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Lea Salonga
NEW YORK– In the middle of all the recent successes of Filipino artists in the international music scene with the likes of Charice Pempengco, Arnel Pineda of Journey and Ramiele Malubay of American Idol, it is difficult not look back and recall the artist who was perhaps the catalyst for bringing the world's attention to Filipino artists: Lea Salonga.
Lea is recognized for having won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and Theatre World Awards– the first to win various international awards for the role of Kim in the hit musical 'Miss Saigon' back in the 1990's.
Her success in 'Miss Saigon' led to many high profile international achievements, including roles in My Fair Lady, The Goodbye Girl, They’re Playing Our Song, Grease, The Fantasticks, Paper Moon, The Bad Seed, The Sound of Music and Annie.
In the Fall of 2002, Salonga made another splash on Broadway starring in the hit revival of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammersteins’s Flower Drum Song, with a re-imagined book by David Henry Hwang, earning her another Tony nomination as Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical.
In March 2007, Lea returned to Broadway to star as Fantine in the 2006 revival of Les Miserables and in July 2008 she will embark on a 39-week tour of Asia and the Philippines starring in Rodgersand Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Lea is also a bona fide “Disney Princess”, she can be heard on screen as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s blockbuster smash Aladdin. A specific note was made on her version of A Whole New World in Southwest Magazine. She is also the singing voice of Mulan in Mulan and Mulan 2. She can be heard on the original cast recordings of Miss Saigon, Flower Drum Song (Broadway Revival), The King and I (with Julie Andrews and Ben Kingsley), The Nutcracker, Mr Producer and the Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert, where Lea became the first Asian to play the role of Eponine.
Now in this exclusive interview, we take a peek behind the glitz and glamor of her superstardom as she talks about the real stuff: Her baby Nicole, her family, motherhood, online addictions, music of the moment, and even American Idol.
Lea Salonga
Ted Reyes:
Tell us about your latest tour.
Lea Salonga:
I just finished concerts in Hawaii and Guam, as well as in Southern California. I have more shows scheduled in California as well -- Cache Creek and Harrah's Rincon -- at the end of April. It's basically just me and a band playing music that I love to sing.
Ted Reyes:
How will it be different from the Carnegie Hall show you did a couple of years back?
Lea Salonga:
It's a different repertoire and a different show altogether. And I won't be pregnant, ha ha!
Ted Reyes:
Who's directing the show? Who's the musical director?
Lea Salonga:
No director really, I create the set list and wrote my script (much of which was culled from shows passed, written by some incredibly talented scriptwriter and director friends of mine)... the musical director is Larry Yurman, who most recently was the musical director of Grey Gardens, which ran on Broadway last year.
Ted Reyes:
Are you doing shows here in New York?
Lea Salonga:
Not that I know of.
Ted Reyes:
Any plans in hitting Broadway again? A play perhaps or a new musical?
Lea Salonga:
I'd love to! Let's see what kind of role will come my way... however, I'll have to find a school for Nicole to attend. She's almost 2 and if I ever get another Broadway show, she'll be of school age already.
Ted Reyes:
What are your plans for 2008?
Lea Salonga:
For 2008 I have more concerts scheduled until June, and then at the end of June I'll begin rehearsals for Cinderella. That show will keep me occupied until April 2009.
Ted Reyes:
How's the baby?
Lea Salonga:
The baby's not a baby anymore... she's turning 2 in May so she's a pretty big girl. She's funny and fun to be around. Great sense of humor and really cute.
Ted Reyes:
How have things changed since you became a mother?
Lea Salonga:
Well, my priorities have changed... everything I do now is for her. There's no one in the world more important than her and so whatever I do in this world always has her in mind. I don't like being away from home now, because more often than not when I have to travel for work, she remains at home. I have something to look forward to, and it's weird, I start counting down the days to when I go home, from the first day out on a trip. Day 1 pa lang, nagbibilang na ako!
Ted Reyes:
Do you speak to your baby in Filipino or Bisaya?
Lea Salonga:
English and Tagalog mostly... I'm not fluent in Bisaya.
Ted Reyes:
How do you balance your grueling schedule with motherhood?
Lea Salonga:
To be honest, I really don't know. I try to keep the schedule manageable to allow for time with my little one. My managers all know my priorities so it's easy.
Ted Reyes:
Are you thinking of expanding the family with another baby?
Lea Salonga:
Oh we'd love another one, but it'll be a couple of years before I can think about it with any degree of seriousness.
Ted Reyes:
A lot of Filipino artists are gaining exposure through American Idol and the
internet. What do you think about it?
Lea Salonga:
It's wonderful!!! I hope Ramiele Malubay goes far in the competition. But she's gotta go for broke when she needs to.
Ted Reyes:
If American Idol was airing back then when you where still starting out, would you have auditioned for it?
Lea Salonga:
Probably, just to say I did it.
Ted Reyes:
Do you watch the show?
Lea Salonga:
Religiously.
Ted Reyes:
What's your online addiction so far?
Lea Salonga:
Facebook and Multiply, I guess... I don't really go anywhere else unless I
have to.
Ted Reyes:
What does a superstar like you do with your free time?
Lea Salonga:
I try to read, knit a little bit, watch Sesame Street with Nicole, see a movie with my husband, try out new restaurants with friends, shop, hang out with people I like... nothing too crazy. I'm not much of a club person and I don't like smoky hangouts.
Ted Reyes:
What is your music of the moment?
Lea Salonga:
I'm loving the music of Amy Winehouse... Corinne Bailey Rae... James Morrison... John Mayer... Astrud Gilberto (no one can hold a candle to her brand of bossa)... I also like listening to local Pinoy bands like Sandwich... Imago... The Dawn... Urbandub and Kjwan are also pretty cool.
Ted Reyes:
What do you think FIlipino - Americans should do to establish a successful music industry like Latin music and Japanese Pop?
Lea Salonga:
I honestly have no idea. I guess it's not to cater to anyone, except to make music YOU like. That's how everyone seems to have done it, by staying true to one's own taste in music. Hey, I sing musical theater, and not everyone likes it, but I love doing it and there are people that love it as much as I do.
Ted Reyes:
Do you think the breakthrough should come from the homeland, or here in the
States?
Lea Salonga:
It'll come from wherever. And whomever. Meaning, I have no idea.
Ted Reyes:
Do you have a message for the readers of Poptimes Magazine?
Lea Salonga:
Thanks for the support! Keep supporting the Filipino artist anywhere and everywhere in the world.
Lea Salonga is back on tour. She will be playing The Cache Creek Casino and Resort on Friday, April 25 at 9:00 PM and Saturday, April 26, at 8:00 PM. Tickets are priced at $79.00, $89.00 and $99.00* and will be available at the Cache Creek Casino & Resort Ticket Office. Visit www.leasalonga.com
Tags: Lea Salonga Olivier Award Tony Award Broaway Miss Saigon Les Miserables My Fair Lady The Goodbye Girl They’re Playing Our Song Grease The Fantasticks Paper Moon The Bad Seed The Sound of Music Annie Mulan Aladin Princess Jasmine Poptimes Magazine Fil Am music Ted Reyes |
