Sharon at The Theatre
The story of how Sharon Cuneta became a star has been told so many times before that most Filipinos probably already know it by heart.
Back in 1978, the future senator Tito Sotto, then head of the Artist and Repertoire department for Vicor Music Corporation, brought in Sharon, the 12-year-old niece of his wife, the singing star Helen Gamboa, because the girl wanted to go into recording. With total trust in Tito’s judgment and because Helen was also a Vicor artist, then Vicor chairman, Vic del Rosario, put Sharon under contract.
Eyebrows soared to flabbergasted heights at the news just as a number of aspiring recording stars fumed. The main reaction was that Sharon, pretty daughter of long-time Pasay City Mayor Pablo Cuneta, was just another rich kid who gets what she wants. She now wants to sing. And she will, while others who have slaved through singing contests barrio fiesta after barrio fiesta, must wait for their turn.
That was cruel and fittingly, they all later ate crow. Thirty-eight years later, Sharon is still singing. This month, she is set to do Sharon, a two-night celebration of her stellar career at The Theatre of Solaire Resort & Casino at 8 p.m. on Oct. 15 and 22. Sharon later turned out to be a multi-media success, however, note that everything about that career happened because Sharon could sing.
Some people who never warmed up to her charms may still find things in Sharon to carp about. Perhaps her acting or her TV hosting or her weight, her politics, her tweets, etc., etc., but they have given up on finding fault with her singing. How could they when they themselves feel all warm and giggly whenever they hear a Sharon song.
That Vicor contract was just the beginning. It was discovered early on that Sharon was no wannabe. She could really sing. And not just sing. She had this simple, conversational tone that listeners instantly found appealing. She was no belting diva. She sounded like a friend, a sister or the pretty girl next-door singing about love songs and DJs and dreams.
It is no wonder that Sharon became the leading choice as interpreter of some of the country’s leading songwriters and Del Rosario got them to provide her only with their best. Because of this, it can be rightfully said that no one would be able
to write the history of Philippine popular music without at least a chapter or more dedicated to Sharon’s massive contribution to its development.
Her first big-seller Mr. DJ by Rey Valera got her off to an excellent start. The ensuing years would find her with more hits that are now considered classics, a number of them as themes of her blockbuster films. From Valera, Maging Sino Ka Man, Pangako Sa ‘yo, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako, Kahit Wala Ka Na, Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko. The esteemed George Canseco composed Langis At Tubig, Dear Heart, Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin for Sharon and she later got to record his Ngayon At Kailanman. Her association with Willy Cruz resulted in Bituing Walang Ningning, Sana’y Wala Ng Wakas, Pangarap Na Bituin, Sana’y Maghintay Ang Walang Hanggan, Init Sa Magdamag. From Louie Ocampo came Ikaw and Hagkan. Odette Quesada gave her
To Love Again. And many others. There have been times in the past when Sharon’s music took a backseat to her other commitments. That is easy to understand given that she turned out to be such a huge box-office draw that the media tagged her the Megastar. And in this sight-obsessed world of ours, singing always gets the backseat behind acting films. But I am glad that although the intervals maybe long, she always finds time to return to her singing.
Sharon has scaled the heights of stardom. Her celebrity is legendary. Yet, there are still times when I would find myself reacting with joy to a voice on the radio only to finding out soon after that it is a song I had heard many times before and that the singer is Sharon. I hope her gig at The Theatre will be the first of many more. She may have accomplished a lot by this time but I believe that it is when singing that she is always at her best.