Regine Velasquez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Regine Velasquez
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Velasquez in 2010
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Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez
April 22, 1970 Tondo, Manila, Philippines
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| Years active | 1986–present |
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Works
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| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
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Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez, born on April 22, 1970, is a famous Filipino singer and actress. She is known as one of the most important figures in Philippine pop culture. People admire her for her wide vocal range and powerful belting technique, which is a style of singing with a lot of power.
Velasquez became famous after winning the TV talent show Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984. She later won the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in 1989. Her first album, Regine, came out in 1987 and helped start her long and successful career.
She became a star across Asia with her 1994 album Listen Without Prejudice, which sold over 700,000 copies. Her 1999 album, R2K, became the best-selling album by a female artist in the Philippines.
Velasquez is also a talented actress. She starred in popular romantic comedies like Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000) and Pangako Ikaw Lang (2001). She has won many awards for both her acting and her music.
Known as "Asia's Songbird", she has sold over seven million records in the Philippines and 1.5 million more across Asia. She has inspired many young Filipino singers to follow their dreams.
Contents
Early Life and Training
"We were very poor but we were happy. My parents made sure that we ate on time and that was enough for me... My mom was good with money. She was able to stretch whatever little money we had."
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez was born in Tondo, Manila. Her family later moved to Hinundayan, Southern Leyte. She became interested in music at age three, listening to her father sing lullabies. She learned to sing by listening to her parents play music at home.
Her father gave her unique vocal training. He would have her stand neck-deep in the sea while she practiced singing. This unusual method helped strengthen her stomach muscles and improve her breathing, which is important for powerful singing.
At age nine, her family moved to Balagtas, Bulacan. She began joining singing contests. In 1984, when she was 14, she joined the TV show Ang Bagong Kampeon. She won the competition, which led to her first record deal.
Music Career
1986–1989: A Star is Born
In 1986, Velasquez released her first single, "Love Me Again," under the stage name Chona, but it was not successful. Soon after, she was noticed by talent manager Ronnie Henares. At the suggestion of singer Martin Nievera, she began using the stage name Regine Velasquez.
She signed with Viva Records and released her first album, Regine, in 1987. It included hit songs like "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang." In 1989, she won the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong. This victory showed everyone she was a major new talent.
1990–1998: Growing Success
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Velasquez released her second album, Nineteen 90, in 1990. That same year, she had her first major concert. In 1991, she became the first Asian solo artist to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Her 1994 album, Listen Without Prejudice, was a huge hit across Asia. It sold over 700,000 copies, making it her best-selling album. The album included the popular duet "In Love with You" with Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung.
She continued to release successful albums like My Love Emotion (1995) and Retro (1996), which featured covers of popular songs from the 1970s and 1980s.
1999–2003: Asia's Songbird
In 1999, Velasquez released R2K, an album of cover songs. It included her versions of hits like "On the Wings of Love" and "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing". The album was incredibly popular, selling enough copies to be certified twelve-times platinum. It is the best-selling album by a female artist in the Philippines.
In 2000, she held the R2K: The Concert at the Araneta Coliseum. The show was a huge success and won her an award for Best Female Major Concert Act. She also released her first live album, Regine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics.
During this time, she won the MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist Philippines two years in a row (2002 and 2003). She also began hosting TV talent shows like Star for a Night.
2004–2012: New Music and TV Shows
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In 2004, Velasquez released Covers Volume 1, an album of songs originally by Filipino male singers. It was a big success and was followed by Covers Volume 2 in 2006, which featured songs by international artists.
She continued to host TV shows, including the popular singing competition Pinoy Pop Superstar. In 2008, she released the album Low Key, which had a more relaxed and laid-back sound.
In 2010, she released a double album called Fantasy. One disc had original Filipino songs, and the other had covers of international hits. After her marriage and the birth of her son, she took a short break from her career.
2013–Present: Recent Projects
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Velasquez returned to the stage with her Silver concert in 2013 to celebrate 25 years in the music industry. In November 2013, she released the album Hulog Ka ng Langit, which was dedicated to her family.
She has remained a major star, judging on talent shows like StarStruck and Idol Philippines. In 2017, she released R3.0, a triple-album celebrating her 30th anniversary in music.
In recent years, she has hosted the musical show ASAP Natin 'To and the talk show Magandang Buhay. She continues to perform in major concerts, such as Regine Rocks in 2023, where she explored rock music. In 2024, she released Reginified, an album of remakes of songs she had performed in concerts.
Acting Career
Besides singing, Velasquez is also a successful actress. She started with small roles in comedy films in the late 1980s. Her first leading role was in the 1996 romantic comedy Wanted: Perfect Mother.
Her acting career grew in the early 2000s. She starred in the hit movie Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000) with Robin Padilla. Her next film, Pangako Ikaw Lang (2001), was the highest-grossing Filipino film of that year. This earned her the title of Box Office Queen.
She also showed her dramatic acting skills on television. In 2001, she won a Star Award for Best Actress for her role in an episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya, where she played a woman with an intellectual disability.
Over the years, she has starred in many TV series, including:
- Forever in My Heart (2004)
- Ako si Kim Samsoon (2008), a remake of a popular South Korean show.
- Diva (2010), a musical comedy series.
- Poor Señorita (2016), where she played a rich businesswoman.
Personal Life
In 2007, Velasquez confirmed her relationship with singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid. They got married in December 2010. In November 2011, they had a son named Nathaniel James.
Velasquez is a born-again Christian. She has said that her faith is very important to her and her family.
Legacy
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Regine Velasquez is known as "Asia's Songbird" because of her powerful voice and influence on music in the Philippines and across Asia. Many critics and fans consider her one of the greatest Filipino singers of all time.
Her singing style, especially her use of belting, has inspired a generation of new singers. Many artists who became famous through TV talent shows, like Sarah Geronimo and Rachelle Ann Go, have named Velasquez as a major influence.
She has won numerous awards for her music and acting, including 22 Awit Awards, 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards, and 17 Aliw Awards. In 2007, she was given a star on the Philippines' Walk of Fame to honor her contributions to entertainment.
Images for kids
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Velasquez on her Solo concert residency in 2023
See also
In Spanish: Regine Velásquez para niños
