"We were very poor but we were happy. My parents made sure that we ate on time and that was enough for me. [My father] had scoliosis and he was working at a construction site; he wasn't earning enough. My mom was good with money. She was able to stretch whatever little money we had."
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez[2] was born on April 22, 1970, inTondo, Manila,[3] to Teresita (née Ansong)[4] and Gerardo Velasquez.[5] She has three sisters—Cacai, Diane, and Deca—and a brother, Jojo.[6] Her family moved toHinundayan, Southern Leyte, where Velasquez spent the early years of her life.[7] At age three, Velasquez became interested in music after listening to her father's lullabies.[8] She would listen to her mother play guitar and piano while her father sang,[8] and citedSharon Cuneta's "Mr. DJ" as one of the first songs she learned.[9]
Velasquez started singing at age six;[8] she underwent intensive vocal training with her father, who immersed her neck-deep in the sea and had her go throughvocal runs.[10][11] She credits this unorthodox method for strengthening hercore andstomach muscles, and developing herlung capacity.[12] Velasquez placed third in her first singing competition onBetty Mendez Livioco'sThe Tita Betty's Children Show.[13]
When Velasquez was nine, her family moved toBalagtas, Bulacan, where she attended St. Lawrence Academy and competed for her school at the annual Bulacan Private Schools Association singing competition.[3] In 1984, at fourteen, Velasquez auditioned for theRPN's reality television seriesAng Bagong Kampeon.[3] She qualified and became the show's senior division winner, defending her spot for eight consecutive weeks.[3] Velasquez won the competition and was signed to arecord deal withOctoArts International.[3]
In 1986, Velasquez initially used the stage name Chona and released the single "Love Me Again",[3] which failed commercially.[14] At the recommendation of another OctoArts recording artist,Pops Fernandez, she appeared onThe Penthouse Live![14] While rehearsing for the show, Velasquez caught the attention ofRonnie Henares, a producer and talent manager who signed her to a management deal.[14][15] Velasquez adopted the stage name Regine at the suggestion ofMartin Nievera, Fernandez's husband andThe Penthouse Live! co-host.[3][14]
Velasquez signed withViva Records and released her debut albumRegine in 1987.[16] Henares served as an executive producer and worked with songwritersJoaquin Francisco Sanchez andVehnee Saturno.[17] Three singles were released in 1987: "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang", " Urong Sulong", and "Isang Lahi".[3] During this period, Velasquez appeared on theABS-CBN television showsTriple Treat andTeen Pan Alley.[18] Two years afterRegine's release, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong and won, performing the songs "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musicalCarousel and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musicalDreamgirls.[3]
Velasquez released her second studio album,Nineteen 90, in 1990.[14] She worked withLouie Ocampo on the album's lead single "Narito Ako",[19] which was originally recorded and performed by Maricris Bermont and written by Nonong Pedero for the 1978Metro Manila Popular Music Festival.[20] Later that year, she headlined her first major concert at theFolk Arts Theater.[21][22] She recorded "Please Be Careful with My Heart" withJose Mari Chan, who released the track on his albumConstant Change;[23] she also sang backing vocals onGary Valenciano's "Each Passing Night", which appears on his albumFaces of Love.[24][25]
In 1991, Velasquez made her North American concert debut atCarnegie Hall inNew York City,[26] a first for an Asian solo artist.[27] British theatrical producerCameron Mackintosh later invited Velasquez to audition for theWest End production of the musicalMiss Saigon.[28] She received a letter from the production offering to train her inLondon, which she declined: partly due to her lack of experience in musical theater, and also because she wished to remain with her family.[28]
PolyGram Far East announced a joint-venture licensing deal in the Philippines in July 1993 with the formation of its subsidiaryPolyCosmic Records.[33] Velasquez recorded a duet titled "It's Hard to Say Goodbye" with Canadian singerPaul Anka, which became the new label's first release.[33][34] The single was later included on her fourth studio albumReason Enough.[34] David Gonzales ofAllMusic described the album as "more attuned to international ears" and said Velasquez's vocals are "thin and unimpressive".[34] One of its singles, "Sana Maulit Muli", won the Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in 1994.[35]
1994–1998:Listen Without Prejudice andMy Love Emotion
Velasquez released her fifth studio albumListen Without Prejudice in 1994.[36] She worked with songwriters, includingGlenn Medeiros,Trina Belamide, andJohn Laudon.[37] The album was released in several countries in Southeast and East Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.[36][38] The album's lead single "In Love with You" features Cantonese singerJacky Cheung.[38] Gonzales commended the record's themes and said, "Cheung's presence on the duet had much to do with the overseas success".[36] The album had sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide, including 100,000 in the Philippines,[38] making it Velasquez's best-selling album to date.[27]
