I will never forget my 35th birthday weekend. Not only because I was able to spend it with some of my family members and closest friends, but I consider attending the 2 night, 30th anniversary concert of my ultimate idol, the one & only Asia’s Songbird Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez – Alcasid, whom we all know as Regine Velasquez, the cherry on top, the highlight of this wonderful birthday weekend.

My gosh, I have adored, admired and loved this woman for like maybe 27 out of the 30 years she has been in the entertainment business. My early memory of Regine was when she was going to have a concert in our school during our annual school fair (Promdi sa DB was the title of the concert). She was pretty much the breakout artist that everyone was raving about at that time, and her song Promdi (colloquial term for someone who came to the big city from the province) and Narito Ako were big hits at the time. Days before her concert, I remember that the cassette tapes and CDs of her album Nineteen 90 were being sold in school, as well as tickets to her show. That’s when I knew that I was gonna revere, adore and admire her for the rest of my life.

Everyone knows her true to life rags to riches Cinderella story. Regine came from a poor background. She took it upon herself at a very young age to help alleviate their family’s meager income by joining amateur singing contests in her native Bulacan. Winning the grand prize at the 1984 Bagong Kampeon singing search at age 14 (as a young Chona Velasquez, she was undefeated for 14 weeks) paved the way for her to enter the world of music. She recorded a single, Love Me Again, but unfortunately it didn’t do well. However, TV guestings came pouring in, and one TV guesting would actually change her life when she appeared at Penthouse Live, hosted by the It Couple of the era, concert royalties Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez. It was there that Ronnie Henares, the executive producer of the show, offered his services to become her manager. And the rest is history.

It was a slow but steady climb to the top, until she became one of the best singers the Philippines has ever produced. When she won in the 1989 Asia Pacific singing contest in Hong Kong, that’s when everything changed for her, she was ready to enter the big league. Since then, Regine has established herself not only as a recording and concert artist of the highest caliber, but also as a box office actress, TV host, product endorser and producer of her own albums and concerts. I remember the first Regine Velasquez cassette I ever owned was her Listen Without Prejudice album, which made waves all over Asia and from there, my collection grew. When I started working, I updated my collection from cassette tapes to CDs. Thank God for apps like Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer, I can stream all of Regine’s albums anytime, anywhere. Regine is also like our very own version of Madonna, she reinvents her look and her sound each time she comes out with a new album. She’s also one of the few legitimate multimedia artists, having crossed over all kinds of media platforms.

Fast forward to 2017. I am still a fan! I have been fortunate enough to witness the major milestones in her career, and fulfilled my dream to watch her concert (which I have been attending most of them since 2004). Although I must admit that her voice is not the same as it was 10, 15 years ago, but it’s still there. The voice that continues to put her audience in a spell once she starts singing. During her most recent concert, R3.0, I was more nervous than excited with what she’s going to do. Is she still going to hit those high notes? Will she restrain herself? What if she loses her voice again? So many questions. But then again, those fears were easily washed away once she aced song after song after song, high note after high note after high note. She didn’t fail her audience. By the end of the 2nd night, I was really emotional. I mean, Regine is one of the very few artists in the Philippines that whose CDs can still sell like hotcakes and fill large venues to the brim with sold out concerts. She never lost the support of her most loyal fans, despite the fact that she doesn’t sound the same vocally, and there are much younger female singers. In fact, if Regine wasn’t in her best element during those 2 nights, it’s ok. I will accept that fact, because I was fortunate enough to have seen her perform in her prime, at her best. For 30 years, Regine has brought a lot of pride and joy and happiness to her loyal fans.

30 years in the business and she still continues to enthrall and amaze us. I am still in awe and I will never, ever grow tired of admiring her, buying her CDs, watching her movies, attending her concerts, of being a fan. No matter how many divas may come & go, but there is nobody quite like her. Congratulations to the ONE & ONLY ASIA’S SONGBIRD REGINE VELASQUEZ – ALCASID! Your 2 night mega successful concert is a testament not only of how excellent a singer you are, but a testament of your dedication to your craft, the longevity of your career, your enduring artistry & for recognizing the higher being who gave you your amazing talent. What a wonderful 30 year journey it has been. I will always & forever love you. You will always be number one!