103 Facts About Regine Velasquez

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez is a Filipino singer and actress.

Regine Velasquez is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and belting technique.

Regine Velasquez had unorthodox voice training during her childhood, where she was immersed neck-deep in the sea.

Regine Velasquez rose to prominence after winning the television talent show Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984 and the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in 1989.

Regine Velasquez explored Manila sound and kundiman genres on her second and third studio albums, Nineteen 90 and Tagala Talaga.

Regine Velasquez experimented further with jazz and adult contemporary genres on My Love Emotion, while she recorded covers on Retro.

Regine Velasquez played leading roles in the romantic comedies Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw and Pangako Ikaw Lang, and received the Box Office Entertainment Award for Box Office Queen for the latter.

Regine Velasquez won the Golden Screen Award for Best Actress for playing a document forger in the comedy film Of All the Things.

Regine Velasquez expanded her career into reality television talent shows as a presenter on Star for a Night, Pinoy Pop Superstar, and The Clash, and as a judge on StarStruck and Idol Philippines.

Regine Velasquez's accolades include two Asian Television Awards, two MTV Asia Awards, 22 Awit Awards, 16 Aliw Awards, 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards, and 14 Star Awards for Music.

Regine Velasquez was able to stretch whatever little money we had.

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Regine Velasquez was born on April 22,1970, in Tondo, Manila, to Teresita and Gerardo Regine Velasquez.

Regine Velasquez's family moved to Hinundayan, Southern Leyte, where Velasquez spent the early years of her life.

At age three, Regine Velasquez became interested in music after listening to her father's lullabies.

Regine Velasquez would listen to her mother play guitar and piano while her father sang, and cited Sharon Cuneta's "Mr DJ" as one of the first songs she learned.

Regine Velasquez started singing at age six; she underwent intensive vocal training with her father, who immersed her neck-deep in the sea and had her go through vocal runs.

Regine Velasquez placed third in her first singing competition on Betty Mendez Livioco The Tita Betty's Children Show.

When Regine Velasquez was nine, her family moved to Balagtas, Bulacan, where she attended St Lawrence Academy and competed for her school at the annual Bulacan Private Schools Association singing competition.

In 1984, at fourteen, Regine Velasquez auditioned for the reality television series Ang Bagong Kampeon.

Regine Velasquez won the competition and was signed to a record deal with OctoArts International.

In 1986, Regine Velasquez initially used the stage name Chona and released the single "Love Me Again", which failed commercially.

Two years after Regine's release, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong and won, performing the songs "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical Carousel and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical Dreamgirls.

Regine Velasquez released her second studio album, Nineteen 90, in 1990.

Regine Velasquez worked with Louie Ocampo on the album's lead single "Narito Ako", which was originally recorded and performed by Maricris Bermont and written by Nonong Pedero for the 1978 Metro Manila Popular Music Festival.

Regine Velasquez recorded "Please Be Careful with My Heart" with Jose Mari Chan, who released the track on his album Constant Change; she sang backing vocals on Gary Valenciano's "Each Passing Night", which appears on his album Faces of Love.

In 1991, Regine Velasquez made her North American concert debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, a first for an Asian solo artist.

Regine Velasquez received a letter from the production offering to train her in London, which she declined: partly due to her lack of experience in musical theater, and because she wished to remain with her family.

The album's lead single, titled "Buhay Ng Buhay Ko", was originally recorded by Leah Navarro and was written by Pedero, with whom Regine Velasquez had worked on Nineteen 90.

Regine Velasquez recorded a duet titled "It's Hard to Say Goodbye" with Canadian singer Paul Anka, which became the new label's first release.

David Gonzales of AllMusic described the album as "more attuned to international ears" and said Regine Velasquez's vocals are "thin and unimpressive".

Regine Velasquez released her fifth studio album Listen Without Prejudice in 1994.

Regine Velasquez worked with songwriters, including Glenn Medeiros, Trina Belamide, and John Laudon.

Regine Velasquez left PolyCosmic in 1998, and signed a six-album contract with the MJF Company.

Regine Velasquez produced most of her next album R2K, which was released on November 27,1999.

Gonzales criticized the record's "infatuation with Western popular music" and called Regine Velasquez's singing "self-assured [but] unimpressive".