Velasquez's sixth studio albumMy Love Emotion was released in 1995.[39] The title track, which was written bySouthern Sons vocalist Phil Buckle,[39][40] was described by Gonzales as a "triumph [and] an outstanding vehicle, containing a strong melody andhook in the chorus".[39] The album made a combined regional and domestic sales of 250,000 copies.[38]
For her seventh studio albumRetro (1996), Velasquez recorded cover versions of popular music of the 1970's and 1980's from artists includingDonna Summer,Foreigner, andthe Carpenters.[41] The album's only original track, "Fly", is credited toEarth, Wind & Fire membersMaurice White,Al McKay, andAllee Willis, because the song interpolates the melody of their single "September".[42] Velasquez left PolyCosmic in 1998, and signed a six-album contract with the MJF Company.[43][44] That year, her ninth studio albumDrawn was released.[44] MJF headMark J. Feist wrote and produced most of the tracks, including the lead single "How Could You Leave".[44][45]Drawn sold more than 40,000 copies and was awarded a platinum certification within two weeks of its release.[46][a]
Velasquez produced most of her next albumR2K,[47] which was released on November 27, 1999.[48] She recorded remakes ofJeffrey Osborne's "On the Wings of Love",Dionne Warwick's "I'll Never Love This Way Again",Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing", andABBA's "Dancing Queen", among others.[47] Gonzales criticized the record's "infatuation with Western popular music" and called Velasquez's singing "self-assured [but] also unimpressive".[49] Commercially,R2K sold more than 40,000 copies in its second week of release, earning a platinum certification,[48][a] and was certified four times platinum a year later.[50]R2K has since been certified twelve times platinum,[51] becoming the highest-selling album by a female artist in the Philippines.[52][53] On December 31, 1999, Velasquez was a featured musical act in2000 Today,[51] aBBCmillennium television special that attracted a worldwide audience of more than 800 million viewers with its core program broadcast across the world's time zones,[54] which began withKiribati Line Islands and ended inAmerican Samoa.[55][56]
Velasquez headlined and directed theR2K Concert at theAraneta Coliseum in April 2000,[57] which won her Best Female Major Concert Act at the 13th Aliw Awards.[58]Ricky Lo fromThe Philippine Star was generally impressed with the production and complimented Velasquez's "boundless energy and creativity".[57] She also performed a concert at the Westin Philippine Plaza that year, which spawned the release of her first live albumRegine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics in December 2000.[59][60] Although it was criticized for its audio mixing,[60] the album was certified six times platinum.[61][a] Velasquez worked with Filipino songwriters for material on her eleventh studio albumReigne.[62] The album and its lead single "To Reach You" were released in December 2001.[63][64] Other singles wereTats Faustino's "Dadalhin" andJanno Gibbs' "Sa Aking Pag-iisa".[65] Gonzales called the album "an adventurous set" and praised the quality of the songwriting.[62]
In February 2004, Velasquez andOgie Alcasid co-headlined a concert, The Songbird & The Songwriter, at the Araneta Coliseum,[75] and they embarked on a North American tour that April.[76] At the 17th Aliw Awards, she won Best Female Performance in a Concert and was nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the collaboration.[77] Velasquez hosted the reality talent showPinoy Pop Superstar, which began airing onGMA Network that July.[78] In October 2004, she released "Forevermore", the lead single from her twelfth studio albumCovers Volume 1.[79][80] Its songs were originally recorded by Filipino male artists, and it was her most expensive cover album to produce due in part to the cost of securinglicensing rights for songs by local songwriters,[79][80] includingAriel Rivera's "Minsan Lang Kita Iibigan",Basil Valdez's "Say That You Love Me", andNonoy Zuñiga's "Araw-Gabi".[79][81] The album has since been certified six times Platinum.[61][a]
Later in November and December 2005, Velasquez had an eight-day concert residency namedReflections at theAliw Theater.[1] The sequel albumCovers Volume 2 was released in February 2006.[82] Unlike its predecessor, it contains songs by foreign artists, includingAlanis Morissette's "Head Over Feet",Blondie's "Call Me", andElvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes".[83]Manila Bulletin's Jojo Panaligan was generally impressed with Velasquez's "versatility" and the album tracks' "jazzy and blues-y interpretation".[82] In October 2006, she performed a concert titledTwenty at the Araneta Coliseum, which won her Best Female Major Concert Act and Entertainer of the Year award at the 20th Aliw Awards.[84][85] In 2007, she became co-host of the reality television showCelebrity Duets, an interactive music competition based on theeponymous original US show.[86]
