26 Facts About Pilita Corrales

Pilar Garrido Corrales, better known as Pilita Corrales, was a Filipino singer, actress and comedian.

Pilita Corrales was known for her distinctive backbend when singing and was popularly referred to as the "Greatest singer in the Philippines" and "Asia's Queen of Songs" for her vocal style and longevity.

Pilita Corrales's recordings were mainly in English and Filipino, while on occasion she recorded songs in Spanish and Cebuano.

Pilita Corrales was a recipient of the prestigious 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry for introducing Filipino musical artistry to a global audience.

Pilar Pilita Corrales was born in Lahug, Cebu City on August 22,1937, to Jose Pilita Corrales de Zaragoza and Maria Garrido Manzano.

Pilita Corrales's father Jose Corrales is a Spanish mestizo from Ermita, Manila and her mother Maria Garrido is a Spanish immigrant from Granada.

Pilita Corrales returned to the Philippines following her father's death from a heart attack in 1956.

Pilita Corrales said that had her father not died when he did, she never would have become a singer.

Pilita Corrales maintained her vocal technique across songs of different genres; for example, her performances of "Ang dalagang Pilipina" were not sung in the song's traditional bel canto style.

Pilita Corrales recorded songs in Spanish in the early 1960s and songs in English, Tagalog, and Cebuano during the 1970s under Vicor Music Corporation.

In 1958, Pilita Corrales began her recording career after arriving in Australia for a brief period.

Pilita Corrales first appeared on Australian television on the show From Outer Space, and later appeared on The Bobby Limb Show and In Melbourne Tonight.

Pilita Corrales became a star of the Victoria Television circuit and her first hit, "Come Closer to Me", became part of a collection on which she was billed as one of the "Grand Dames of Victorian Radio and Television".

Pilita Corrales recorded at least three LPs in the late 1950s and early 1960s: Pilita with Arthur Young: Pilita Tells the Story of Love, I'll Take Romance and This Is Pilita under Astor Records.

Pilita Corrales returned to Manila in 1963 to pursue a career in the Philippine music industry.

Pilita Corrales performed regularly in stage shows at the Manila Grand Opera House.

Pilita Corrales's film debut was a lead role in the 1967 film Miss Wawaw and was followed by 11 films for the next two years.

In 1972, Pilita Corrales' career exploded with the release of her album Philippine Love Songs, a compilation of pop covers of traditional songs, through Vicor Music.

Pilita Corrales eventually recorded songs composed by Filipino composers like Danny Holmsen, George Canseco, Willy Cruz, Ryan Cayabyab and several others.

Pilita Corrales frequently performed for Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino on IBC-Channel 13 after the martial law years, where she demonstrated her range as a performer of Spanish, English, Cebuano and Tagalog music.

In 2006, Pilita Corrales was selected by Associated Broadcasting Company and FremantleMedia to be one of the celebrity judges for the first-ever nationwide search for the Philippine Idol together with Ryan Cayabyab and rapper Francis Magalona.

Pilita Corrales was a judge in the first Asian Idol held in Indonesia, representing Philippine Idol.

Pilita Corrales had two children, Jackie Lou Blanco and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, who became actors.

Pilita Corrales was married in 1963 to the Spanish executive businessman Jose Blanco and separated while Jackie Lou was still a child.

Pilita Corrales gave birth to her second child, Ramon Christopher Gutierrez, in 1971, known to be the father of Janine Gutierrez.

Pilita Corrales died in her sleep at her residence on April 12,2025.