June 25, 2010. As millions of fans worldwide light a candle in memory of Michael Jackson even as a small but rather vocal group continues to pan the late pop superstar—including, sadly, media practitioners themselves—there are those that have chosen to forget all the nastiness and focus, instead, on his enduring gift of music and magic.
Among 25 pop stars that participated in the little over six-minute long video tribute posted as early as June 22 on Billboard.com, our very own Asian breakthrough star, Charice Pempengco shared, "When I was 6 years old, like 5 or 6, that was the first time I saw Michael Jackson. To be serious, I mean, when I was, like, that age I thought about just being a dancer because of him.”
Charice is appears in the video tribute alongside American pop artists such as Christina Aguilera, Jason Derulo, Hanson, Jewel, Nelly, Lil Jon, the Jonas Brothers and many others.
But perhaps one of Charice’s most cherished memories of Michael Jackson, which the young star shared on “TV Patrol” in June last year, was not just dancing to his songs as a youngster but, fast forward to sometime recently (before Jackson had died, of course), being approached by Jackson’s lawyer at a Warner Bros. party to ask her to be one of his guests in his concerts.
According to the report, Charice shared that she learned Jackson saw her on “Oprah” but it was her YouTube performance of the moonwalk that had Jackson exclaiming, “I want this kid.” Charice then revealed what would have been a coup for any performer ever—a duet/dance off with the King of Pop on “Billie Jean.”
Jackson famously only performs “Billie Jean” in his concerts and even in TV appearances alone, so this revelation is stunning in itself. And while the truth to this remains a mystery now that the music icon is gone, Charice nevertheless continues to pay homage to one of her idols by giving him a great tribute on stage.
During her first major concert back in the country on June 27 at the SMX Convention Hall, Charice reportedly broke out her own rendition of “Billie Jean” complete the moonwalk, the spin and the jacket spread, and almost doing a crotch grab!
In an Associated Press article published in May this year, David Foster —Charice’s mentor and also her godfather— likened the young star to Jackson in terms of her dedication to her career.
Foster told AP: "Being a great singer is not enough, and she has the entire package.” And talking about Charice, he continued, "She's a little bit like Michael Jackson in the head...Michael Jackson was very soft-spoken and quiet and all that, but he was genius inside his head. He knew exactly where he was going, and she truly is the master of her own destiny."
Charice has launched her self-titled international debut album at on "Oprah," and it has spawned for her the hit single “Pyramid.” While her management is still deciding on her second single, it has been announced last June 22 that Charice is indeed joining the cast of the massive hit show, “Glee.”
ANNIE S. ALEJO
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