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>Looking Back and Looking Forward with Regine Velasquez >By Denise C. Villegas >People Asia Magazine 06/09/2005 > >Hers is a Cinderella-esque story of rags to riches. >But unlike the princess in the fairy tale, this diva >didn't have a prince to sweep her off her feet or to >take away all her troubles. What she did have, though, >was a remarkable voice, an interminable supply of >determination and a real desire to make things better >for her family. And in lieu of a prince, these swept >her off her humble Bulacan home to the glittering >lights of stardom. > >On hindsight, it would seem that she didn't need a >prince either. > >In her years in showbiz, she's covered the whole >spectrum from singing, to movies, to commercials. >These days, Regine finds herself enjoying yet another >aspect of the business, namely producing. "I enjoy >producing my albums. It's a different kind of work for >me. It's not like performing. It's more creative. >Apart from recording the songs, I also get to have a >hand in choosing the songs and the arrangements. Being >able to work with different kinds of people is also >nice. I get to work with arrangers, with other >producers. It's nice because during collaborations, >you can meet people for the first time and you just >understand each other. It's very liberating." > >People have always said that when you love what you >do, it rarely ever feels like work. This is true for >Regine when it comes to her TV shows. "I do enjoy >hosting, like in SOP. It's just playing actually. I >even call it my day-off. It's the time when I get to >see my friends, at least those in show business. >Sometimes we have lunch. I like it. I like it a lot, >plus I get to show off my clothes. With PPS (Pinoy Pop >Superstar), I love doing that because it reminds me so >much of how I started. I see these kids who are so >determined to be part of this industry. It's so nice >to be able to see that. And to be able to give them a >few words like `Don't forget to practice' that mean so >much to them because they know how I started." > >Regine can still vividly remember how all of this >actually began with a six-year-old girl who would >rather have played than participated in after-school >rehearsals that consisted of a simple guitar and >paternal prodding. While her parents never imposed a >particular regimen on her, they did insist that she >rehearse everyday and work on a new song or perfect >one she had already learned. All these tedious hours >of rehearsing clearly paid off during her first >competition. "I was six years old and I was the >youngest. It was a serious singing competition and >everybody else was so much older. I sang Buhat, (To >carry) which my father taught me." To this day she >still laughs and says she isn't certain how she >managed to join the competition much less end up in >third place. > >An older and wiser Regine will be the first to admit >that this kind of discipline is something that is >taught and that her craft is something she must >continue to hone, even after all these years. "It's >really different if you practice everyday. Now what I >do is when I wake up, I immediately sing high-pitched >songs. I'll sing songs I am not confident with, ones >that are a bit high for me; Even just one song in the >shower. Because they say that in the morning, your >throat, your voice is still asleep. That's why it's >really the best time to practice; your voice really >gets a workout. My thinking is I love singing. I love >performing, so I want to be able to enjoy it. I don't >want to have a hard time singing. I don't want to feel >like I'm dying when I'm just singing." > >She admits that with all her work now, she doesn't >really get a chance to sing as much as she used to. >She'll find herself jumping at any opportunity to >perform. "Every chance I get when I guest on a TV >show, instead of lip singing, I'll sing live just so I >can sing." Her success is something that she's always >attributed to God, luck and a great deal of >determination and hard work "When I want something, I >don't just sit around and want it. I really work hard >at it. And when I want to do something now, I really >need to do it now. If I don't do that now, I really >won't be able to do it. It will pass. All the things >that has happened in my career, when I think about it, >I really wanted them." > >And if there is one thing that Regine has always had a >knack for, it's picking the songs that suit her >perfectly. "I know myself and I know my voice. I >really know my limits. I just pick songs that are >compatible with my voice. Isn't R&B in now? While I >like to experiment with sound and style because I want >to grow and I want my audience to grow with me and >while my tastes change as an artist, I know my voice >is for certain types only. So when I choose songs, I >try to suit them with my style and my age. It would be >wonderful if you were the kind of person who could >sing all kinds of songs. But when you can't do it, why >would you try to force it? You can mix different >sounds with your style, right?" > >Asked to describe herself she comes with a simple and >surprising one-word answer: Plain. Though people who >know her would heartily disagree, she explains, "I >know when you are in showbiz, people think that >everything is glamorous. But the truth is, I'm just >this." While most people will agree that she is far >from plain, a rose tattoo on her right ankle tells of >the more rebellious aspect of her personality. "Ever >since I was young, I already had that tendency but as >a kid I had to listen and obey. Now when I want to do >something, like I want to wear something, I don't >think about what other people would say." > >After over a decade in the music industry Regine still >finds herself enjoying the smaller marks of her >success. She laughingly admits, "Kinikilig pa rin ako >when I hear myself on the radio. It still makes me >happy. When I am at the mall, when I pass by record >stores, I get embarrassed when someone says that I’m >there. It’s still a different feeling when you're on >radio because you don't when you'd hear your song." >She's also managed not to let everything get to her >head. As if to prove it she grins when asked how she >feels about being dubbed as "Asia's Songbird." "I >laugh when I hear that. I'm only known in the country, >not in Asia." > >It's obvious to anyone who gets to talk to her that >with Regine, her family sits at the very center of her >life. As the eldest of five children, she absolutely >gushes with pride when she talks about her siblings >and her parents. "We are very close as a family. But >when I was starting out in the business, I would get >really busy. There was one time when I asked the twins >'what grade are you in?' and they answered `Ate, we're >already in college.' I was depressed after that >because I felt that I missed a lot. So I decided to >start a tradition. We go out - just the five of us. I >call them dates and we just go out to eat or to shop. >Or we watch concerts because that's really our >favorite." > >When asked about how she's changed over the years, her >first instinct is to talk about her music. "My voice >has changed. Of course it matured already. I know >before that my voice was high and I didn't have any >low tones. Now, it seems that my range widened because >I can now reach the low tones as well. It was >backwards - I really tried to learn the low notes." As >for constantly living in the public eye, Regine says >that she does get tired of the rumors that tend to >float about her but she's always felt it was a small >price to pay for the wonderful things that the >industry has given her. > >"Ever since, I didn't think that this would be >forever. It's like I don't believe that things should >always be the same," Regine tells us when asked about >her plans. "It is better to have ups and downs. Things >are more exciting that way and you learn more that >way, too. I would like to stay involved in the >industry, even when I stop performing. I don't think >I'll ever stop singing. I might stop performing but >not singing. In truth, I don't need to sing anymore. >My family is okay and so am 1. But I can't imagine my >life without music. Even at home I always need music, >when I'm dressing up or something. I can't remember a >time when I didn't love to sing but I'd like to get >involved with other things like producing and the work >behind the scenes. I'd also love to get more involved >with my clothing line, which is in Sari-Sari. I've >always told myself that I will only stop doing this >when it starts to feel like work, when it stops being >fun." > >By the looks of things, to the relief of all her fans, >that moment looks like it's a long way off.

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