Taking Las Vegas by storm

On my recent trip to the US for the ABS-CBN Kapamilya Caravan, I came across the May 2005 issue of Showbiz Weekly, with our very own – Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha – on the cover, and I was proud. I wanted to show the magazine to everyone at the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco that the woman on the cover was my friend, Lani. I wanted to scream at all the gigantic crabs that abound at the Wharf that finally a Filipino is making her way into mainstream American entertainment in Las Vegas. I stopped myself – afraid I would be mistaken for a homeless prankster, one of the many who play tricks in the many corners of San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf.

Lani, inarguably one of the most brilliant artists of her generation, has accomplished so much here and abroad. When showbiz cynics predicted that she will never make it big in showbiz, that she wasn’t as young and important as other newcomers in the music scene and married at that, Lani Misalucha prevailed. Her immense talent was her ticket to fame – and the industry welcomed her with open arms.

But many were stunned and saddened when Lani, at the peak of her career, decided to give up everything and moved with her family to the US. I remember her telling me that her stint in show business was on "borrowed time." She confided that her husband, Noli Misalucha, had a good offer for a coveted position in a computer company in Silicon Valley but, since her career was starting to pick up, they decided to stay put and wait awhile.

"My husband knows that I really wanted to sing so he allowed me to pursue a singing career. But, as with other couples, I made a compromise with him that if and when the time comes, I will give up everything to be with my family. You see, my family is my number one priority. My children’s future is of utmost importance to me. And if they will have a better life somewhere else, so be it."

So Lani packed her fabulous gowns and shoes and bade showbiz goodbye. But lo and behold, who do we see singing in Vegas than our very own nightingale, fabulous as ever? She has hooked up with Hawaii’s premier showband Society of Seven in a series of exclusive performances at Bally’s. Yes, Lani Misalucha is back and is taking Vegas by storm with her spectacular performances.

I am printing parts of the story on Lani which came out in Showbiz Weekly. Read on.

"In the feast of delights, that tempt the palette for good entertainment in Las Vegas, Lani Misalucha is certainly the cream of the crop. Along with the Society of Seven, a powerhouse cast of talent that has performed for years around the world, Lani brings audiences to their feet, showering her repeatedly with standing ovations.

A very versatile artist, Lani can deliver a torch song with such heartache, then seamlessly glides into a powerful aria with ease and grace. She even turns to the comedic side with spoofs of Britney Spears, Shania Twain and even Celine Dion."

Bravo, Lani!

Fe de los Reyes’ career in the US

Another Pinay making waves in the Land of Milk and Honey is Fe de los Reyes. A well-rounded entertainer, Fe started her professional career in 1979 as a member of Music and Magic, then the Philippines’ premier showband, credited with highly-successful performances in Manila, the Asian circuit and North American cities. The group, however, disbanded in 1986 when Fe and the rest of the band decided to launch solo careers.

From the outset, Fe’s career stood out as exceptional and exciting. Hers was a total act combining stand-up comedy with singing and dancing, a genre known as "comedy cabaret" made famous by the proponents of this art form – Carol Burnett, Bette Midler and Lily Tomllin, to name a few. From this influence, Fe infused her Pinoy brand of humor to claim a style uniquely her own.

In 1993, Fe left a flourishing showbiz career in Manila to settle personal and professional matters.

"I was starting to feel an emptiness in my life. As if there was something missing which I could not really point out. Maybe I just needed time to find myself," she reveals. So off she went to the US to find a long-lost sister, to start her own family and pursue her dream of making it in America.

Today, Fe is happy and proud to say she’s found all three. She has reunited with her sibling and has her own family. In addition to a successful career as concert performer, Fe is also an accredited realtor in California, with an impressive track record of commercial and residential real estate transactions.

A few months from now, Fe will be headlining Amerikana: Made in the Philippines, a musical comedy which tackles the extraordinary tale of the everyday Filipina caught in a bizarre set of extraordinary circumstances. She will be joined by brothers Leandro and Carlo Muñoz.

Dubbed as a comedy with a soul, Amerikana’s acts are forged from the stories of thousands of Filipinos wanting a piece of the American Dream. Supporting its stellar performing cast is an equally-impressive creative production team. Amerikana’s music and libretto are crafted by the award-winning songwriting team of Odette Quesada and Bodjie Dasig. The equally accomplished Jet Montelibano directs.

As of this writing, Amerikana is booked at the following venues: Sept. 30 at the Alex Theater in Glendale, Los Angeles and Oct. 2 at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco.

Congratulations to you, too, Fe!