Chadleen finds her voice

MANILA, Philippines - A little girl from Mandaue, Cebu was born with an incredible gift of music but also with a birth defect — a cleft palate. It seemed like one of life’s oxymorons; she could sing but she couldn’t. She struggled to speak and endured bullying in school. Her childhood was far from being a fairytale, but she held on to her dreams and fervently prayed for a miracle.

Chadleen Lacdo-o, now 21 years old, witnessed her miracle unfold during the recent launch of her debut album, titled Sana Ikaw Na Nga, under 12 Stone Records, at The Café in Hyatt City of Dreams Manila.

“I still can’t believe this is happening,” said a very emotional Chadleen who looked back on the sad days of her early life.

One day in kindergarten, young Chadleen volunteered to sing in front of the class and gave her best. But instead of applause and praises, her special number garnered surly laughs and insults from her peers.

The turning point came, however, when she was four. Operation Smile — an international medical charity that has been giving free surgical procedures for kids and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities since 1982 — came to Cebu and became Chadleen’s fairy godmother.

“She was a child of destiny; I remember her being the last patient on that day. She almost didn’t make it,” shared Bobby Manzano, president and executive director of Operation Smile Philippines, who was gladly present at the event.

Like a songbird she was meant to become, Chadleen just kept on soaring ever since the successful operation. She ended up as a monthly finalist on ABS-CBN’s Little Big Star. In 2013, she belted her way to the top and brought home the grand prize on TV5’s Kanta Pilipinas, which had composer Ryan Cayabyab and singers Lani Misalucha and Rico Blanco as judges. Chadleen had also written and performed theme songs for Wattpad Presents.

To help push the organization’s noble mission to the fore, Chadleen has been collaborating with Operation Smile since 2007, using her speaking and singing voice to entertain and inspire children and donors alike around the world.

“She’s the most credible ambassador we have, not only because of her huge talent, but also because she used to be one of our patients,” Manzano added.

Chadleen — who wrote the album’s carrier single Sana Ikaw Na Nga and revealed that she was very much involved with the whole production process — has already shared the stage with Martin Nievera, Charice Pempengco, David Pomeranz and popular American rock band Neon Trees in various events in New York, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Washington, D.C., Australia, China and Vietnam. She was also chosen to sing the Philippine National Anthem at the boxing match between AJ Banal and Rafael Concepcion of Panama.

The album has seven tracks, three of which are originals, that showcase Chadleen’s versatility as a vocalist — yes, she can go soft, indie and angelic to full diva mode in a change of a key. In fact, her version of Himala (Miracle) was well-lauded by the composer of the song himself, Pinoy rock royalty Rico Blanco.

When asked what advice will she give to kids who are in a situation she was once in, Chadleen smiled and uttered words that would surely resonate with many — “Be patient, pray for God’s guidance and focus.”

(Part of the album’s proceeds will go to Operation Smile.)