Velasquez developed other television projects in 2008. She appeared inSongbird, a weekly late-night musical television show that featured performances by musical guests.[87] She also featured in the musical television specialThe Best of Me, which was filmed at her residence inQuezon City.[88][89] Velasquez signed a deal withUniversal Records and released an album titledLow Key in December 2008.[90][91] The album consists of cover versions of international songs that she described as "more relaxed, laid-back and restrained".[90] It includes tracks such asBilly Joel's "She's Always a Woman",Dan Fogelberg's "Leader of the Band", andJanis Ian's "At Seventeen".[92] ThePhilippine Daily Inquirer praised the album's maturity and wrote, "[Velasquez] no longer shrieks and shouts as much as she used to".[93] The album sold more than 25,000 copies within two months of its release and was certified platinum.[94][a] In May 2009, she appeared on the television documentaryRoots to Riches, which chronicles her personal and professional struggles, and includes musical performances filmed in her hometown ofMalolos, Bulacan.[95] Later that month, she hosted the television talent showAre You the Next Big Star?.[96]
Velasquez's next album, adouble CD set calledFantasy, was released in December 2010.[97][98] The first disc is composed ofOriginal Pilipino Music (OPM) recordings and the second includes covers of international singles such asMadonna's "Papa Don't Preach",Toronto's "What About Love", and theEagles' "Love Will Keep Us Alive".[97][99] ThePhilippine Daily Inquirer called the album "vocally sumptuous" and was generally impressed with Velasquez's vocals and range.[97]Fantasy received a platinum certification[a] and earned three nominations at the 3rd Star Awards for Music.[98][100] After receiving theMagna Award at theMyx Music Awards 2011,[101] and the confirmation of her pregnancy, Velasquez took a hiatus from public engagements.[102] She returned to television on October 6, 2012, withSarap Diva, a weekly lifestyle talk show.[103] On November 16, Velasquez performed a concert titledSilver at theMall of Asia Arena, which was cut short after she lost her voice due to a viral infection.[104][105]
After Silver's cancellation, Velasquez restaged the concert on January 5, 2013.[106][107] The concert received generally favorable reviews;Manila Bulletin's Jojo Panaligan called it a "redemption of reputation",[108] while Dolly Anne Carvajal of thePhilippine Daily Inquirer said Velasquez did not fail to make up for the initial cancellation of the show.[109] The following month, she co-headlined in Foursome alongside Alcasid, Fernandez, and Nievera.[110] For both shows, Velasquez received four nominations at the 5th Star Awards for Music,[111] winning Best Female Major Concert Act for Silver and Concert of the Year for Foursome.[112]
In November 2013, Velasquez's albumHulog Ka ng Langit was released;[113] it received a platinum certification for two-week sales of 15,000 copies.[114][a] She won Best Inspirational Record for "Nathaniel (Gift of God)" and Best Christmas Recording for "Hele ni Inay" at the 27th Awit Awards,[115] whileHulog Ka Ng Langit won Album Cover of the Year at the 6th Star Awards for Music.[116] In 2014, she worked with Nievera in a one-night show titled Voices of Love,[117] withGloc-9 on "Takipsilim",[118] and withVice Ganda on "Push Mo Yan Teh!".[119]
In February 2015, Velasquez appeared alongside Nievera, Valenciano, andLani Misalucha in a concert titled Ultimate at the Mall of Asia Arena.[120] She received accolades at the 47th Box Office Entertainment Awards,[121] 7th Star Awards for Music,[122] and 5th Edukcircle Awards for the production.[123] In the same year, Velasquez served as a judge on thesixth season of the reality talent television showStarStruck.[124] In November 2015, Velasquez headlined a four-date concert residency calledRegine at the Theater, which featured songs from musicals.[125][126]
For the third consecutive year, Velasquez appeared in a co-headlining concert at the Mall of Asia Arena in February 2016.[127] The two-night show, Royals, reunited her with Nievera and also featuresAngeline Quinto andErik Santos.[128] Due to the concert's positive critical reception,[129] Velasquez won Best Female Concert Performer at the 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards and Most Influential Concert Performer of the Year at the 6th Edukcircle Awards.[130][131] In December 2016,People Asia magazine included Velasquez on its annual People of the Year list.[132]
Velasquez hostedFull House Tonight,[133] which ran from February to May 2017.[134] The following month, she announced that she had returned to Viva Records and that she had begun production of a new studio album calledR3.0.[135] In August 2017, a cover ofUp Dharma Down's 2010 song "Tadhana" was released as apromotional single.[136] An original track called "Hugot" was released as the album's lead single the following month.[137] In November she headlined theR3.0 Concert at the Mall of Asia Arena, and two months later, with Alcasid, she played a four-date U.S. concert tour titled Mr. and Mrs. A.[138][139]
Velasquez hosted thefirst season of the television talent showThe Clash, which premiered on July 7, 2018.[140] In October, she signed a network deal with ABS-CBN; her subsequent projects included serving as a judge on theIdol franchise seriesIdol Philippines, and hosting the musical variety showASAP Natin 'To.[18] In partnership with the network, Velasquez staged a three-date concert series, titledRegine at the Movies, at theNew Frontier Theater, which opened on November 17, 2018,[141] to critical appraisal centering on Velasquez's vocals.[142][143]
