Charice: After David Foster what?

MANILA, Philippines - When the Hitman returns on Oct. 25 at the Araneta Coliseum, David Foster promises to make it another great night of music. To this day, he told The STAR in a phone interview, he replays on his mind the “fantastic audience” and the very warm reception the Filipinos accorded his show David Foster and Friends (DFF) last year.

The David Foster and Friends in October will be topbilled by Michael Bolton, Philip Bailey (of Earth Wind and Fire), Russel Watson, Ashanti and, of course, Charice.

“I want the people to have a great time again. It’s going to be a great night of music,” Foster told The STAR on the phone.

He also intimated that Charice will definitely shine in this concert. “Well, I expect her to rip it off. It’s going to be her last time to be in David Foster and Friends,” Foster said.

“Charice wants to work full time with her career. She’s touring the world. She’s got Glee,” said Foster.

Foster did not elaborate whether or not Charice will still be part of the Season 3 of Glee. Talk is rife, however, that Sunshine Corazon’s character will still be part of the next season of the famed musical TV show.

“Remember that Charice is not a child anymore. She’s got wings. She’s got to fly,” he reasoned. 

Foster added that he is thankful to Charice because “she helps me so much in interpreting Celine Dion songs.”

When Foster first heard Charice sing, he already knew he was listening to a star. “Right away I saw the star in Charice the first time I heard her. It was undeniable. She is a laser-beam talent.”

The day The STAR talked to Foster, the singer/composer/top US record producer just had his echocardiogram, where a Filipino nurse of his Indian doctor approached him to give her gratitude for the opportunity Foster gave Charice. “It was a touching moment. But I told her, ‘It’s all Charice’s doing because she has the talent.’ She’s the talent not me.”

Every day, Foster revealed, somebody will approach him wherever he is to thank him for his role in the life of Charice.

“I know the Philippines is proud of her. In fact, the whole of Asia is proud of her because she is the first Asian artist to break it to the US Top 10 music scene,” Foster said.

At the upcoming David Foster and Friends, the Hitman said each performing artist will sing two to three of Foster’s original songs and one to two of the artist’s own songs.

Foster is also thinking of doing a duet with either Ashanti or Charice to sing The Best of Me, which he originally sang with Olivia Newton John. He even sang on the phone a line from the song When a Man Loves a Woman, which he intimated would be sung at the October David Foster and Friends concert.

“I hate my voice,” said Foster, who originally wanted to become a jazz musician. He, however, said Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand and Andrea Bocelli want to sing duets with him.

Foster also said he is always on the lookout for talents that he can “take back home.” He said he launched a website called borntosingasia.com where contestants can submit their videos not longer than four minutes. He said he will choose two winners each from different Asian cities like Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Foster said he’s now busy producing Michael Bublé’s 2011 Christmas album. “After 38 years in the industry, I just want to know that I’m still relevant enough,” said Foster whose personal mantra is “Good is the enemy of great.”

He added, “I don’t have any more mountains to climb,” when asked what else he wanted to accomplish in his musical career. “But I simply just don’t want to stop.”