The world has been in awe of Charice Pempengco since the fateful Youtube posting of that clip from Korea's Star King show. If you remember way back in 1989 when Leah Salonga was selected to play Kim in the megahit musical Miss Saigon, the world was and still is awed by her as a performer. I was surfing through Youtube's clips when I chanced upon this video of Leah's audition for Ms Saigon in Broadway. She was 18 years old at the time but she looked very young in the clip and like Charice, she was also equally amazing in the video. Her voice, as are most great Filipino singers', touches the heart. Its soft yet powerful at the same time. I have read a lot of articles written comparing Charice with Leah. They are both great performers but it is a moot point to compare the two. Leah Salonga has gone a long way in her career internationally while Charice Pempengco is just starting out. The latter will probably learn a lot from Ms.Leah Salonga in terms of surviving and making it big in the international arena. As countless unsuccessful artists will tell you, it is not easy to succesfully penetrate the international scene.

 

There were quite a few Filipino and other Asian artists  who tried to do just that and majority of them failed. There are a lot of great talents around the world but, as hard a pill as it may seem to swallow, Commerce eventually dictates who does and doesnt make it. For some reason the Asian recording artists don't quite fit the Hollywood marketable mold so it's always a challenge to be financially rewarded in it. The media has defined a certain prototype and you see this image everyday on TV. This kind of subliminal advertising takes a remarkably good marketing strategy to defy.The 21st century is a new age, where the world is made smaller and the playing field made even by the internet everyday. There is a wider audience and the stage can be anywhere your creativity will take you. I believe Charice Pempengco's team did a hell of a job marketing her talent through the internet medium. It is wide reaching and absolutely free of charge. Charice is one of the greatest sensations that hit the Youtube era but creating the big splash is not the whole battle. The real challenge is in sustaining the world's interest and finding the right marketing team to do it. I am really hoping that Charice Pempengco will make it.Such exceptional talent in such a young girl deserves more than just fifteen minutes of fame.  

Melonor Quiachon California, U.S.A.