Sharon Cuneta and Velasquez co-headlined a concert,Iconic, at the Araneta Coliseum in October 2019.[144] For the show, she received the awards for Best Collaboration in a Concert and Entertainer of the Year at the 32nd Aliw Awards, becoming one of the few performers to win the latter honor thrice.[145] Velasquez andMoira Dela Torre released a single together, "Unbreakable", for the soundtrack of thefilm of the same name.[146] She also contributed to the soundtracks of thespy-action thriller seriesThe General's Daughter (2019) and the drama seriesLove Thy Woman (2020).[147][148] Having signed with BYS Cosmetics, Velasquez became the Australian beauty brand's ambassador. She released the promotional single, "I Am Beautiful", for their print media advertising campaign.[149][150] In February 2020, Velasquez worked withSarah Geronimo on a joint concert titledUnified.[151]
Amidst theCOVID-19 pandemic, Velasquez organizedvirtualbenefit concerts in support of relief efforts. She curated One Night with Regine on April 25, 2020, to benefit the Bantay Bata Foundation's COVID-19 response fund; the special raised₱4.2million (US$77,000).[152][153] That June, she worked withJollibee Foods Corporation and appeared in Joy From Home, which raised money in support of the brand's food aid program.[154] In collaboration with Alcasid, Velasquez joined forces withPLDT, Inc. for its No Learner Left Behind fundraiser. The initiative raised more than₱1million (US$20,000) to help provide reliable internet access anddistance learning tools to students in rural areas and from disadvantaged families.[155]
Freedom was Velasquez's firstlivestream concert outside her benefit show ventures. Performed on February 28, 2021, at theABS-CBN Studios, it was broadcast via four live streaming platforms.[156][157] Velasquez said she crafted the virtual show because of her desire to perform material from a variety ofmusic genres and step out of her comfort zone.[158] Ticket sales grossed more than₱1million (US$20,000) within twelve hours after they were made available for purchase. Additional VIP tickets were sold because of high demand.[159] Critics commended Freedom's intimate production and Velasquez's vocal performances.[160][161] She featured onDavey Langit's single "Ipinagpanata Kita", released in August 2021.[162] That year, she recorded the soundtrack themes for the drama seriesLa Vida Lena and the action seriesAng Probinsyano.[163][164] At the 35th Awit Awards, Velasquez won Best Song Written for Movie/TV/Stage Play for her work on the latter.[165]
Velasquez spent much of 2022 working on television projects. She returned as a judge for thesecond season ofIdol Philippines, which premiered on June 25, 2022.[166] In August, she joined themorning talk showMagandang Buhay as its host, replacingKarla Estrada.[167] She then appeared as a guest judge on thefirst season ofDrag Race Philippines, a spin-off ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[168] At the 13th Star Awards for Music, Velasquez won Concert of the Year and was named Female Concert Performer of the Year for her work on Unified.[169] Following its initial cancellation, Velasquez and Cuneta embarked on a U.S. concert series for Iconic, which commenced on July 9, 2022.[170][171]
After a two-year hiatus from headlining a live event, Velasquez staged a four-date concert residency, entitledSolo, at theSamsung Performing Arts Theater from February 17–25, 2023.[172][173] Featuring songs she has never performed before, Velasquez experimented withdisco,funk, andchill-out music styles on it. Reviewers praised Velasquez's mature artistry and vocals.[174][175] Two extra dates in April were added to the itinerary after the show concluded its initial run.[176] She then reunited with Cuneta on a second U.S. leg of the Iconic tour in March.[177] On October 13, 2023, Velasquez released a cover ofRoxette's "It Must Have Been Love", the lead single from her upcoming studio album,Reginified, which would feature remakes of songs she performed in previous concerts and televised appearances.[178][179] At the Mall of Asia Arena in November 2023, she headlinedRegine Rocks, a themed concert exploringrock music and itssubgenres.[180] It was followed by a three-date U.S. leg in February,[181][182] and a re-staging in April.[183]
Velasquez made her film debut with a minor role in the 1988 comedy filmThe Untouchable Family.[184] Its soundtrack includes her single "Urong Sulong".[185] She continued to appear in a series of supporting roles in comedies, includingPik Pak Boom (1988) andElvis and James 2 (1990).[142][185] In 1995, she worked with composer Ryan Cayabyab on the musical theater version ofJosé Rizal'sNoli Me Tángere, where she played the female lead,María Clara.[186]Vic del Rosario, head ofViva Entertainment's film production arm, saw Velasquez in one of her performances and offered her a starring role in a film,[142][186] playing a music teacher in the romantic comedyWanted: Perfect Mother (1996) oppositeChristopher de Leon.[135][187] Martin Nievera and Louie Ocampo wrote "You Are My Song" for the film's soundtrack,[135][188] for which she won Best Movie Theme Song and Best Ballad Recording at the Awit Awards.[35] Later in 1996, she starred alongsideDonna Cruz andMikee Cojuangco in the musical comedyDo Re Mi.[187][189] Velasquez continued to play leading roles in romantic comedies, appearing inHoney Nasa Langit Na Ba Ako? (1998) with Janno Gibbs andDahil May Isang Ikaw (1999) withAga Muhlach.[187] In 2000, she was a guest performer in an episode of the anthology drama seriesHabang May Buhay, playingPiolo Pascual's cancer-stricken love interest.[187]
