1.22.2011

my CHARICE mystification


I remember it was the last quarter of 2009.  I was alone in my room watching Youtube videos of famous entertainers when i stumbled upon this Star King video of Charice.

I had no idea who Charice Pempengco was. I never knew she joined this ABS-CBN singing contest--and the drama that came after. The judge purportedly told her she lost the competition because she isn't beautiful and that her face isn't marketable. Ouch!

I was hesitant to watch the video thinking that she's just another one of those talented local singers I've already seen many times. I can't blame myself, Filipinos are blessed with good singing voice and they thrive everywhere. But I did view the Star King vid anyway. There I saw onstage a typical Asian-looking girl in ponytail, wearing double-sleeve collared tee and skimpy skirt. She belted out And I Am Telling You--powerful voice, commanding stage presence, natural dance moves ala MJ, unassuming innocent smile, charismatic. I felt like my entire body is levitating as I watched the girl hit those high notes perfectly then shift to lower notes with smoothness and clarity. The Korean celebrities and myself were virtually in a state of euphoria relishing every moment of her fantastic performance.


From then on, I have become a Charice follower. I've read over a hundred articles, watched several videos, made a number of posts on her fansite. I am well aware of anything Charice:
*her first appearance on US television show was the Ellen DeGeneres.
*she guested on the influential Oprah' show 6 times.
*her mentor is the legendary composer David Foster.
*her single Pyramid peaked at No. 1 in the US dance chart.
*her self-titled debut album ranked no. 8 in the US billboard.
*her album reached Gold status in Japan with more that 100,000 record sales
*she has a recurring role as Sunshine Corazon on Glee.
*she is collaborating with Jim Beanz and Sean Garrett on her next album.


The recent events in her career is an indication that windows of greater opportunities have widely opened for Charice, paving her way to worldwide fame and stardom.
Above all,  her story is the realization of my long-held belief on the possibility of myth and reality to become intertwined. I nearly yielded to the notion that Cinderellas were only for the books but through Charice, I am now certain.. Fairy tales can actually happen in the real world!








Charice on Hot Seat in Billboard.com’s Live Q&A; Performed Impromptu at The Darby

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