As reported earlier by Manila Bulletin, Charice Pempengco surprised concertgoers when she duplicated the signature dance moves by the late King of Pop. Charice is a true Michael Jackson fan, adding a remake of his hit “I’ll Be There” in her album. Four months after her album entitled “My Inspiration” was released, MJ died. Her dance number for “Billie Jean” was the one that impressed and shocked all her fans.

Michael Jackson however, was not the only artist Charice was able to dance and sing to. She was able to add “Halo” by the Pussycat Dolls, “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga and even swung to the beat of “I Will Survive” in her first ever solo concert. The 16-year-old’s debut concert at the SM Mall of Asia SMX Convention Hall was filled to capacity. Tickets were sold out days in advance.

The “Billie Jean” dance sequence was rehearsed as a surprise act for the series of concerts with “The Gloved One.” And Charice’s efforts may not be in vain in spite of the Pop icon’s death. Reports have claimed that organizers have also planned to put a tribute concert in place of the 50 sold out dates at the O2 arena in London. Artists such as Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Madonna and Paul McCartney have been mentioned as possible participants.

VIP guests such as Boy Abunda, Vicki Belo and daughter Krystal are long time fans of Charice. They were front row and center in the much-awaited concert at the SMX Convention Hall. Vicky said that she met Charice years ago through immigration lawyer Michael Gurfinkle in the US. Cong. Roilo Golez who was also there with his wife Natty was a fan as early as her YouTube days.

The crowd cheered wildly when Christian Bautista came out as a guest performer. Christian sang what he calls the “OPM icon medley” which includes “Nakapagtataka” by Hadji Alejandro, “Be My Lady” by Martin Nievera and “Nandito Ako” by Ogie Alcasid. “I’m so proud of her and what she’s done for the country. We have one thing in common we both lost in a singing contest. Now here we are singing for you tonight,” said Bautista. Kuh Ledesma, another surprise performer, sang “Anak” by Freddie Aguilar with Charice.

Showing the stamina of youth and her genuine passion for music, Charice had a song list of nearly 30 tunes. And each one had a significance that helped build the story of her life. “And I’m Telling You” was a song also popularized by Regine Velasquez which won her the Asia Pacific singing contest in 1989 at Hong Kong. Charice calls Regine her idol and having a duet with her has been one of her lifelong ambitions. “My Heart Will Go On” was the first song she ever learned as a child. “I Will Always Love You” was the song she performed on the video posted by Dave Dueñas on YouTube. It was then seen by Ellen Degeneres, Oprah Winfrey, a Korean Network and started her whole odyssey and recognition abroad.

“You and Me against the World” was her duet with mom Raquel. It’s indicative of her mother’s struggles as a single parent.
“Always You” her first original single, was written with the same mother and daughter theme in mind. “You’re So Amazing” was the first song Charice wrote by herself that she recorded. “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “You Raise Me Up” are two songs of Josh Groban. He has become a close friend that she admires. The Rosa Mystica Choir provided background vocals for the Groban hits.

Musical arranger, producer and song writer Jonathan Manalo worked with Charice in her latest album “My Inspiration.” Manalo wrote “Pinoy Ako” for Orange and Lemons and became the huge PBB hit dance theme. He has produced songs for Martin Nievera, Kyla, Aiza Seguerra, Zsa Zsa Padilla and many more. He explains how and why her voice is so special, “Charice’s trademark is the range, the high falsetto tone. It’s comparable to Whitney Houston, but is still distinctly her own. Another quality is the thickness of the tone. Even at this very young age she has a husky quality in the lower range. That’s uniquely hers. Every singer has their own vocal affectations that are unique to them, such as Mariah or Whitney. Meron siyang sariling pag kulot ng pagkanta niya. (She adds her own twist.) That’s the Charice style. She has that magic of getting that big voice from a very small case. That’s what they noticed in the US.”

Jonathan adds that there are certain voices that define a generation. In the ’70s it was Aretha Franklin and Barbara Streisand. In the ’80s, there was Whitney Houston. In the ’90s, it was Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. For this generation he believes it could be Charice. “Since the world is getting smaller because of the Internet, it’s time for people other than the western territories to shine. Charice has that opportunity. She definitely has the talent to stand out.”