A key point in Velasquez's film career came when she was cast inJoyce Bernal'sKailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000) oppositeRobin Padilla.[58] The film critic Noel Vera dismissed its plot as the "nth variation ofRoman Holiday", but credited Velasquez for showcasing "her own public persona and charisma and sense of humor" to her character.[190] Her next film release was the romantic comedyPangako Ikaw Lang (2001), which reunited her with Bernal and Muhlach. She portrayed a florist who meets a patient (played by Muhlach) at the hospital where her father was admitted. A writer forThe Philippine Star considered the pair's "unmistakable chemistry" to be the film's prime asset,[191] while Vera was impressed with its direction and writing, and described Velasquez's performance as "sunny good nature [with a] light comic touch".[192]Pangako Ikaw Lang was a commercial success, becoming the highest-grossing Filipino film of 2001.[51][193] Velasquez was subsequently namedBox Office Queen at the Box Office Entertainment Awards.[193]
Also in 2001, Velasquez appeared in an episode of the anthology seriesMaalaala Mo Kaya,[194] playing an intellectually disabled woman.[195] It was the most-watched andhighest-rated of the program, with a reported 47.9 percent viewership.[196] For her portrayal, she won theStar Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress.[197] TheYam Laranas-directed romantic dramaIkaw Lamang Hanggang Ngayon (2002), oppositeRichard Gomez, saw her play a mundane and undesirable mail sorter. Writing forThe Philippine Star, Butch Francisco deemed the film to be vacuous and awkward overall, but thought it had "moments of fun, entertainment and romance".[198] She next took on the role of a woman who falls in love with a widowed man (played by De Leon) in the dramaPangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka.[187][199] The film premiered at the2003 Manila Film Festival to polarized reception from critics; Isah Red of theManila Standard criticized the film's visuals and lack of narrative coherence.[199][200] Terming the film formulaic, Francisco believed that Velasquez was brilliant in "dramatic moments", in a performance he described as a "crowd pleaser", though he found her comedic delivery superfluous.[201] That year, Velasquez starred alongsideBong Revilla in the superhero filmCaptain Barbell.[202]
Although Velasquez did not make any film appearances in 2004, she made her prime time television debut in the drama seriesForever in My Heart, in which she played a wedding planner caught in alove triangle with Gomez's and Ariel Rivera's characters.[187] She next starred in romantic dramas, reuniting with Padilla inTill I Met You (2006) and with Pascual inPaano Kita Iibigin (2007);[203][204] the latter earned her FAMAS and Luna Award nominations for Best Actress.[205][206] In 2008, she played the titular character in the comedy series remakeAko si Kim Samsoon, based on theoriginal South Korean television show. The show featured her as a chef hired by a restaurant owner (played byMark Anthony Fernandez) to pretend to be his lover as a ruse for his overbearing mother.[207]The Philippine Star's Arnel Ramos praised her pairing with Fernandez, commending their "crackling rapport that will no doubt send viewers in a romantic frenzy".[208] In the same year, she provided her voice to the eponymous heroine in the animated filmUrduja.[209]
Velasquez made cameo appearances in three comedies of 2009—Kimmy Dora,OMG (Oh, My Girl!), andYaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie.[210][211] She initially turned down an offer to star in the drama seriesTotoy Bato (2009) in favor of a musical-themed television project, but agreed after the latter production faced significant delays.[212] Directed byMac Alejandre and based onCarlo J. Caparas' comic book of the same name, it is about the fictional titular boxer (played by Padilla). She portrayed the part of the love interest to Padilla's character.[213] The role required her to perform action scenes, and in preparation, undertook boxing training.[214] After the project was greenlit,[212] Velasquez was cast as Sampaguita, the lead inDominic Zapata's 2010 musical comedy seriesDiva,[215] a loosely adapted version of the 2006 film200 Pounds Beauty.[212] It follows a facially disfigured singer who undergoes a transformation.[216] To look the part, she wore prosthetic makeup which took three hours to apply. The series featured numerous songcovers sung onscreen by the characters. According to Velasquez, the song choices were integral to script development, and featured one to two production numbers per week.[212][217] A journalist forThe Philippine Star favored the show's tone and quality, highlighting Velasquez's musical numbers.[218]
"They affect me so much physically and emotionally ... I'm the type of actress who can't let go of my character so easily. When I'm already able to get the right emotion, I just can't shake it off when I leave the set. I unconsciously bring home the character with me."
