Interview by Tinna S. Bonifacio
The Philippine music scene has many “divas”, but only one “Songbird”--and that is Regine Velasquez. Starting her career as winner of an amateur singing competition on television, Regina Encarnacion Velasquez used that as a springboard to a successful 20-year career in recording, concerts, the movies and television. One of the country's more prolific and talented performers, Regine has seen and done it all. But Regine isn't thinking of retiring yet. The Songbird is still looking for new places to fly to, and she's taking us all along on her journey.
You've had one of the longest-running and most successful careers in local music. When you look back on your early years, what comes to mind?
It's been 20 years. Looking back now, I can't believe I lasted two decades. What's even more mind-boggling sometimes is that after all this time, I'm still doing good. My songs are still being played on the radio. It's an accomplishment, and I feel very blessed and very lucky.
How have you managed to keep your career going for so long?
It's because I wasn't afraid to experiment. For instance, I got into the movies and TV, and that prolonged my career. TV, especially, is a very intimate medium. When people watch you on TV, feeling nila, friend ka nila. It makes you more accessible to your audience, and as far as my career was concerned, it was a good thing.
Who were your strongest career influences?
Musically, siguro sina Kuh, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Kuh, because when I started, she was already a big star. I had her album, the one with the song Ako Ay Pilipino, and I'd sing everything! Instantly, I became a fan. The nice thing about Kuh is that she's not selfish about helping other artists. She even produced one of my first concerts, which made her my mentor, in a way.
Si Barbra naman, of all the artists that I grew up listening to, she's the one who influenced me the most. Up to now, I still sing her songs. I love her style of singing. Aside from that, she's versatile—not only is she a singer; she also became an actress and a director. Hindi sinasadya, ganoon din ako. I also became an actress and a [concert] director. Also, like me, she started in Brooklyn. Small-town girl din siya. Barbra also loves experimenting with her look, another thing that I enjoy doing.
About Whitney, what attracted me to her was her beautiful voice. Her selection of songs was very pop. Her singing style was very different from Streisand, which made her unique among other artists. She did ballads, pero may touch of R & B, which made her sound different.
Mariah sounded a bit like Whitney, but she was so much more. She even writes her own songs. Mariah reminds me so much of me when I was starting out. Awkward pero cute. (Laughs).
And of course, there's my first manager, Ronnie Henares. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. Marami siyang naibigay sa akin, both as a performer and as a person.
So why did you cut your ties with Ronnie?
I was starting to feel pressured by work. I wanted to work at my own pace. I wanted to teach myself to be more responsible as an artist and as a person. But it wasn't easy. When I left [Ronnie], I had a hard time, because people who wanted to book me didn't know who to talk to. It took a lot of adjusting.
After having been in the business for 20 years, you've accomplished a lot. But you're still so driven. Why is that?
Nag-iipon ako for myself. I still have a lot of things I want to do, like finish school. I also still want to build my dream house.
Have you thought about what you'd like to do when the time comes for you to retire from showbusiness?
When I retire, I'll still be in the business, but maybe behind the scenes. Right now though, I'm not thinking of retiring yet—sayang kasi ang mga opportunities. Maybe in another two years, I'll start thinking about it.
When do you think you'll get married?
I don't know. Right now, I'm too focused on my career to think about marriage. I don't want to look back on my career later and say, “Why didn't I do that?” I'm not the type of person who wants to have regrets. I chose this path. This is what I've always wanted to do.
What is the secret of your success?
From the beginning, I knew that this--singing--was what I wanted to do, and I focused on that, especially for the first few years, when I was still trying to build my name in the industry. Aside from knowing what I wanted to do, I wasn't afraid to experiment, to try new things. That's why I got into TV and the movies. But my manager Ronnie Henares made me concentrate as a singer first, and it was after that that he started to branch out. But I was first and foremost a singer. It helped that I knew what I was, and what I was there for..
What advice can you give to young people who might want to follow in your footsteps?
I was very young when I started. At the time, I followed everything that people told me. It got to the point where I was already becoming pressured because of work. Nahihiya akong mag-"no" sa mga tao, especially to my directors. That's something I had to learn, to realize my limitations. That's why I later learned how to manage myself. Gusto kong turuan ang sarili ko how to be more responsible for myself as an artist and as a person.
Of course, as far as the singing is concerned, it's important to practice, practice, practice. Also, have a clear goal and idea of where you're going and what your career plans are.
Most important of all, especially for young people, it's important to finish your studies. You can be the best singer in the business, but it's important to have more than just talent. Ako, hindi ako nakapagtapos [ng pag-aaral], at hanggang ngayon, that's a big source of my insecurities. If there's one thing I could have done, that would be it. Never neglect your education.
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