what's BET's top show '106 & Park'?
Charice’s one moment in time: record deal with Clive Davis
(Philippine News - Jan 16,2008) by Janet Nepales
http://www.philippinenews.com/article.php?id=1669LOS ANGELES — Charice Pempengco, the 15-year-old singing sensation who recently wowed audiences at the Ellen DeGeneres’ TV show, is reportedly in talks with no less than the legendary music producer Clive Davis. Philippine News learned that Pempengco arrived in New York recently and is waxing a recording deal with Davis, the record producer who is behind the careers of Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake just to name a few.
“I am so proud to be behind the launching of the musical career of Charice,” TV host Ellen DeGeneres told us after we bumped into her during a Golden Globes screening of “Juno” and afterparty with Fox co-chair Tom Rothman and his wife, Jessica.
DeGeneres also told us that she is planning to invite Pempengco again on the show. “I definitely want to see her again perform on the show,” she said. In last month’s show, Pempengco garnered two standing ovations from the Ellen DeGeneres TV audiences after she performed “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the Broadway musical sensation “Dreamgirls” and Whitney Houston’s hit, “I Will Always Love You.” DeGeneres, who discovered Pempengco after watching a video clip of her in YouTube after FalseVoice channel posted Pempengco’s Little Big Star performance of Whitney Houston’s hit, “I Will Always Love You.”
The petite teenager’s unbelievable booming vocals and very professional showmanship impressed the TV host so much that after showing it on her show, she publicly invited Pempengco to come to the U.S. and guest on her show.
Pempengco controlled the stage like a pro, even throwing the mike in mid air like professional juggler, and singing her lungs out just like her favorite singers Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Beyonce and Mariah Carey. Dressed in a black long-sleeved top, black mini skirt with black tights and a G clef silver necklace, Pempengco was a sight to behold. The charming YouTube sensation from Cabuyao, Laguna, who has been joining singing contests since she was 7, arrived in the U.S. for the first time to appear on DeGeneres’ show. During the show, Pempengco admitted that she was both nervous and excited to be in the U.S. for the first time and to meet Ellen DeGeneres. When the two met, DeGeneres could not contain her excitement as well to have the singing sensation from the Philippines in her show that she reportedly did not stay in her dressing room during rehearsals that she usually does but watched Pempengco practice.
When DeGeneres learned that Pempengco lost her Ipod during her 13-hour trip to Los Angeles from the Philippines, DeGeneres immediately gifted her with a new one to which a surprised, teary-eyed but very grateful Pempengco accepted the gift graciously as she covered her face in disbelief, jumped up and down, became speechless and finally repeatedly hugged and kissed DeGeneres.
While in Los Angeles, Pempengco met with music producer David Foster but details of the said meeting are still unknown as of this time. Pempengco was also reportedly scheduled to perform live on Jan. 14 at BET’s 106 & Park which is BET’s number one rated show on their network and the number one ranked music video show in the world.
Pempengco, whose full name is Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco, was born on May 10, 1993 in Cabuyao, Laguna. A student of Gulod National High School, Pempengco also names Regine Velasquez, Sarah Geronimo, Martin Nievera and Lani Misalucha as her favorite Filipino singers.During her performance at the Ellen DeGeneres show, she told DeGeneres that she got her vocal talents from her parents who are both good singers, she said. She revealed that she has been singing since she was 4.
Pempengco, whose nickname is “Cha,” became known in the Philippines when she started to join the Little Big Star singing competition when she was only 12. Although she landed only on the third place, Pempengco became an overnight celebrity when her video clip of her performance of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You” was posted in YouTube.
Another video of her singing a duet with America’s Got Talent winner, Bianca Ryan, impressed Ten Songs Productions, a production company in Sweden. Pempengco then traveled to Stockholm in June 2007 and recorded seven songs but there is still no word on when the album will be released. Before her U.S. trip, Pempengco was also invited to South Korea by Seoul Broadcasting System in October 2007 where she performed in the talent show, Star King. As usual, the audiences were floored by her performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” She also sang the Alladin song, “A Whole New World,” with Korean singer Cho Kyu Hyun of Super Junior. This video was also posted on YouTube.
Pempengco did not escape the attention of Martin Nievera who invited her as well to sing in one of his concerts on December 2007 where they sang a duet, “The Prayer,” and then did a solo, “One Moment in Time.” After her Ellen DeGeneres show, Pempengco flew back to Korea to tape a performance for Star King again this time singing “I Will Survive” and a duet with popular Korean singer Lena Park. They sang “I Will Always Love You.” The segment was aired by Seoul Broadcasting System last December 29.
From there, Pempengco started her new year with a courtesy call with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.For sure, 2008 is Charice Pempengco’s one moment in time where everything is just beginning.
E-mail the writer at jrnepales_624@yahoo.com.