—Velasquez explaining why she is selective of dramatic roles[219]
Andoy Ranay'sI Heart You, Pare! was Velasquez's television project of 2011,[220] which she described as a "flashy and colorful world" of theLGBT community.[221] The series follows a woman who is on the run and disguises as a gay man after being wrongly accused of a crime.[222] To play the dual roles of Tonya and Tonette, she created a backstory for her female character; and to get into the drag alter ego's physical and mental space during filming, modelled nuances and mannerisms on Ranay, who is openly gay.[223][221] Later in 2011, Velasquez left the show for health reasons and was replaced byIza Calzado.[224] The romantic comedyOf All the Things (2012), in which she played a document forger, was Velasquez's third collaboration with Bernal and Muhlach.[225]Philbert Dy ofClickTheCity termed the film a "tedious, unfocused mess that forces chemistry where none really exists".[226] Despite this, she earned aGolden Screen Award for Best Actress for her performance.[227] She next starred in the independent filmMrs. Recto, a comedy-drama set principally onRecto Avenue.[228] The director Dante Nico Garcia wanted Velasquez to play the part of a single mother by deglamorizing—aspects that he felt were missing from performances she had done in the past—and thus asked her to dissociate from her "well-coifed" persona.[229] The film only received a limited digital release on December 25, 2015.[230]
In the seriesPoor Señorita (2016), Velasquez starred as a powerful and demanding business magnate, a character inspired byMeryl Streep'sMiranda Priestly. In preparation, she kept her distance from the cast to maintain an uneasy chemistry in their scenes.[231] In his review for thePhilippine Daily Inquirer,Nestor Torre Jr. found her to be "perfectly cast" as the anti-hero, praising Velasquez for "opting to set her own pace, vocal placement, and tempo" in her portrayal.[232] In 2017, she played the supporting part of an earth goddess inMulawin vs. Ravena, a sequel to the 2004 fantasy seriesMulawin, featuringDennis Trillo andMiguel Tanfelix.[233] She then portrayed the titular character inYours Truly, Shirley (2019), an independent drama directed by Nigel Santos. It tells the story of a woman who believes her late husband is reincarnated in a pop star. Velasquez was reluctant to take the role, worried of being unprepared after a seven-year break from acting in a film. She ultimately agreed to the project after Santos convinced her to take the part.[234]Oggs Cruz ofRappler was critical of Velasquez's "middling" delivery, writing that she lacked "the extent of absurdism" required of the role.[235] Jocelyn Valle of thePhilippine Entertainment Portal, however, took note of her earnest and mature characterization.[236] She received a nomination for Best Actress at theCinema One Originals Film Festival.[237] In January 2020, Velasquez briefly appeared in theiWant comedy seriesMy Single Lady.[238]
As a child, Velasquez enjoyed listening to her father singing classic songs to lull her to sleep;[8] she was drawn to traditional songs rather thannursery rhymes because of this routine.[8] Since her childhood, Velasquez has considered Sharon Cuneta a role model and credits Cuneta as a key inspiration who led her to pursue a musical career.[239]
Velasquez's music is influenced by artists such asSheena Easton,Angela Bofill,Whitney Houston, andMariah Carey in her early years.[1][240] She admires Houston for her "style andR&B influence" and Carey's songwriting.[240] On several occasions, Velasquez has cited Barbra Streisand as her main influence and musical inspiration, saying, "I look up to [Streisand] not just because of her enormous talent, but because of her fearlessness and dedication to excellence, her willingness to take risks and to be different."[241] Streisand's music has frequently featured in Velasquez's repertoire throughout her career, including a series of concerts paying homage to Streisand, which Velasquez described as "a pleasure" to perform.[241][242] Velasquez has also been influenced by many Filipino artists; early in her career, she citedKuh Ledesma,Joey Albert, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, and Pops Fernandez as her role models.[1] She has also paid tribute to Filipino songwriters, includingGeorge Canseco,Rey Valera, Basil Valdez, Ryan Cayabyab, and Willy Cruz.[243]
Velasquez's early-career music includes elements of traditional OPM love songs.[244] She described how she developed her musical style, saying, "I was only 16 and people didn't know what to do with me. When they want me to sing love songs, they had to explain to me what it meant because I didn't know the feeling yet."[245] Her debut albumRegine includes ballads andbubblegum pop love songs;[244] its themes revolve around feelings of "excitement and uncertainty", as well as "missed chances and regrets".[244] Elvin Luciano fromCNN Philippines wrote: "During her [initial] phase, she proved that Filipino love songs don't have to come pre-packaged in thekundiman-rooted love ballad."[244] Her later releases, includingNineteen 90 andTagala Talaga, capitalized on her popularity; they are dominated by Filipino love songs.[246] Velasquez began working with foreign songwriters while planning her first regional albumListen Without Prejudice,[36][37] which according to AllMusic is "oriented towards easy-listening love songs with adventurous, contemporary touches".[36] The album features tracks withsyncopatedbackbeats andhip-hop influences.[36]
