Nickname:	Regz / Chona / Asia's songbird
Known for:	Ikaw lamang hanggang ngayon / Dahil may isang ikaw / Paano kita Iibigin
Birth name:	Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez
Birthday:	22 April 1970, Manila, Philippines
Available Photos	1

Mention her name to anyone who has lived in Asia over the last fifteen years, and take note of their reaction. The panting and perspiration should be enough of an explanation as to why we like her so much. To call Regine Velasquez "famous" may not be appropriate for a North American audience. After all, she's almost unknown on this side of the Pacific. In Asia, however, she has the type of star power to make Jennifer Lopez look like a one-hit wonder. Albums like Drawn, R2K, and Reigne have all been smash hits and are the major reasons why she is so revered.
Introduced in The Untouchable Family. First recorded song was Love Me Again under Octo-Arts in 1986 as Chona Velasquez. It got cold response. At early elementary age, Regine joined various singing competitions in provinces around the country. Out of 200 competitions she entered, she won 67 of them. She credits her singing talent to her father, who would submerge her in water up to her neck and have her do vocal exercises to strengthen her voice. At 14, she joined Bagong Kampeon, a television contest featuring the singing talents of Filipinos. She qualified with "Saan Ako Nagkamali", chosen by her father, and won with "In Your Eyes". The prize was a record deal from Octo-Arts. In her guesting at the talk-show Penthouse Live on February 16, 1986 after her first single flopped, host Martin Nievera' suggested Ms. Velasquez to use the more glamorous name Regine, instead of her then name, Chona. Show producer Ronnie Henares also offered to manage her career which she accepted. Her father resigned from his job as a construction estimator to fully attend to his daughter's career in 1986. Although she was born in Manila, Philippines, Regine is popularly known to be from Bulacan where she grew up. Her family also stayed in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte where she spent her elementary years. First child of Teresita and Gerry Velasquez. First joined an amateur singing contest at age 6, performing "Buhat Nang Kita'y Makilala." As she could not read at that time, her father would sing it to her and she would memorize the lyrics. She lost that contest, but was given a special award for the brave performance. Sister, Cacai, is also a professional singer. Put up recording company Indiemusic, with sister Cacai Velasquez and brother-in-law Raul Mitra, and beau Ogie Alcasid. Sister-in-law of Raul Mitra, husband of sister Cacai. She mostly directed her own concerts, music videos and TV shows.

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