THE ESSENCE OF THE MEGASTAR
by Shirley Matias. Pizarro, Manila Bulletin, October 20, 2002

SINGAPORE ó We never denied the fact that Sharon Cuneta loomed largely in our horizon while growing up.

We grew up listening to her songs. Her music providing the soundtrack of our growing up years. Our coming of age adventures were punctuated by the movies that Sharon Cuneta made. Thereís no one in my generation who doesnít know the kind of roles (and her leading men) that this actress had tacked in her colorful career.

She became the icon of our times and true to form, the megastar was able to succeed in endearing her and all of her, to the public.

It has been 25 years but the megastarís magic is still being carefully cast over her legions of fans in and out of the Philippines. And we were a witness to this testament when we came with Sharon Cuneta in this Lion City where she was to launch her first international album under BMG Records over the weekend of Oct. 11-15.

Sharonís ìAll I Ever Wantî album, produced by the maestro, Mr. Ryan Cayabyab was launched here in its second leg of international promotions, the first being the Hong Kong leg early this year.

While Sharonís launch in Hong Kong coincided with a major concert she held at the Hong Kong Coliseum packing thousands of her avid followers there early this year, the Singapore leg, although characterized by a free showcase in front of the Ngee Ann City on Orchard Road, was no less in magnitude.

As early as 1 p.m., Sharonís Filipino fans were already milling around the area that Sunday of Oct. 13, positioning themselves for the great big event where they will get the chance to see their idol whose performance was set at 3 p.m.

BMG Singapore was selling copies of the record and it amazed them continually how these hardworking Filipinos had to line up to get a copy of the album, shriek at the opportunity to have Sharonís signature on it at the end of the show that afternoon, get a copy of the giveaway posters, and even a special edition copy of the Manila Bulletin Weekly, which was a Sharon Cuneta special.

This show was pre-arranged by BMG Records, Philippines and Singapore, and was sponsored by Forex Cargo and the Manila Bulletin Weekly, our very own tabloid magazine with a circulation that reaches Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East, Italy, etc.

We, along with BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. executives Narciso Chan and Vic Valenciano, Sharon's manager Sandra Chavez, technical expert Rene Cruz, Sharon's make up artist Fanny Serrano and his assistant Peachy Garcia, and Sharon's staff Nelson Espinosa and Penelope Chung, saw how the crowd at Ngee Ann City started to swell and how eagerly the people awaited Sharon's arrival to finally hear her sing and see her perform right in front of them.

Not minding the heat, the Filipinos stood in front of the stage, perspiring but with so much excitement and happiness on their faces and waiting patiently. To see them do this, with that haunting look on their faces was kind of a moving experience for us.

They came in droves, probably taking their precious day off from their work in this foreign land, just to spend it with somebody they truly idolize and love. And they were happy. Thatís why when Sharon Cuneta, the megastar, mounted the stage and started to sing and talk her way into the hearts of her audience, and then when we see her audience respond so lovingly and so blissfully to her, we thought of only one thing ó this is the real essence of Sharon Cuneta.