Face-off: Sunshine Corazon/Charice

By JASER A. MARASIGAN
September 28, 2010, 2:14pm

MANILA, Philippines – True to character, Charice let the sunshine in after weeks of dreary local news.

Although she had minimal lines and acting as the Filipina exchange student Sunshine Corazon, Glee creator Ryan Murphy definitely gave her the opportunity to be the episode’s scene-stealer in its season two premiere, at that!

Sunshine almost gave Rachel Berry a heart attack in the girls’ restroom while they battled to turn Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s collaboration of “Telephone” into a catfight. And later on, Charice nailed her rendition of “Listen,” complete with expressive hand moves. Or was that Sunshine Corazon?

Before we get all too confused, will the real Sunshine Corazon and Charice please stand up?

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Sunshine Corazon is a 14-year-old foreign exchange student from the Philippines, currently residing in Lima, Ohio, USA. Sunshine was enticed to join the glee club when she saw the group New Directions perform Alicia Key’s “Empire State of Mind” in school.

Education:
From William McKinley High School to Carmel High

Occupation: High school student, New Directions member (for one day), and currently a member of Vocal Adrenaline

Talents:
Singing and dancing

How she was discovered:
First seen by Rachel Berry watching New Directions perform “Empire State of Mind” in the school’s courtyard. Rachel encounters her again in the girls’ restroom. After mistakenly determining that Sunshine doesn’t speak English, Rachel attempts to talk her into auditioning. Sunshine then puts her earbuds in and starts to sing “Telephone.” Rachel butts in and engages into a sing-off with Sunshine.

Trials: Rachel gave her a fake address and time for the glee club auditions. Instead of the auditorium, Rachel led Sunshine to a crack house where the residents stole her sheet music and used it as toilet paper.

Mentor: Dustin Goolsby, the new director and coach of Carmel High’s Vocal Adrenaline.

Claim to fame: She auditioned for New Directions and sang “Listen” from the movie “Dreamgirls,” to which Rachel interrupts and corrects Sunshine, “Broadway show first!”

Nemesis: Rachel Berry, the leader/diva of William McKinley High School’s New Directions

Fashion trademarks: Dresses like a Harajuku girl, with black-framed glasses, beret or pig tails and a Hello Kitty knap sack.

Height: 5 feet and 1 inch

Awards/recognitions:
Aside from the condo and green card Vocal Adrenaline gave to her and her family, Sunshine’s songs from “Glee” Season 2’s pilot episode titled “Audition” registered in the Top 10 of iTunes’ music chart. At no. 2 is “Telephone” and at no. 7 is “Listen.” She was also voted as the no. 1 Favorite Newcomer on Glee in a poll by Broadway.com.

Musical influences: Lady Gaga and Beyonce

Hit songs: “Listen” (originally by Beyonce) and “Telephone” (originally by Lady Gaga and Beyonce)

What’s next: More sing-off with Rachel Berry and New Directions in future Glee season two episodes.

Online following: 4,567 Twitter followers, unofficial YouTube account “Listen” by Sunshine Corazon – 124,428 views. Her Facebook fanpage has 2,138 likes.

Additional trivia: Charice’s personalized microphone made by Sennheiser was used by Sunshine Corazon during her audition. The swarovski-filled Charice International Limited Edition Microphone costs $699. Aside from Charice, international stars like Beyonce and Celine Dion are also endorsers of the German product.

***

Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco, popularly known as Charice aka The Most Talented Girl in The World and Asia’s Rising Pop Star. She has been dubbed by many as a vocal prodigy for being able to sing ‘big songs’ even at 18 years old. (Photo by CHARI VILLEGAS)

Education: Freshman at online college Southern New Hampshire University.

Talents: Can mimic other people’s voices, even a chipmunk. Oh, and she can sing too!

Awards/recognitions:
Her self-titled international debut album under 143/Reprise Records reached no. 8 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart on its first week of release in May, making her the first Asian to enter the Top 10. The first single, “Pyramid” soared to no. 1 on the Billboard Dance/Club

Celebrity Crushes:
Justine Timberlake and David Archuleta

How she was discovered: She rose to popularity through YouTube when an avid fan named Dave Dueñas or FalseVoice posted her jaw-dropping performance of the Jennifer Hudson song “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” in the South Korean talent show Star King. The video racked up several million views from around the world.

Trials: Raised by a single mother, Charice has been singing since she was four and joining amateur singing contests at seven. She has joined almost a hundred contests and used the prize money to support her family.

Mentor/s: Oprah Winfrey and legendary music producer David Foster

Nemesis: Sam Concepcion, who beat Charice in the local singing contest “Little Big Star”, where she ended up placing third.

Musical influences: Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Regine Velasquez

Hit songs: “Note to God” and “Pyramid” (featuring Iyaz)

What’s next: Reports say, her follow-up to “Pyramid” will be a new recording, which is not in her current album.

Online following: 191,042 Twitter followers including David Archuleta, Adam Lambert, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Mandy Moore, Anne Curtis, Sam Milby, Lea Salonga, and Oprah. Her Facebook fanpage has 228,428 likes. 44,412,038 total upload views on YouTube, 86,224 subscribers, 21,844,291 views for “Pyramid”

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