The summer that changed Roxanne

It’s so easy to be won over by young Filipina-Australian singer Roxanne Castro’s winning ways. Her resumé alone is quite impressive – six pages long and spanning over a decade of training and actual hands-on experience in the performing arts.

And to think the gal is just 22 years young!

She has been joining and winning dozens of singing competitions even before her family migrated to Sydney when she was nine. "When I trained at the Center for Pop Music (in Manila), they fielded me in numerous contests," Roxanne recalls.

The first song she had ever sung by heart was Whitney Houston’s soaring ballad, The Greatest Love of All. But her first winning piece ever was the Sound of Music showstopper Climb Every Mountain. "As a kid, I would sing songs that required me to belt," Roxanne remembers. "Songs like Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Superwoman. I think I had a very mature voice even as a kid."

Music is her first love – the most enduring passion in her life. "I’ve always loved singing," she shares. "My parents and auntie would always catch me singing in front of the TV set, imitating the stars I idolized."

Roxanne admires Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys. Among local performers, Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano and Zsazsa Padilla top her list.

Roxanne describes her own style as "pretty flexible". She has a diverse set of musical influences. "Really mixed," she explains. "I just mix it all in and come up with my own style. I enjoy singing ballads and dance tunes." Her goal is to be an all-around, versatile performer like Jennifer Lopez.

In fact, she took jazz and funk dance lessons with the revered Powerdance during one of her many vacations in Manila.

Every time she goes home to Manila for a vacation, she either takes additional classes in performing or joins more singing competitions.

On one of her summer vacations (summer in Australia falls in December), her life was changed irrevocably. "It was supposed to be just a holiday," she looks back. All she wanted was to spend Christmas with relatives in Quezon City.

Her relatives, however, had other plans and convinced her to join the old IBC 13/Viva Records talent search, Star for a Night. "We thought it was just a one-night gig," she says.

Unknown to them, it was a long-term commitment – especially since she emerged as the first weekly winner in the same competition that produced the likes of Sarah Geronimo and Mark Bautista. "I didn’t expect to win," Roxanne reminisces. "It’s because I did the J. Lo song, Play. It was a fast song and most of the contestants sang ballads, Pang-birit talaga."

Was she surprised when she made it to the weekly and the semi-finals? Was she stunned when she inevitably joined Sarah and Mark as one of the grand finalists?

Because of Star for a Night, Roxanne put her studies (Music and Arts at University of New South Wales) on hold. Although she didn’t bag the top prize at the contest, she remained fond of her batchmates.

In fact, she is extremely happy for the success of Sarah and Mark. "I was so thrilled when I started seeing them on ABS-CBN," Roxanne exclaims. "It’s because we have TFC (The Filipino Channel) in Australia. And I used to watch them on A.S.A.P. and Sarah the Teen Princess."

When she watched A.S.A.P in the studio, Mark was the first to greet and welcome her. She smiles: "He then took me to Sarah’s dressing room," where they had a mini-reunion. Little did she know she will soon join Sarah and Mark in the Kapamilya Network.

When they moved to Australia, she persisted in joining contests. "I would compete even in contests held in malls," she volunteers. "And I would win because I always stood out. I was so young and yet I was singing Whitney Houston songs."

Roxanne continues her winning streak as a grownup. Just last December, she bested 19 other competitors in the 2004 Search for a Star Records Recording Artist, held in Canley Vale, New South Wales, Australia. She charmed the jurors, led by Annabelle Regalado of Star Records, Billy Ick of ABS-CBN Australia, and Dr. Mars Cavestany of FILIPINAS-PETALS, with her double whammy: Looking Through the Eyes of Love and Ngayon.

Part of her prize is the chance to be a Star Records contract artist. In fact, she has already recorded a revival of the Zsa Zsa Padilla love song, Minsan Pa. It will be included in the upcoming compilation CD, Pinoy Champs, which will feature other Kapamilya winners Erik Santos, Sheryn Regis, Frenchie Dy, Divo, among others.

Roxanne can’t contain her excitement over this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"It’s a dream come true," Roxanne raves.