Pilita Corrales: Asia's Queen of Songs visits Iloilo
Pilita Philippine Love Songs
Pilita Corrales is the undisputed Asia's Queen of Songs. In her four decades as a musical artist, she has produced 135 albums.
She was born in Cebu City in 1939. Her father was a Spaniard and her mother was Cebuana. She is multi-lingual and speaks Spanish, English, Tagalog, and Cebuano fluently. After finishing her studies at Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion in her native land of Cebu, she went to Spain to enroll in a finishing school in music. In 1958, Pilita began her recording career after arriving with a shipwrecked troupe of performers in Melbourne. She left her mark by becoming the first woman to make the Australian pop charts with a local recording called 'Come Closer to Me'. She became a star of the Melbourne TV circuit and her first hit, Come Closer to Me, became part of a collection on which she's billed as one of the Grand Dames of Melbourne Radio and Television.
Pilita, The Wing Duo Nikki Ross and Angie dela
Cruz with Hotel del Rio staff
Pilita holds the distinction of being the first female artist to top the Australian pop music charts long before Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue. Pilita also recorded at least 3 LPs in the late 1950s-early 1960s: Pilita with Arthur Young :Pilita tells The Story of Love, I'll Take Romance and This is Pilita under Astor Records. Being one of the pioneers of Australia's early television years, a street was named after her outside Melbourne. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) recently featured Pilita and several pioneering female artists in Australia in the 2nd episode of the highly acclaimed TV special, Love is in the Air. Pilita returned to Manila during the mid 1960s to pursue a career in the Philippine music industry. Her Philippine career began when she hosted a radio program La Taverna over DZPI where she sang Spanish songs and played the guitar. She performed regularly in stage shows at the Manila Grand Opera House. Subsequently, her reputation grew and during her international stints, she has performed with internationally acclaimed artists like Sammy Davis Jr. the Beatles, Bob Hope, Pat Boone, Frank Sinatra and Julie Andrews. She also appeared in movies, most of them musicals. Her film debut was a lead role in the 1968 film Miss Wawaw, and was followed by 11 more movies for the next two years. Pilita later recorded numerous albums in Spanish in the early 60s as well as numerous long playing albums in English, Tagalog and Cebuano during the 1970s under Vicor Music Corporation. Her multiawarded TV program at ABS-CBN, An Evening with Pilita (1965-1972), is widely considered as one of the benchmarks in Philippine broadcasting history.
Pilita frequently performed for Seeing Stars with Joe Quirino in IBC-Channel 13 after the martial law years where she demonstrated her range as a gifted performer of Spanish, English, Cebuano and Tagalog music. Aquarius Record Philippines produced a compilation of Pilita's Spanish songs in CDs like Noche de Ronda, Vaya Con Dios. Her signature song A Million Thanks to You was translated in seven languages. She eventually recorded songs composed by Filipino composers like Danny Holmsen, George Canseco, Willy Cruz, Ryan Cayabyab and several others.
Pilita with members of the media
After receiving a 1965 Philippine Citizen's Award for TV as Best TV Female Performer, Pilita went on to receive Cecil, Aliw, Tinig and Awit and several other awards for her performances and lifetime achievement. In 1990, she received a Merit Award from the FAMAS Awards. In 1991, she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) for bringing Filipino musical artistry to international audience. She also holds the distinction of being the first Filipino to win in an international music festival by bagging the Best Performer Award during the 1st Tokyo Music Festival (1972) where she bested numerous international artists including the highly-regarded Olivia Newton-John.
With Ted Mino, a fan
These days she operates Pilita, a restaurant-bar in Greenhills, one of Manila's prime commercial districts.
Corrales has two children, Lourdes Jacqueline Blanco (commonly known as "Jackielou" Blanco) and Ramón Christopher Gutíerrez. Both her two children are also well known celebrity figures in the Philippine Film Industry.
Corrales was married in 1963, to the late executive businessman Gonzalo Blanco and separated soon after, while her daughter "Jackielou" was still a child. Gonzalo later died in 1981.
Corrales gave birth to her second child, Ramón Christopher, in 1971. Ramón's father is actor Eddie Gutíerrez.
On May 22, 2001, Pilita married Paraguayan businessman Carlos Lopez.
The Ilonggos were able to see Pilita in person when she performed at Hotel del Rio last April 4 and 5. Here's excerpts of her and the Wing Duo's interview with the Iloilo media last April 4.
Media (M): Why do you think you're still visible until now?
Pilita: I am the same Pilita as 30 years ago. I go with the times by singing popular songs. I do comedy and rapping, too.
Nikki of Wings Duo: She's one of the few that does not copy anyone. She's very original. People try to imitate her.
Aris Demavivas: Pilita is the superstar of superstars. She's the only Filipina reverred by foreigners. In Melbourne, there's a Pilita Avenue named after her.
M: What are your beauty and health secrets?
Pilita: Sex every night. Almost every Monday, almost every Tuesday, almost every Wednesday, almost .... (laughs). I'm just lucky to have good and strong skin. You know, if you are in show business, you have to take good care of your figure. I eat good food. I'm not a meat eater. Then, there's my schedule of roaming around to do several shows.
M: Any upcoming show?
Pilita: I'm doing a show in Canada and the United States with Carmen Pateña and Carmen Soriano, the golden divas. This will be the first time that I'll work with them together. Although in the past, I have worked with them separately.
M: Would you like to be a mainstay in TV novelas?
Pilita: I've been with Lagot Ka Isusumbong Kita for three years before. But these days, the entry of Korean and Chinese novelas promote action and drama. If the show is a comedy, I'd do it. But for now, I'd rather guest in shows only. I also prefer one-day tapings.
M: Tell us more about Pilita Restaurant.
Pilita: My husband owned a restaurant business in Australia. But he fell in love with the Philippines, so we opened one here. He takes care of the kitchen and I take care of the entertainment.
M: Why are you no longer a judge in Pinoy Idol?
Pilita: If I accepted Pinoy Idol, I will be tied for eight months. I have arranged several tours already. But I still do the Asian Idol in Indonesia.
M: Which young singer do you like?
Pilita: For the voice, Sheryn Regis. Jaya, too. Though, my favorite is Dulce. She can duet and I can't. But I'm sexy (laughs).
M: What would you like to do?
Pilita: I'd like to make a Spanish album of all Filipino songs for the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. I know many composers who can help me with this.
M: What's the best thing about being "Asia's Queen of Songs"?
Pilita: The title was given to me after winning in Tokyo. It's a very nice title, but I prefer it to be simple. Like, "Pilita Corrales, ang Bisaya gikan sa Cebu."