Lea Salonga reveals her stand on OPM artists' call for "Filipino first" in the concert scene

Melba Llanera

Friday, February 10, 2012 @ 08:57PM | 23735 views

"I would most likely support a show na alam kong masisiyahan ako, where I will be happy, where I know I will have a good time, where I know that singing would be excellent, where I know the production value is high. Ang sa akin lang, it's fair and square, it's competition. And if the local artists' shows are just so good, then that's where the money is going to go," says Lea Salonga about the competition between local concerts and foreign acts.

Photo By: Rommel R. Llanes

Kapansin-pansin ang sunud-sunod na pagdating ng international recording artists sa Pilipinas upang mag-concert. Karamihan sa mga ito ay tinatangkilik ng ating mga kababayan na tila sabik sa ganitong klaseng panoorin.

Kaugnay nito, may ilan namang Pinoy singers o OPM artists ang nagpahayag na sana ay mas tangkilikin ng ating mga kababayan ang concerts ng local singers kumpara sa foreign acts. Isa raw kasi ito sa dahilan kung bakit unti-unting namamatay ang musikang Pinoy.

Isa sa ipinagmamalaki nating singers ay si Lea Salonga, na kilala rin internationally bilang stage actress.

Special guest si Lea sa two-night concert ng Grammy Award-winning singer na si James Ingram sa Araneta Coliseum on February 17 at sa Waterfront Hotel Cebu sa February 18.

Kaugnay nito ay nagkaroon ng contract signing at presscon si Lea noong Miyerkules, February 8, sa Lubang Room ng Edsa Shangri-La Plaza Hotel.

Dito ay hiningan siya ng reaksiyon ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at iba pang media kaugnay sa hinaing na ito ng kapwa niya local artists.

Pahayag ni Lea: "I don't know... ang sa akin lang kasi, if you think the Filipino artists are excellent, then the market will know it.

"And if you were a discerning concertgoer, you will know where you're going to spend your money.

"Ang sa akin lang kasi, hindi ko binabase ang pagbili ko ng ticket, 'O, foreigner ba o Pinoy, or taga-saan siya, taga-Cebu or whatever.' Wala akong pakialam.

"Kasi ang sa akin lang, kung ang isang artist ay magaling, dun ako pupunta—it's regardless kung local o foreign.

"Kasi may mga foreign din na, 'Ay, ayoko corny! Ay, ayoko, di magaling kumanta.'"

Dagdag pa ng Miss Saigon star, "I would most likely support a show na alam kong masisiyahan ako, where I will be happy, where I know I will have a good time, where I know that singing would be excellent, where I know the production value is high.

"Ang sa akin lang, it's fair and square, it's competition.

"And if the local artists' shows are just so good, then that's where the money is going to go.

"And don't support a Filipino show just because it's Filipino.

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58 Comments Show / Hide Comments

58

yummylicious2012

02/13/2012 | 02:33 PM

can't agree with you more Ms. Lea...I will go where my money's worth...You were very true with all the things you said. I am a big fan of Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Sarah Geronimo to name a few but I am also a fan of Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna among others. Does it make me less of a Filipino...I don't think so...

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maria45

02/13/2012 | 09:05 AM

and I beg to disagree to those who were saying hindi nagtake off and international career ni Lea..a Tony and a Laurence Olivier awardee..what else can you ask for? Theater industry is different from mainstream pop, show busines industry. Lea is HUGE in theater wether it's here and abroad.Of course, unlike the pop culture, theatre has a different kind of audience at hindi natin yan masubaybayan dahil walang masyadong write-ups when it comes to theater. Bakit, alam ba natin na nag theater si Harry Potter? via How to succeed in Business? or si matthew Broderick, etc. Most Americans theatergoers knows who Lea is via MS Saigon and how she is, that itself is a feat.

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maria45

02/13/2012 | 08:32 AM

Justin Beiber,sometimes he has good and bad days, Timberlake, ganoon din...I watched Hugh Jackman in Broadway hindi yan magpapapicture, Brooke Shields, she's ok. My Point? Kahit sino mang artista , foreign man or local, may attitude na ganyan . Kung ayaw nilang magpapicture after a show, di huwag. Sa ticket naman natin walang sinasabi na autograph and picture taking included.. Yung mga artista from the Philippines nagpapabayad if they will have their pics and autographs taken during the meet and greet session. Extra 50 to 100 dollars, VIP with meet and greet. Sa Pilipinas, may meet and greet ba na tickets for foreign acts? Wala. Pilipino artists lang yan. Just my opinion.

