Brian McKnight, Carrie Underwood and Leann Rimes at Grammy Music Preservation Project

Guess who is Brian McKnight's favorite Filipino singer... Read on.

Amee Enriquez/Asianjournal.com

LOS ANGELES - Seventeen-time Grammy nominee Brian McKnight is definite about who his favorite Filipino singer is. Grammy nominee and American Idol 5 winner Carrie Underwood was genuinely flattered when told about her Filipino fan base. Two-time Grammy winner LeAnn Rimes, who hit the charts big in the Philippines with "Can't Stop the Moonlight" from the movie "Coyote Ugly," said she might do an Asian tour. These were but a few things we learned during one-on-one interviews with the artists during the Grammy Foundation's 9th Annual Music Preservation Project at the Wilshire Ebell Theater last February 8.

Preserving music

"They're the reason we get to do what we do," Underwood told the Asian Journal, on the importance of "The Soul of Country," the Grammy Foundation's musical preservation project this year.

"It's important to keep the audio and video footage intact so future generations can look upon it because it is another form of history," she added.

Rimes said that the music preservation project is "incredibly important to preserve the music."

For his part, McKnight said that he always makes it a point to support the cause of the Grammy's because it's his way of giving back to the community. "You have to give back. You have to. It's so important because the people give so much to you that it's only right that you give it back."

On their Filipino fans

Carrie Underwood was every inch the American Idol and now major country star during the press interviews. When told of her fan base in the Filipino community, she looked genuinely pleased and said a sweet thank you to her fans.

"Thank you for supporting me and I hope you guys like our next album," said Underwood.

"How wonderful," LeAnn Rimes said in reaction to her music enjoying airplay in the Philippines. "Thank you so much for being fans for all of these years and supporting my music. Hopefully I'll be able to come over very soon and say hello and meet all of you in person."

Though Rimes has not done any concerts in Asia, she might visit soon as part of her comeback bid. "I know that we have been very much talking about going this year so I can't wait to go," she said.

The most familiar with the Filipino audience was R&B singer and songwriter Brian McKnight. Aside from his shows in the Philippines, McKnight has also done collaborations with the best Filipino singers like Martin Nievera, Regine Velasquez and Gary Valenciano.

"I love the Philippines. I love coming there. It's one of my favorite places to play because the Filipino people are so passionate about love songs and I sing love songs so it's great to come there," McKnight said, his pleasure evident.

"We're working on a tour now. We're going to Europe and Australia in March. We're doing the States 'til July. I think in the fall. Maybe with Regine (Velasquez) or Martin (Nievera). I know that Martin's going to be in Vegas for a year...Gary V. I'm definitely coming back to the Araneta (Coliseum)."

When asked who his favorite Filipino artist is, McKnight answers without skipping a beat. "My favorite's Regine. Regine must be one of the greatest singers that I've heard anywhere. She can hold her own next to anyone. I doubt that anybody would want to come behind her after she sings."

Aside from the three artists, there were others who showed up to support the event. These included Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard and Kenny Loggins, among others.

Posted by Mao on RVML

Regine Velasquez undergoes major medical operation

Regine is scheduled for operation to remove a polyp in her body on February 11.

Sasailalim sa isang operasyon ang Asia's Songbird na si Regine Velasquez sa February 11. Si Regine mismo ang nagbalita nito sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) noong re-launching ng SOP kahapon, February 4, sa GMA-7 compound.

Isang medical procedure ang gagawin kay Regine upang alisin ang polyp niya na posible raw na cause ng madalas niyang pagkakaroon ng migraine. (Ayon sa wikipedia, ang polyp ay "abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane." Karaniwan itong natatagpuan sa "colon, stomach, nose, urinary bladder, and uterus.")

Noon pa sanang October dapat nagpa-opera si Regine pero dahil naging busy siya sa kanyang showbiz and singing career, ngayong buwan lang isasagawa ang nabanggit na medical procedure.

Tiyempo kasing may mga commitments si Piolo Pascual na katambal ni Regine sa pelikulang Fallen ng Star Cinema at Viva Films, kaya habang wala siyang shooting, sinamantala ng Asia's Songbird na magpa-opera na.

Ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit walang Valentine show ngayon ang singer-actress. After her operation kasi, dalawang linggong pahinga ang kanyang kailangan. Hindi siya maaaring kumanta, hindi siya maaaring nakatayo nang matagal, at hindi rin maaaring maglakad.

Hindi naman tumor sa utak ang cause ng madalas na migraine ni Regine, pero kapag hindi raw inalis ang naturang polyp, malamang na mauwi ito sa kanser. Ito ang iniiwasan ni Regine kaya minabuti niya na magpa-opera na.