On December 31,1999, Regine Velasquez was a featured musical act in 2000 Today, a BBC millennium television special that attracted a worldwide audience of more than 800 million viewers with its core program broadcast across the world's time zones, which began with Kiribati Line Islands and ended in American Samoa.

Regine Velasquez headlined and directed the R2K Concert at the Araneta Coliseum in April 2000, which won her Best Female Major Concert Act at the 13th Aliw Awards.

Regine Velasquez performed a concert at the Westin Philippine Plaza that year, which spawned the release of her first live album Regine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics in December 2000.

Regine Velasquez worked with Filipino songwriters for material on her eleventh studio album Reigne.

Regine Velasquez won the inaugural MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist Philippines in February 2002.

Regine Velasquez performed "Cry" with Mandy Moore to promote the theatrical release of Moore's film A Walk to Remember.

At the 2003 MTV Asia Awards, Regine Velasquez won her second consecutive award for Favorite Artist Philippines.

Later in November and December 2005, Regine Velasquez had an eight-day concert residency named Reflections at the Aliw Theater.

Regine Velasquez appeared in Songbird, a weekly late-night musical television show that featured performances by musical guests.

Regine Velasquez featured in the musical television special The Best of Me, which was filmed at her residence in Quezon City.

Regine Velasquez signed a deal with Universal Records and released an album titled Low Key in December 2008.

Regine Velasquez returned to television on October 6,2012, with Sarap Diva, a weekly lifestyle talk show.

The concert received generally favorable reviews; Manila Bulletin Jojo Panaligan called it a "redemption of reputation", while Dolly Anne Carvajal of the Philippine Daily Inquirer said Regine Velasquez did not fail to make up for the initial cancellation of the show.

For both shows, Regine Velasquez received four nominations at the 5th Star Awards for Music, winning Best Female Major Concert Act for Silver and Concert of the Year for Foursome.

Regine Velasquez won Best Inspirational Record for "Nathaniel " and Best Christmas Recording for "Hele ni Inay" at the 27th Awit Awards, while Hulog Ka Ng Langit won Album Cover of the Year at the 6th Star Awards for Music.

In February 2015, Regine Velasquez appeared alongside Nievera, Valenciano, and Lani Misalucha in a concert titled Ultimate at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Regine Velasquez received accolades at the 47th Box Office Entertainment Awards, 7th Star Awards for Music, and 5th Edukcircle Awards for the production.

Regine Velasquez hosted Full House Tonight, which ran from February to May 2017.

Regine Velasquez hosted the television talent show The Clash, which premiered on July 7,2018.

Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez co-headlined a concert, Iconic, at the Araneta Coliseum in October 2019.

Regine Velasquez contributed to the soundtracks of the thriller series The General's Daughter and the drama series Love Thy Woman.

Regine Velasquez released the promotional single, "I Am Beautiful", for their print media advertising campaign.

In February 2020, Regine Velasquez worked with Sarah Geronimo on a joint concert titled Unified.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Regine Velasquez organized virtual benefit concerts in support of relief efforts.

Regine Velasquez curated One Night with Regine on April 25,2020, to benefit the Bantay Bata Foundation's COVID-19 response fund; the special raised million.

In collaboration with Alcasid, Regine Velasquez joined forces with PLDT, Inc for its No Learner Left Behind fundraiser.

Regine Velasquez said she crafted the virtual show because of her desire to perform material from a variety of music genres and step out of her comfort zone.

Regine Velasquez featured on Davey Langit's single "Ipinagpanata Kita", released in August 2021.

Regine Velasquez returned as a judge for the second season of Idol Philippines, which premiered on June 25,2022.

At the 13th Star Awards for Music, Regine Velasquez won Concert of the Year and was named Female Concert Performer of the Year for her work on Unified.

Regine Velasquez then reunited with Cuneta on a second US leg of the Iconic tour in March 2023.

Regine Velasquez made her cinema debut with a minor role in the 1988 comedy film The Untouchable Family.

Regine Velasquez has appeared in a series of supporting roles in comedies, including Pik Pak Boom and Elvis and James 2.

Regine Velasquez began working with composer Ryan Cayabyab in 1995 on the musical theater version of Jose Rizals Noli Me Tangere, where she played the female lead, Maria Clara.

Regine Velasquez's first leading role was a music teacher in the romantic comedy Wanted: Perfect Mother.

Regine Velasquez was awarded the Box Office Queen title at the 32nd Box Office Entertainment Awards due to the film's commercial performance.