During the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, Velasquez's albums consisted primarily of cover versions of international material because of its commercial viability, and Filipinos' preference for American music.[41][49][244] According to CNN Philippines, "Regine has a knack for choosing songs which at first, may not fit her, but eventually become her own."[244] Many of her songs, particularly inRetro,Drawn, andR2K, contained R&B, soul, and hip-hop elements.[41][44][49]Reigne is an OPM album that she described as "songs influenced by the music, artists, and genres that I enjoy listening to,"[244] and included tracks that are melancholic, sensual, and poetic.[244] Her crossover to film saw significant use of contemporary love ballads in her catalog ofsoundtrack themes, describing the music as "straightforward, earnest, and lyrically simple".[244]
Velasquez is known for her use ofvocal belting,[247] and credits the vocal training she received from her father as a child:
That was in Leyte. A long time ago. I must've been 7 years old. It didn't feel like training; [my father] didn't force me to do it. He just took us to the beach for a picnic. We lived near the ocean. While I was swimming, he would ask me to sing ... I think he got the idea fromRocky Marciano, the boxer. He read that Rocky practiced, shadow-boxed in the water. [In the ring] there's no pressure so it's easier … but in the water, you have no choice but to punch harder. My Papa merely applied the same principle to singing.[12]
Velasquez is asoprano and is often praised for her range and technical ability.[27][248][249] Luciano of CNN Philippines complimented her "trademark and sometimesmelismatic vocals"[244] while Gonzales adds her singing is "strong, emotive, and confident".[39] She has often been criticized, however, for the excessive use of belting andoversinging.[247] Gonzales described Velasquez's timbre as "thin, unimpressive and unappealing at times", and said her singing is "aiming for a higher [note], [which] she did all too often".[39] Velasquez said, "I don't mean to make any songs hard. It's just that when I'm on stage, with the adrenaline rush and all, you get excited. I do try to hold back [because] otherwise I'd be screaming the whole show, that's not good."[250]
Velasquez performing during a promotional tour forFantasy in 2010
Velasquez's vocal style and singing ability have significantly impacted Philippine popular and contemporary music. Critics have called her "Asia's Songbird"[14][27] and she is often cited as one ofFilipino music's most influential artists.[251][252] According to Allan Policarpio of thePhilippine Daily Inquirer, "Regine needed only to open her mouth and that celebrated voice would come out. She could sing seated, lying down or hoisted up in the air with a harness—no problem. And even when she was so sick she couldn't speak, she could still sing."[251] Velasquez has also been recognized for playing a pivotal role in creating the "blue print" for becoming a "singing icon".[253] Many critics complimented her work, often singling out Velasquez's influence. Luciano, writing for CNN Philippines, described her "legitimacy" as "enough to secure a space in pop culture" and said her musical career "continues to influence generations of OPM patrons and songbird wannabes up to this day",[244] while according toThe Philippine Star, "If one were to go by records and distinctions made, Regine Velasquez would win, hands down".[27] She has often been regarded as a powerhouse for her performances and musical content.[254]
Velasquez's use of vocal belting has been subject to scrutiny because young singers, including contestants on television talent shows, have imitated her singing technique. According to Nestor Torre Jr. of thePhilippine Daily Inquirer, "The popularity of 'birit' [belting] started here with the amateur singing contests ... Then came Regine Velasquez, who also launched her own singing career the 'birit' way ... Trouble is, Regine's belting became so popular that her successor[s] ... imitated her."[247]Manila Bulletin said, "Most of our top selling new female singers are still and mere parrots of [Velasquez] in terms of vocal acrobatics and predilection to show off her high range".[255] Media criticBoy Abunda wrote, "Most of the young female singers currently making waves in the industry are cut from the same biritera [belter] cloth as Regine Velasquez."[256]
Velasquez's music has broadly influenced a younger generation of performers from reality television talent shows; Sarah Geronimo has stated Velasquez made her realize the value of hard work[263] whileRachelle Ann Go and Angeline Quinto have both said Velasquez inspired them during their early years as aspiring singers.[264][265]American Idol finalistsRamiele Malubay,Thia Megia, andJessica Sanchez have expressed a desire to emulate Velasquez.[266][267][268]
