In July 2008, she was personally invited by Andrea Bocelli to be one of his guests on his birthday concert, The Cinema Tribute, held in Lajatico, Italy. Aside from her solo performances, she did a duet of the song The Prayer with Andrea Bocelli.
On September 6, 2008, she performed before more than 50,000 football fans at Feyenoord's Centennial Anniversary, the Festival of the Century, in The Netherlands where she sang the team's theme song, You'll Never Walk Alone.
On September 09, 2008, she once again guested on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the Dreams Come True episode. Oprah referred to her as The Most Talented Girl in the World. She sang My Heart Will Go On with David Foster on piano. Oprah went on to surprise her with an appearance by Celine Dionvia satellite, with Dion inviting Charice to sing a special duet with her at Madison Square Garden as part of her Taking Chances tour.
On September 15, 2008, Charice met with Celine Dion at Madison Square Garden and they performed a duet of Because You Love Me before a 12,000 fans.
Just Proud Charice might have gone bigtime internationally, but sad to say, her popularity is rather lukewarm in our own country. Though many kakabayans feel so much proud of her achievements, it ends there. Her album is still stacked in the shelves. Nobody seems to buy it cause her videos and songs are accessible anytime for play and download in the internet. I just hope that her career doesn’t end where she has gotten started.
A Star Is Born “Tonight, a star is born,” David Foster gushed after Charice rendition of “I Will Always Love You” at the show the famous songwriter put up for the opening of the MGM Grand Casino Hotel in Connecticut. The remark is coming not just from anyone but from somebody who just happened to discover Celine Dion. Josh Groban and many other big names.
With all the support that Charice is getting from people who trusted her talents even before we Filipinos did, her eventual turn to be the next big thing isn’t that far from where she is now. The least that we can do as kababayans is just to pray for her continued good health and good voice.
Towards the end of 2006, a handful of San Miguel employees, including me, chose to retire from office after years of dedicated service to the company. During the grand despedida party that was given to celebrate the last day in office of the retirees, I secretly made and presented this video to honor each retirees' fruitful years as part of the San Miguel family. This is actually almost an hour long but I am just sharing to you the intro part of the video. It says that as time changes, we also have to make decisions to go with that flow. But no matter and wherever our dreams take us right after, the joys and friendships that we have shared is one that will truly endure the test of times. Check this out:
