In her Valentine’s concert at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Regine Velasquez generously performs even her lesser-known songs recorded more than three decades ago to complete her set list, as well as surprises and entertains her full-packed audience in the ‘Originals’ version of her concert.
STAR File

Asia’s Songbird, Regine Velasquez, never delivered all her original songs in one concert before. “Smorgasbord lang ang ginawa ko noon,” she shared.

However, in her Valentine’s concert at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Regine generously performed even her lesser-known songs recorded more than three decades ago to complete her set list, surprised and entertained her full-packed audience in the “Originals” version of her concert.

The second day had “Covers,” with an entirely different set list.

The Songbird sauntered onstage in an ivory gown created by Michael Leyva, her only outfit for the night. Thankfully, the audience didn’t have to wait for any costume change to take place.

There was no front act to alternately regale the audience. Save for one important guest who performed onstage with Regine, there was no other artist who joined her onstage.

From start to finish, it was only Regine who ruled the stage and held the audience at the palm of her hand. She casually delivered her spiels, talked to her audience, joked around and reminisced about heartwarming moments.

The venue was filled with fans who screamed at every chance they got, from the orchestra up to the third level. Regine fanatics were there and the fans made sure they were heard.

The Songbird opened the show with Love Me Again, culled from her “Total Recall” album and she immediately belted out in her signature performance from the start.

After nearly four decades in the music industry, Regine still sang in high pitch. Admirably, she could still hit those high notes.

While her other contemporaries opt to carry out their songs in a lower notes, Regine dauntlessly sang every piece in “Reset” in her stratospheric key.

Back in 2023, Regine staged “Solo,” her Valentine’s concert also at Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Two years before that, in 2021, she even did a virtual Valentine’s show that was promoted digitally.

Regine’s “Nineteen 90” album carried the Tagalog hit, Promdi, another number that displayed her signature birit.

“This show is quite different,” Regine told her full-house audience. “I’ve done my songs a long time ago, but I haven’t sang most of the tunes in a long time.”

She invited the audience who knew the lyrics to “sing along to death” in numbers like You Made Me Stronger, Reason Enough, My Love Emotion.

Regine had a revolving stage that had stairs on both sides and a platform that opens to a another stage in the center with “dwendes (dwarves)” doing the pushing and the closing.

She surprised the crowd by singing lesser-known tunes that nonetheless made it to her set list. Pangarap Ko’y Ikaw was written by her musical director, Raul Mitra, who is married to her sister, Cacai.

Kung Kailan Pa had lyrics by the late Edith Gallardo, with melody by Babsie Molina.

Perry’s Will was an old song which Regine earlier recorded with her sister Cacai. However, when Regine invited the latter to sing onstage with her, Cacai declined. She was the one who produced “Reset” for four nights.

With Paolo Valenciano at the helm, “Reset” will have two more showdates next weekend — “Originals” on Feb. 21 and “Covers” on Feb. 22 — at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati City.

Through the years, Regine had the most good-looking leading man — from Aga Muhlach and Richard Gomez to Christopher de Leon, Robin Padilla and Piolo Pascual.

“Lahat sila, napagsamantalahan ko,” she proudly said, jokingly adding, “Sabi nila virgin ako pero nayakap, nahalikan at napagsamantalahan ko silang lahat.”

Piolo wowed the crowd when he emerged onstage and did a duet of Paano Kita Iibigin with Regine.

Meanwhile, Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka was a romantic ballad Ogie Alcasid offered to Regine when they were not yet romantically attached. It was for the film he did with Christopher de Leon and Dingdong Dantes.

“At that time, there was already a theme song for the film, but Ogie insisted that we use his song and we did,” Regine said. The song inevitably turned into a hit.

She rendered other original tunes like My Love Emotion, It’s Hard To Say Goodbye, Babalik Kang Muli and Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang.

In 1992, Regine guested in Gary Valenciano’s concert at the Araneta Coliseum, where she impressed executives of Polygram Record. She was later given a song, In Love with You, which she recorded with foreign artist Jacky Cheung.

In the audience that night were Zsa Zsa Padilla and partner Conrad Onglao, Frontrow big boss RS Francisco, and Ryan Bang with his fiancée.

Her back-up band included Rickson Ruiz on drums, Karel Honasan on bass guitar, Cesar Aguas on guitar and Nikko Rivera on keyboards. Back-up were Mike, Suy and Yosha.

Regine cannot be thankful enough that in 40 years, she became a recording artist, which was her original dream, helped her family and gave them a good life.

“I started dreaming,” Regine asserted. “We keep on dreaming. We keep hoping that it will come true.”