Regine Velasquez portrayed a mundane and undesirable mail sorter in the drama Ikaw Lamang Hanggang Ngayon opposite Richard Gomez, while Pangarap Ko Ang Ibigin Ka reunited her with Christopher de Leon of Wanted: Perfect Mother, premiering at the Manila Film Festival in July 2003.

Regine Velasquez next starred in romantic dramas, reuniting with Padilla in Till I Met You and with Pascual in Paano Kita Iibigin.

Regine Velasquez voiced the eponymous character in the animated film Urduja.

In March 2010, Regine Velasquez appeared in the musical television series Diva as a facially disfigured ghost singer.

Regine Velasquez left the show for health reasons and was replaced by Iza Calzado.

Regine Velasquez next starred in the independent film Mrs Recto, a comedy-drama set principally on Recto Avenue.

Regine Velasquez then portrayed a socialite who is stripped of her wealth in the television comedy series Poor Senorita.

Regine Velasquez's only acting appearance in 2017 was a supporting role in Mulawin vs Ravena, the sequel to the 2004 television series Mulawin.

Regine Velasquez played a widow obsessed with a pop star in Nigel Santos' independent film Yours Truly, Shirley.

Since her childhood, Regine Velasquez has considered Sharon Cuneta a role model and credits Cuneta as a key inspiration who led her to pursue a musical career.

Regine Velasquez's music is influenced by artists such as Sheena Easton, Angela Bofill, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey in her early years.

Regine Velasquez has been influenced by many Filipino artists; early in her career, she cited Kuh Ledesma, Joey Albert, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, and Pops Fernandez as her role models.

Regine Velasquez has paid tribute to Filipino songwriters, including George Canseco, Rey Valera, Basil Valdez, Ryan Cayabyab, and Willy Cruz.

Regine Velasquez began working with foreign songwriters while planning her first regional album Listen Without Prejudice, which according to AllMusic is "oriented towards easy-listening love songs with adventurous, contemporary touches".

Regine Velasquez is known for her use of vocal belting, and credits the vocal training she received from her father as a child:.

Regine Velasquez just took us to the beach for a picnic.

Regine Velasquez read that Rocky practiced, shadow-boxed in the water.

Regine Velasquez is a soprano and is often praised for her range and technical ability.

Regine Velasquez has often been criticized for the excessive use of belting and oversinging.

Regine Velasquez has often been regarded as a powerhouse for her performances and musical content.

Regine Velasquez has been credited for her work and performances with international artists, including 98 Degrees, Alicia Keys, Coco Lee, Peabo Bryson, and Stephen Bishop.

Regine Velasquez became associated with the United Nations Children's Fund in 2001 and worked on a documentary titled Speak Your Mind, which is about homeless children in Payatas, Quezon City, one of the Philippines' largest open dumpsites.

In 2005, Regine Velasquez appeared in an episode of the lifestyle talk show Mel and Joey, and donated proceeds from an auction of her gowns to the GMA Kapuso Foundation's Christmas Give-a-Gift project.

In 2009, Regine Velasquez headlined a benefit television special called After The Rain: A Hopeful Christmas in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana.

Regine Velasquez has worked on brand marketing initiatives for American fast food restaurant chains Wendy's and KFC.

Regine Velasquez has signed advertising deals with several other brands, including Digitel, Lux, Nestle Philippines, Nokia, and Smart Communications.

Regine Velasquez gave birth to their son, Nathaniel James, via caesarean section on November 8,2011.

Regine Velasquez has been the recipient of lifetime achievement awards, including the Awit Awards Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino, the Star Awards for Music's Pilita Corrales Lifetime Achievement and Natatanging Alagad Ng Musika, FAMAS Awards' Golden Artist, and Myx Music's Magna Award.

Regine Velasquez was ranked first in Female Networks 2011 countdown of the "Top 25 Best Filipina Singers" and was included in Top 10 Asia magazine's list of "Ten Most Admired Female Singers in Asia".

Regine Velasquez has received recognition for her work in television and film, such as the Box Office Queen award in 2002, the Star Awards for Television's Best Actress in 2002, and the Golden Screen Awards' Best Actress in 2013.

Regine Velasquez has received a total of 22 Awit Awards, 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards, 16 Aliw Awards, and 14 Star Awards for Music.

In December 2007, Regine Velasquez was honored with a star on the Philippines' Walk of Fame.