Regine Encarnacion Ansong Velaszquez-Alcasid born on April 22, 1970 in Tondo Metro Manila, is a Filipino singer, recording artist, record producer and actress. She is called Asia’s Songbird and Queen of Pop in the Philippines. She is famously known with the name Regine Velasquez. Regine is the first born of Gerardo and Teresita Velasquez. She is now married to Ogie Alcasid, a singer-songwriter and actor. They have a son, Nathaniel James Velasquez Alcasid.
Regine Velasquez is known for a lot of achievements in the music industry and even in show business in the movies that she has made. Just like any other artist, Regine had not become a start in one night. She also had her shares of trials that made her the person she is today. Regine joined 200 competitions in total and out of 200, she won 67 of them. The most rewarding competition she joined was at the age of 14 at the senior division of Ang Bagong Campion hosted by Bert Marcelo and Pilita Corales. She won for eight straight weeks and become the first Grand Champion of the show. Part of her winnings were a singing contract with OctoArts, released an Album Love Me Again under Chona Velasquez which at that time was her nickname. Eventually, she used Regine based on her real name Regina as a suggestion from Martin Nieverra who at that time was the host of Penthouse live along with Pops Fernandez.
It was in 1989 when she represented the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific Singing Contest in Hongkong. She won the grand prize with the song, You’ll Never Walk Alone and And I am Telling You I’m Not Going. Since then she was hailed as Asia’s Songbird. Regine Velasquez is the very first Asian whoever performed a solo concert at the Carnegie Hall, New York as part of its centennial-year celebration concert series. The concert was very successful that gathered three outstanding standing ovations from the viewers. It was in 1992 that the President of Polygram Far East, Alex Chan and Norman Cheng approached her for a proposal for them to manage her Asian career.
With her music career in Asia, she sang with Paul Anka, David Hasselhoff, 98 degrees, Brian McKnight, Mandy Moore, Ronan Keting, Stephern Bishop, Jim Brickmanm Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne, Dave Koz, Grasshopper, Coco Lee, Michel Legrand, David Pomeranz, Eduardo Capetillo, Fernando Carrillo, Billy Crawford, David Archuleta and Skritch Band of Singapore. She also did a duet with Jacky Cheung with the song In Love With You that hit the top spot of MTV Asia’s Top 20 Asian Videos in the year 2000. It was in the same year that she performed with 2000 children atop the Peninsula Hotel to sing the country’s millennial theme Written In The Sand Together. It was broadcasted in 67 channels throughout the world. It was featured in BBC’s Millenium special 2000 Today, Midnight In Manila. Every year, Regine’s star shone brighter and continues to gather achievements and awards.