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showbizdak

02/13/2012 | 08:10 AM

pwes para siguro everybody happy sundin nila yung ganitong strategy ni lea where a foreign and local artist are featured in a show to cater to a wider audience. with local pinoys favoring foreign artists kasi, walang chance ang locals makipagsabayan. dun lang sa abroad tinatangkilik ang opm kahit pa pangit ang mga shows due to intense homesickness.

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Monicafer

02/13/2012 | 06:25 AM

The first time I watched Leah was her performance in Miss Saigon in New York. My children just came from the Philippines so all of us watcher her show in Broadway. We waited for her at the back street of the theatre to have a glimpse of her and a photo session. Sadly, we were disappointed, anyway I took it that she was tired. On Anne's show, everybody knows that she's not a singer. But I think people came in group not because of her voice but simply to enjoy the night and watched other casts of the show. Everyone who watched the show had fun.

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maria45

02/13/2012 | 04:04 AM

Agree ako kay Queen Kurdapya. Sa atin lang yata yung mayroon manghimasok as to how we spend our hard earned money. Kung may good concert , go ako. Like Martin Nievera, kahit saan mo yan ilagay okay lang. Dahil alam niya kung paano mag concert. Kahit ma foreign act man or local, if it seems like a good show, why not? Kahit Ann Curtis pa yan, na hindi marunong kumanta pero entertained naman tayo, why not? Sa akin lang, pera natin to, kung gusto natin na magwatch ng foriegn act at affordable naman , why not? Ano ba, huwag naman tayong maging insecure , pagbutihin na lang ang craft niyo at baka sakali magiging competitive tayo sa international market. Ang mga Pilipino ay nakaconcert lang sa ibang bayan dahil kinuha sila ng kapwa Pilipino producers for Filipino audience din. We still need to break the international market, bakit yung ibang bansa kaya nila, tayo hindi Korean artists nag front act na sa mga banda dito,dahil may discipline sila. Sana, wala nang negativity.Diyan tayo magaling.

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pepe2

02/13/2012 | 02:47 AM

dapat ganyan ang sagot mo leah. Kasi, ikaw ang kumikita sa labas ng pinas at foreigner ka doon !!! Hwag tularan si Anak ka freddie na after sumikat at kumita yun Anak na kanta sa abroad at kung sino na manglait sa kapwa pilipino artist. Support daw sa OPM eh sino naman bibili kung meron iba mas maganda.

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Cypressgard

02/12/2012 | 11:41 PM

Tama yan Lea, pangaralan mo yang mga ambisyosa! Sana man lang kahit sa recording magaling, ang problema parehong recorded at live, iisa ang resulta as in masakit sa tenga. Ok na sa isang performer na kumanta basta marunong kahit di ganon kagaling ang boses, ang problema, di na marunong kumanta, SINTUNADO pa! Bato bato sa langit eh mahiya naman sa balat nya bwahaha!!!!

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manangdi

02/12/2012 | 10:34 PM

If she believes na magaling sya and the Filipino people think magaling sya bakti hindi sya nakoconcert? why then allow foreign acts to dominate the industry? Magaling pala sya, eh di sana magcontribute sya sa ikagagaling ng mga Filipino artists, put up a Lea Salonga school of talented singers and performers para competitive ang OPM. Puro salita wala namang gawa!

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lostris

02/12/2012 | 08:19 PM

"if you were a DISCERNING CONCERTGOER, you will know where you're going to spend your money"... so ano kaya opinion nya sa mga nanood ng concert ni anne curtis? interesting sana kung natanong siya.

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SatinE0808

02/12/2012 | 07:24 PM

at ang hirap kasi sa ibang pinoy, magaling an singer para sa kanila ung bumibirit lang... hello? sabagay hndi nga naman napagaaralan o nabibili ang taste.

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SatinE0808

02/12/2012 | 07:22 PM

si pitongtunay may pagka ewan eh...d mo ata nagets ang sabi ni Lea... try to understand what she's really saying -well im not expecting for u to understand- She will support a Filipino artist kung MAGALING, she'll back them up 100 percent. sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, people should know where to put their hard-earned money to. she reached that status kasi MAGALING sya and people believed so.

