Twenty years is not a short time for most of us not to know how Regine Velasquez belts out songs to the highest note or not to be familiar about her family or lovelife. So would there be still something new to see or hear from Regine?
There is. For the first time, Asia’s Songbird allows everyone to take a peek at her new abode via a birthday musical special titled The Best of Me, to air on April 27 on GMA 7’s Sunday Night Box-Office.
“Actually, a lot of people have been asking me to feature the house. I didn’t agree with the idea then because I wanted to keep a little bit of privacy but when I learned it’s hard to book the show in the hotel, I thought it would be best to do it in the house and at the same time giving in to the requests in my own show pa,” Regine says, who turns a year wiser today.
The musical special, directed by Louie Ignacio, was taped as live and took one whole day to finish with 300 people inside the house nestled in a 530-square meter lot located in an uppity subdivision in Capitol Hills, Quezon City.
“They (production crew) came early to set up the stage. I was still sleeping then but at around 10 a.m. I came down and was surprised to see a lot of people inside. Nagulat lang ako kasi I used to be alone but it’s okay. I even cooked for them,” Regine relates.
The poolside served as the main venue of the show with guests and audiences close to her heart. Jaya and her family, Mikee Cojuangco, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Michael V, Kuh Ledesma and daughter Isabella, Marian Rivera, direk Joyce Bernal were among her showbiz friends who came. Regine’s family, best friend Grace and Ogie Alcasid’s parents were present too.
Aside from the artistically-designed house where Regine moved in November last year, televiewers will also see and hear a different Regine with a repertoire of songs not identified with her. She personally picked all the songs she does not usually sing on stage during concerts or TV shows. Even the song Di Na Ayoko Na which she recorded way back in the ‘90s but wasn’t able to sing live is included in her repertoire.
“Since it’s my birthday, it would be nice for everyone to hear me sing my favorites and songs we (with Ogie) love to listen to,” Regine offers.
The Italian song Per Te from Josh Groban’s album and Falling Slowly from the movie Once are two of the songs Regine will render for the first time. The theme song of the first Pinoy animation Urduja is also included in the repertoire.
Sunday night viewing will also be as entertaining with Kyla and Jay-R joining in the musical special. Ogie Alcasid serenades the audience with a heart-tugging performance and duets with Regine in a number of musical pieces meaningful to them. Regine’s dad Gerry and mom Tessie will make special appearances.
Indeed, the musical special guarantees one night of good music which perfectly fits the title to a T.
“It doesn’t mean that I’m telling everyone about being the best, it’s just I still have more to offer that hopefully, worthy of your attention,” Regine says.
Starting May, Regine will be busy taping for the new projects GMA lined up for her. She will have a musical show titled Songbird Sings and is set to do the Pinoy version of the Koreanovela Kim Sam Soon with Mark Anthony Fernandez, Wendell Ramos and Dr. Hayden Kho.