A musical Valentine with Charice

By Nickie Wang

Finding love is as important as establishing a career, but the first is the idea that Charice instantly dismissed even though her mother Racquel has already given her the green light. According to the teen prodigy, she might have matured physically but her heart remains a kid.

Currently on her iPod are songs of Air Supply, Leona Lewis, and Miley Cyrus. Most of them are love songs but Charice said they don’t have anything to do with her [romantic] life. She will turn 18 three months from now (she was born on May 10, 1992) that is why the young singer eagerly revealed that her mother already told her that if she wants to have a boyfriend, it is absolutely fine.

“Open na si Mommy na magka-boyfriend ako, but personally ang puso ko ay bata pa rin. I will just wait for the time na dumating talaga ‘yun,” Charice giggled and named Sam Milby and Justin Timberlake as her celebrity crushes.

Several photoshoots unveil Charice in a more grown-up image. The way she puts on her make up and does her hair have noticeably changed since the world was amazed with her performance on Star King, the talent show in South Korea , more than two years ago. Indeed, gone is the Charice who wears pigtails and sings on flat doll shoes.

In a press conference held last week, we saw the different Charice we have been seeing on YouTube. Walking on high heels and wearing a casual red dress, she arrived at the venue accompanied by her assistants. True to her words, she still acts like a kid. As a matter of fact, she brought with her a baby doll named Charles Chester.

After greeting some select members of the entertainment press and some of the sponsors of her upcoming concert with Ryan Cayabyab on Valentines Day, she settled directly at the panel table with Mr. C. Questions started flying here and there, and Charice was more than willing to answer all of them.

“I was asked by David [Foster] who accompanies me during my performances here in Manila ,” she started, “The David Foster of the Philippines, Ryan Cayabyab!”

Today, Mr. C and the world’s most talented girl will enchant music aficionados and lovebirds alike in an enchanting evening at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine Convention Center. Entitled Charice In Concert with Ryan Cayabyab, the musical event showcases the 17-year-old singer belting some of the songs that catapulted her name as a promising international star.

“Her repertoire includes the songs that people know, or songs that people expect from her,” Cayabyab told the press.

According to the seasoned composer, working with Charice excites him more. He said that listening to Charice talking about famous international musicians and celebrities, like Oprah Winfrey and David Foster for instance, leaves him flabbergasted, “She is going places and has lots of stories.”

In 2009, Charice spent most of time in America recording her debut US album. She will finally release the record together with a single called “Pyramid” early this year.

Also last year, Charice performed in the David Foster and Friends 10-city North American tour, and appeared in her first feature film, Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel. In the movie, Charice appeared as herself.

“One time my agent in the US asked me kung ano’ng favorite movie ko, the next thing I know, I was asked to audition for a role in a Chipmunk film,” she narrated.

Charice said that later on, the agent told her that it was just a mock audition because the role was really meant for her, “They really surprised me. While we were in a conference in L.A. , my agent and my manager told me that.”

As to give the entertainment press an idea on how she awed the people who conducted the mock audition, she sang Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and delivered some lines from the movie as if she has taken some amount of helium.

Charice is good at imitating different sounds and voices of different singers. It is a quality, that according to Ryan Cayabyab, a trademark of talented and exceptional vocal artists.

“I have worked with Charice for three ABS-CBN specials, but other than that we don’t have any other mentor-student relationship. I am more excited than Charice because looking at how big she is right now, I’m already asking myself how will I measure up as a musician in this concert,” the virtuoso composer humbled.

The concert is Charice’s second major solo local concert following the successful show she staged last June. Her lineup of special guests includes Erik Santos, George Yang, The Ryan Cayabyab Singers, and Ogie Alcasid. The concert is presented by Face&Figure Center Manila, with Magnolia Fresh Milk and Magnolia Low Fat Milk as major sponsor. Smart Communication is a minor sponsor.

Tickets to Charice In Concert with Ryan Cayabyab are available at Ticketnet outlets located at all SM Department Stores (customer service area) and at the Araneta Coliseum ticket booths.