Velasquez has also been credited for her work and performances with international artists, including98 Degrees,Alicia Keys,Coco Lee,Peabo Bryson, andStephen Bishop.[27] French composerMichel Legrand described working with Velasquez, saying "It's tough to sing a song after Barbra Streisand, I will tell you. But to sing with Regine is, I'm in heaven. She sings so well, she has such an extraordinary technical voice ... sensitive voice and talented expression."[269] American singerBrian McKnight who co-headlined a concert with Velasquez, has complimented her singing, stating; "I got to sing onstage with Regine and it was one of the best experiences ever because she's one of the best singers I've ever heard."[270]
Velasquez has been involved with several charitable organizations. She became associated with theUnited Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 2001 and worked on a documentary titledSpeak Your Mind, which is abouthomeless children inPayatas, Quezon City, one of the Philippines' largest open dumpsites.[271][272] The program was nominated for the UNICEF Child Rights Award.[271]
One of Velasquez's highest-profile benefit concert appearances was in One Night with Regine,[69] which she performed at theNational Museum of the Philippines in support of the Bantay Bata Foundation, a child welfare organization.[69] In 2005, Velasquez appeared in an episode of the lifestyle talk showMel and Joey, and donated proceeds from an auction of her gowns to theGMA Kapuso Foundation's Christmas Give-a-Gift project.[273] In 2009, Velasquez headlined a benefit television special calledAfter The Rain: A Hopeful Christmas in the aftermath ofTyphoon Ketsana (Ondoy).[274] In October 2010, she became an ambassador forOperation Smile,[275] a nonprofit organization that providescleft lip and palate repair surgery to children worldwide.[276] She recorded the theme "S.M.I.L.E.", which was written for the project and appears on her studio albumFantasy.[275][99] In November 2013, proceeds from the sales of her albumHulog Ka Ng Langit were donated to thePhilippine Red Cross in support of theTyphoon Haiyan (Yolanda) relief.[277]
Velasquez has worked on brand marketing initiatives for American fast-food restaurant chainsWendy's andKFC.[278] She has signed advertising deals with several other brands, includingDigitel,Lux,Nestlé Philippines,Nokia, andSmart Communications.[278] Throughout 2005, she appeared as the face of theDepartment of Tourism's travel promotion campaign.[278][279] In August 2009, working with the clothing and retail brandBench, Velasquez promoted her fragrances for women, Reigne and Songbird.[280] Velasquez has worked with fast-food restaurant chainJollibee since 2018,[281] and has appeared in several commercials with her son.[282] They also had deals withPampers,[283] PLDT,[284] andNestlé'sinfant formula products.[285] In February 2020, she partnered with beauty brand BYS and launched a cosmetics line, also named Reigne.[286] She also became a spokesperson forAriel laundry detergent andVicks medicines.[287][288]
Velasquez announced her relationship with singer-songwriter Ogie Alcasid in an article published byYes! magazine in June 2007.[289] On August 8, 2010, the couple announced their engagement,[290] and in December, they married inNasugbu, Batangas.[291] She gave birth to their son, Nathaniel James, viacaesarean section on November 8, 2011.[292]
Throughout her career, Velasquez has received many honors and awards, including MTV Asia's Favorite Artist Philippines in 2002[67] and 2003,[294] and the Aliw Awards' Entertainer of the Year in 2007, 2009, and 2019.[145][295][296] She has been the recipient of lifetime achievement awards, including the Awit Awards' Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino,[297] the Star Awards for Music's Pilita Corrales Lifetime Achievement[298] and Natatanging Alagad Ng Musika,[299] FAMAS Awards' Golden Artist,[300] and Myx Music's Magna Award.[101]
Velasquez has sold more than seven million records in the Philippines and 1.5 million in Asia, making her thebiggest-selling Filipino artist of all time.[27][301] Eight of her albums have each sold over 200,000 copies.[301] She was ranked first inFemale Network's 2011 countdown of the "Top 25 Best Filipina Singers"[302] and was included inTop 10 Asia magazine's list of "Ten Most Admired Female Singers in Asia".[303] Velasquez has also received recognition for her work in television and film, such as the Box Office Queen award in 2002,[193] the Star Awards for Television's Best Actress in 2002,[197] and the Golden Screen Awards' Best Actress in 2013.[227] She has received a total of 22 Awit Awards,[304] 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards,[305] 17 Aliw Awards,[306] and 17 Star Awards for Music.[307] In December 2007, Velasquez was honored with a star on thePhilippines' Walk of Fame.[308]
^abcdefgClaimed sales figures are supported by the following specified certified units:
Formusic certifications prior to 1990s up to 2006,PARI's threshold for an album to receive Platinum certification was 40,000 units shipped:Williamson, Nigel (January 22, 2000)."Global Music Impulse".Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 4. p. 69.ISSN0006-2510.Archived from the original on July 24, 2013. RetrievedNovember 6, 2017.
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