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46

ClawClown

02/12/2012 | 03:38 PM

Tama si Lea, kung ano gusto panoorin at tangkilikin ng manonood, kahit foreign o Pinoy, choice natin yun.

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QueenKurdapia

02/12/2012 | 01:05 PM

Dapat taglogin ko to. Paano naman kasi, palagi na lang ganon ang makikita sa TV araw araw. Napakabadoy, pakuwela lang at birit ng birit. Ako nga, di ko minsan maintindihan ang kanta kasi di naman tama ang pagkanta at pagpronounce ng words. Kahit tagalog na, mali mali pa rin. Dapat ang mga performers, minsan lang mag TV. Overexposed na masyado at napaka OA pa. Tili lang ng tili ang mga manonood, wala namang ka challenge ang performance. Lastly, pera ko, dapat akong pumili kung sino ang aking babayaran. Kung nasaktan man sila, dahil iyon ang totoo. Period.

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pinaypinay

02/12/2012 | 05:22 AM

May point naman c lea eh, bkit nga naman ako gagastos sa isang bagay na di ko naman ma e enjoy? Pinagpaguran ko kya ang ipambabayad ko jan, so dahil lang sa dapat tangkilikin ang OPM e khit d ko feel ang concert gora p rin? Oa ha! Diktahan ba ito??

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IMaPeper2

02/11/2012 | 10:48 PM

Mabuhay freedom of speech and freedom of choice! Kung laging nakikita ng manonood ang singer sa TV, overexposure, nawawala na ang thrill na makita sila in concert. Itong mga foreing acts, once in a blue moon pag dumating kaya sabik ang mga tao. Perhaps, create new, original Pinoy music para di mamamatay ang musikang Pilipino.

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alexis2222

02/11/2012 | 10:12 PM

may point si lea... nasa sa mga manonood yan kung ano ang gusto nila panoorin... pera nila ang gagastusin so they might want to spend it on a show they would appreciate. parang hollywood films against pinoy films din yan... on a different platform lang... sige nga, ipagbawal na rin natin ang foreign films in support of local artists... hindi pwede noh... dapat ievel ang playing field... hellooowwww sa OPM... try nila manood ng foreign acts, makita nila na nasa ringside at VIP seats nakaupo ang iba nilang members... kanya kanya yan noh...

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pitongtunay

02/11/2012 | 09:07 PM

Sa palagay ko ay mali si Lea Salonga sa puntong ito. Ang pagsuporta natin sa ating mga OPM artists ang kinakailangan di lang ng mga Filipino performers natin kundi ng ating bansa na rin. Of course kung gusto nating manood ng foreign artists ay wala namang masama doon pero dapat din nating bigyan ng support ang OPM ng 100 percent. Dapat balikan ni Lea ang pinagmulan niya, kung wala kayang tumangkilik sa talent niya noon ay makakarating kaya siya sa Broadway?

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abscbnkapamilya

02/11/2012 | 03:41 PM

Buti nalang sina Toni, Anne at Vice nakakatulong pa kahit FOR Fun lang ang concert nila pero atleast nakakatulong sila.. Why compare their concerts sa concert ng mga foreigner? Anne and Vice are not SERIOUS singers, bakit nyo sila tinatarget? aahhaha.. Artista lang sila, di sila ang producers na nagpoproduce ng concerts.. And as for Toni, singer sya pero pagdating sa pagiging TOTAL PERFORMER eh di sya kasing galing ni Sarah.. I respect Lea's opinion pero wag nyong sisihin sina Anne, Vice, Toni at yung ibang "di nyo feel" na artists kung magcoconcert sila kasi sila lang yung INUUTUSAN, di sila ang producer, ang choreographer at hindi sila ang incharge sa mga props at lightings ng stage.. If you want a WONDERFUL performance mula sa singers natin dito, edi magpetisyon kayo sa mga producers na gandahan ang production at stage.. ehehe

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greencardholder

02/11/2012 | 12:40 PM

kahit i nega nega pa ng iba si Lea dahil sa stand nya na yan, bottom line is, walang basagan ng trip kung sino gustong panoorin ng isang tao. pera nya yun, walang mangengealam.

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