Ayon pa kay Regine, hindi bibiyakin o hihiwain ang anumang bahagi ng katawan niya dahil laser daw ang gagamitin na surgical procedure. Hindi man delikado ang operasyon na gagawin sa kanya, worried pa rin si Regine dahil never pa siyang naoperahan sa tanang buhay niya.

Libreng CD sa concert ni Regine

Abante Tonite


May bagyo nang ganapin ang Reigne & Shine concert ni Regine Velasquez noong Disyembre 1 sa Timog Ave., QC.

Ganu’npaman ay dinumog pa rin ito ng fans, lalo pa’t sinuportahan ang Songbird nina Ogie Alcasid, Allan K at Dennis Trillo.

May mga hindi nakapasok noong gabing iyon, kaya naman may repeat ang Reigne & Shine sa Disyembre 16 sa Zirkoh Greenhills.

500 kustomer lang ang mapagbibigyan dito. Ang manonood ay may libreng CD ng Till I Met You OST.

Para sa mga detalye, tumawag sa tel.# 722-34-32 (31) o mag-text sa cell# 0915-566-5664.

For Heart's Sake...A Night with the Stars

Regine reportedly agreed to do a guesting stint for the Children’s Heart Foundation Inc. and Phil. Heart Center Dept. of Pediatric-Cardiovascular Medicine in cooperation with PHC-Fellows and Resident Association charity project. The show is entitled "For Heart’s Sake ... A Night With the Stars" featuring Toni Gonzaga, Sheryn Regis, Jimmy Marquez, Rachel Ann Go, Frenchie Dy, Kris Lawrence and Erik Santos.

According to Dr. Juliet Balderas, the woman behind the project, their contact didn't have a hard time approaching the songbird for the charity project.

The benificiaries of this project will be the deprived and needy cardiovascular patients of the Phil. Heart Center Dept. of Pedia-Cardio Med.

The show is slated on December 4 at the Crossroads 77 in Mother Ignacia, Quezon City.

Regine, di malilimutan ang concert ni Barbra

BABYTALK Ni Salve V. Asis
Ang Pilipino STAR Ngayon 11/28/2006

Very unforgettable pala for Regine Velasquez ang panonood niya ng concert ng idol niyang si Barbra Streisand last November 20 sa Las Vegas.

"Fan na nga raw siya ni Barbra, fan pa siya ng mga nasa audience, kaya talagang panay ang kwento ni Regine tungkol sa kanyang experience," kwento ng isang friend ni Regine.

Kasamang nanood ng Asia’s songbird ang parents niya.

Nasa audience raw kasi sina Barry Manilow, Kurt Rusell, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rosie O’Donell, Shirley Maclaine among others na sikat.

Kwento pa raw ni Regine, ang galing pa ring mag-concert ni Barbra at meron daw itong isang number na tinanggal ang shoes at umupo sa stage.

Anyway, nag-story conference na sina Regine and Piolo Pascual para sa gagawin nilang movie na may tentative title na Fallen at malamang mag-start ang shooting sa December 5 under the direction of Joyce Bernal.

Reflections on TV

"Reflections" will be shown on the Kapuso Network on November 26, right after DaddyDiDoDu.

Robin, Regine, wagi sa FAMAS!

igma.tv

Dumaan man sa matinding kontrobersya, natuloy rin sa wakas ang 54th FAMAS Awards. Pero kung dati ay sa magagarang hotel o auditorium ang venue, ngayong taon ay simple lang ito: sa studio ng NBN 4 ginawa ang gabi ng parangal.

"We were aiming for the first week of December, pero mahirap na ang kumuha ng lugar, tsaka yung mga ibang requirements. Kaya, finally, we found this time and place," paliwanag ni Art Padua, ang presidente ng FAMAS..

Wagi ang ilang Kapuso stars, na pinangunahan ni Robin Padilla bilang bilang Best Actor para sa pelikulang La Visa Loca. Eddie Garcia ang tumanggap ng FPJ Memorial Award, habang si Regine Velasquez ang Golden Artist Awardee. Tumanggap naman sina Jennylyn Mercado at Mark Herras ng German Moreno Youth Achievement Award, habang sina BJ "Tolits"

Forbes ang itinanghal na Best Child Actor at si Ella Guevarra naman ang Best Child Actress.

Bukod sa mga awards na natanggap nila, nagpapasalamat rin sina Robin at Regine dahil five weeks nang showing ang pelikula nilang 'Til I Met You.

Golden Artist award for Regine

people's journal
[snip]

Padilla shared his victory with Till I Met You co-star Regine Velasquez who, in turn, received the Golden Artist special award.