After wowing audiences abroad with her powerful voice, Charice Pempengco will
mesmerize her kababayans when she
performs for her first major concert in Manila
titled Charice: The Journey Begins. This
one-night only event will be held at the SMX Convention Center on June 27 at 8
pm. What makes this event truly special for the 17-year-old singer is the fact
that she will be performing with her idol, Asia's
Songbird Regine Velasquez.
Charice has made the rounds in international talk shows such as StarKing, a popular TV program in South
Korea; Ti Lascio Una Canzone in
Italy; plus The Ellen Degeneres
Show and Oprah in the United States.
In the local music scene, Star Records produced her two albums: her self-titled
debut album, which is now certified Platinum and her second album, My Inspiration, which already reached
the Gold mark.
Soon, she will be releasing an international album under Warner Music to be
produced by David Foster.
Just last May, Charice said that she hoped to perform a duet with Ms. Regine.
Her prayer will finally be granted when they perform together in Charice: The Journey Begins.
In her press conference for the said event, Charice expressed her happiness and
her nervousness for staging her first major concert.
"Siyempre po, una sa lahat, kinakabahan po ako kasi po first time ko talagang
magkaroon ng major concert sa buong buhay ko po, and wish ko lang po sana
maging successful po. Super po akong na-excite na umuwi dito para sa concert na
‘to."
Is it true that she actually turned down other concert
opportunities abroad just to be able to perform this June 27?
"Hindi naman po concert, medyo may mga nacancel lang po ‘yong ibang recording
sessions namin ni Sir David Foster. Pero nagpaalam naman po ako sa kanya and ‘yon
nga lang po, ‘yong kapalit, nagpromise lang ako sa kanya na magsta-stay po ako
dun for two months para po sa recording po naming dalawa."
Charice will be leaving on June 29 for the United States to finish her
recording sessions for this Warner Music album. Right after that, she is
scheduled to begin a world tour in Canada.
How does she feel about performing with Asia's Songbird?
"Super po akong masaya kasi po before po mangyari itong concert na ‘to,
nasa L.A. po
ako non. Nagkaron po siya ng concert sa Long Beach
[California].
Talagang hindi po ako nanonood ng concert pero kapag big fan po talaga ako ng
isang artist, pumupunta po ako.
"Nanonood po talaga ako,
nakikiloko dun sa mga kumukuha ng picture sa kanya. Super po kong humanga sa
kanya kasi super bait po n'ya."
ON BEING COMPARED TO SARAH GERONIMO. Somepeople are comparing Charice with the
Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo. Is this okay with the young singer?
"Idol ko din yun si Ate Sarah. Pero yun nga po, marami nga po akong
nababalitaan na ano po...yun nga may kompitensya raw. Kasi sinasabi nila kung
sino daw mas sikat. Hindi po ako nakikipagkompitensya kung sinong mas sikat o
kung sinong mas magaling. Ang sakin lang po, gusto ko pong marating yung dream
ko as an international star. Gusto kong marating talaga yung dream ko. Si Ate
Sarah idol ko and alam ko pong siya ang naunang sumikat sa ‘kin. So talagang
taas noo po ako sa kanya.
"Wala po talagang competition o away sa aming dalawa. Kasi everytime na
nakikita ko sya parang nahihiya pa rin ako kasi talagang super idol ko po
talaga siya," says Charice shyly.
Since
she has been singing at a very young age, does she feel that she missed out on
having a normal childhood?
"‘Di ko po naisip ‘yan kasi...‘yong mga ginagawa ko po dati, nagagawa ko pa rin
po ngayon like nakikipaglaro po ako sa brother ko. Minsan kasama ko naman po
siya sa States. Okay lang po sa 'kin kung ano ‘yong na-e-experience ko ngayon."
CRUSH ON SAM MILBY. In her past
interviews, Charice has been vocal in saying that she has a crush on
international singer Josh Groban. But this time, she admitted that her crush in
local showbiz is Sam Milby.
Charice revealed that she started admiring Sam when she saw him for the first
time when she was still a contestant in Little
Big Star.
"Mabait po si Sam [saka] pogi, talagang nasa kanya lahat. Naging crush ko siya
noong Little Big Star pa lang...Hindi siya namimili talaga. Talagang dinadalaw
niya ko sa dressing room kasi ako daw yung bet niya. Tapos dumadalaw pa po siya
sa taping ng Little Big Star. Kaya yun,
simula nun, hanggang ngayon siya yung crush ko."
Did they invite Sam to perform in this concert?
"Gusto ko po talaga siya sa concert ko pero kasi po ang balita ko po nasa
States siya. So sayang po kasi gusto ko po talaga siyang pumunta."
What does she like the most about Sam Milby? "Gusto ko po yung mata niya. Kasi
parang ang amo-amo na...alam niyo po yun na parang ang sarap sarap tignan na
pagtumingin siya hot pero ang amo. Yun po yung gusto ko."
ON DAVID FOSTER. Charice is scheduled
to go back to the States on June 29 to continue recording her international
album. Is her mentor, David Foster, coming here to the Philippines to help promote this album?
"Meron po kaming plan kasi magkakaroon po kami ng
Asian Tour. I'm sure hindi po mawawala ang Philippines
kasi nung last time na The Repeat [concert] kami noon ni David Foster, nagulat siya kasi
ang daming Pilipino. So, ginawa niya akong pang-finale niya. Kasi talagang
sobrang dami pong Pilipino. Parang sabi niya, 'Okay, I should go to the Philippines.' So, I'm sure pupunta po siya."
Will David be her special guest in Pupunta rin ba siya sa concert mo?
"Ay hindi po. Kasi po hindi lang po ako yung nakikipag-work sa kanya sa paggawa ng album. Marami po kaming magrerelease ng album ngayon. Super busy siya kasi araw-araw iba -ibang artists yung kasama niya. Like ako, Monday ako, Tuesday si Michael Bublé. Wednesday si Cody, Thursday si Whitney Houston. So ang hirap-hirap para sa kanya kasi sabay-sabay po kaming magrerelease ng album.
Aside from Regine Velasquez, Charice: The Journey Begins will also feature Christian Bautista and Charice's batchmates in Little Big Star Season 1. Unfortunately, Sam Concepcion won't be able to attend this reunion.
Charice's mother, Mommy Raquel, explained that Sam won't be in the Philippines during that time because he is part of the Star Magic concert abroad. However, she pointed out that Sam was willing to tape a video message in support of Charice's first major concert.
Tickets to Charice: The Journey Begins are available in Ticketnet outlets (Tel. No. 911-5555). Don't miss this one-night only event on June 27, 2009 (Saturday) at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City.