Lea still has so much to give

How time flies! I can still remember when Lea Salonga was a little girl who wore her hair in pigtails, singing Tomorrow from the stage musical Annie. Thirty-five years later, she is still on top of her game and acknowledged as one of the finest performers in the business.

This year, Lea is celebrating her 35th year in the industry. According to the multi-awarded stage actress and singer, her passion, energy and excitement remain the same and she feels like she could go another 35 years, by which time she’ll be in her 70s. It won’t be a first: There are performers, like Tony Bennett, who is in his 80s and still touring. On the other hand, says Lea, there are also some who are only in their 60s and who are already exhibiting signs of decline. “I don’t know which one I’m going to be yet,” she says. “So the next 35 years, if I was to decide right now, if I was gonna keep going, absolutely.”

Right now, Lea is in her early 40s. Physically, she feels she still has so much to give. She could go on performing for years. But just because she feels that way doesn’t mean it will. It could still go either way. “I feel strong, I’m mentally fit. Vocally, I feel very strong also. But we don’t decide what happens in the future. It’s not completely up to me. So if I happen to be one of the lucky ones that keep going and going until the day that I die, that I would absolutely love. That ideally is how I would love to be; that’s the ideal scenario. But it’s not up to me.”

All she knows is that she has to be ready to take on every opportunity that comes her way. Agreeing to become a coach on the first season of The Voice of the Philippines was one of them. It brought Lea closer to the masa audience. It made her fanbase open up and made people see that she wasn’t good only for singing Broadway songs or doing musical theater. In short, it made her more relatable.

“I ended up on television, in front of millions and millions of people,” says Lea. “And I think it’s probably the biggest exposure that I had gotten as a performer…because of ABS-CBN and, of course, The Filipino Channel (TFC) extending out of the country. So it’s really been a wonderful experience, which also opens me up to repertoire and possibility because this is not just musical theater. And the cool thing about having done The Voice — I’m hearing so many different kinds of voices. That was just ridiculously fun.”

Lea confirms that yes, she’s interested in doing a second season of The Voice of the Philippines. But the first thing on her agenda before the year ends is Playlist, her 35th anniversary concert at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) now on its last night. The show is so-titled because the repertoire consists of songs that are on Lea’s personal playlist — meaning songs that she enjoys listening to.

People would actually be quite surprised to learn what this Broadway star listens to: Michael Jackson (his Off The Wall album is always on repeat; it’s either that or Thriller, said Lea), Fleetwood Mac, Sarah McLachlan and a peppering of Katy Perry, Adele and Amy Winehouse. “I’m a child of the ’80s and the late ’70s, so that’s the kind of music I listen to,” laughs Lea.

All Lea knows is that this concert is the start of even bigger and better things for her. It is her launch pad for the next 35 years. She has many plans; aside from the second season of The Voice of the Philippines, there is also the possibility of a movie with Aga Muhlach and an album.

Lea is excited for what is still to come. She considers herself blessed that she still gets to do what she loves to do. “If there is something special that comes my way, it’s hard to say no when it’s just so good that I can’t say no.” Indeed — and just to state the obvious — it is hard to stop someone as dynamic or as talented as Lea Salonga.