"Child-like," the man behind Mr. DJ describes Ma'am Mega. "On TV she looks so glamorous and sophisticated, but she is actually the same 12-year-old kid I first met at the Sunshine office in 1978." The voice on the other end of the line, reflective yet unassuming, invokes a particularly memorable moment with Miss Mega. A guest in TSCS, he was set to do a duet with the Megastar. They were standing on their respective spots, waitng for the cue from the floor director. On the TV monitor, a foot away from the camera's range, a stream of commercials blared silently. As the lights were dimmed, as the floor director started his countdown, as the crowds in the gallery readied themselves for another OPM medley, Miss Mega - perfumed, bejeweled and dressed to the nines - whispered something unforgettable to the simple-looking BulakeÒo beside her: "Minsan, naniniwala ako na may suwerte tayong dalawaÖ." Tayong Dalawa in fact was one of the songs included in the Sharon Sings Valera album, a compilation that also served as the Megastar's tribute to the man behind her very first big hit, Mr.DJ, Rey Valera. The element of destiny is a recurring motif in the symphony that is the Valera-Cuneta partnership. "Every time our paths would cross, may dumarating na suwerte." Tayong Dalawa, was but one of the Valera songs turned movies (like Kahit Wala Ka Na, Maging Sino Ka Man, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako) that proved to be career highs for Miss Mega. And the duo's lucky streak started 18 summers ago... Valera, then a producer with Vicor Sunshine records, was assigned by his boss Tito Sotto to write a song for twelve year old newcomer Sharon Cuneta. Valera's initial reaction was far from euphoric. "Ang hirap gumawa ng kanta para sa isang bata," Valera now recalls. "Parang alanganin. Hindi puwedeng love song, dahil awkward. On his way home from the office, while ridding a beat-up jeepney bound for Bulacan (a.k.a. the Cradle of Tagalog Poets), the young songwriter racked his brains for a sweet inspiration. "Our goal then was to introduce this new singer to the public, the DJ's. "How best to do that?" I asked myself: what kind of song would DJ's play repeatedly....?" Why not a song that pays them homage ? Why not indeed ? Thus, Mr. DJ was born in the jeepney. "Ang melody at concept ng Mr. DJ nabuo sa jeep." Bells failed to ring, when the jeepney song was presented to the twelve-year-old daughter of Pasay City Mayor Pablo Cuneta. "I don't think she liked it then," Valera says in hindsight. "Mukhang hindi niya masyadong type. Maybe because it was my first time to work with her. Maybe because it was in Taglish. Unlike her very first single, "Tawag Ng Pag-ibig" which was in straight Tagalog. Maybe because mali mali ang English ko. Sa isip ko: baka kasi anak mayaman, spoiled. Mukhang ayaw kantahin." But when Valera presented a demo to his Boss and Sharon's Uncle Tito, the future Senator was optimistic, to say the least. "Mina raw ng ginto," Valera relates. "At that time, I didn't know what he meant. Noon, hindi ko masyadong iniisip ang magiging impact ng Mr. DJ sa aming dalawa ni Sharon." How surprised was Valera when Mr. DJ, the humble ditty conceived in a jeepney, became a chart sensation. And the rest, as they say, was his and her story. "Laging sinasabi ni Sharon na malaki ang utang na loob n'ya sa akin," Valera volunteers. "Actually malaki rin ang utang na loob ko kay Sharon. Dahil sa Mr. DJ nakilala rin ako, hindi lang bilang isang songwriter, but also as a singer...." The follow-up of Mr.DJ was another Valera classic: Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko. Which was inspired by the Beatles song, When I'm 64, Valera relates. Valera and Cuneta lost touch for a while. When again they crossed paths, Sharon was already a teener being built up as next big star by Viva films. "She recorded my song, Sinasamba Kita....'" Valera again drifted away from the scene. "Although I was no longer that active, I was still watching Sharon." From the sidelines, he watched his "Baby" grow up, fall in love, get married, get hurt. "When she got separated from Gabby, I wrote a song for her: Kahit Wala Ka Na," Valera reveals. "She was her at lowest - not only career-wise but also as far as her personal life was concerned. That was why I wanted to tell her: 'huwag kang mawalan ng pag-asa.'" More than hit song or movie. Kahit Wala Ka Na was Sharon's "musical declaration of independence" from pain and sorrow: "Itatayo ako ng panahon...." Then came Maging Sino Ka Man, a Mega-Hit in the charts and at the box office. "Since Maging Sino Ka Man was such a big success, Viva wanted the follow-up to be just as good," Valera says. "I believe it was (producer) Baby Gil's idea for Sharon to record all my songs in one album: Sharon Sings Valera." The album, Valera is thankful, introduced him to a new generation of music lover's. "When I recorded those songs in 1978, most of today's teenagers were still in diapers. It makes me feel proud." "Ewan ko," Valera is insistent. "Mas gusto ko 'yung dati niyang approach." He was assessing Miss Mega's development as a singer. "Ngayon she's very sophisticated and polished, technically," he explains. "Pero mas gusto ko pa rin iyong dati niyang style: delicate, sensitive, may feeling, may sense of longing. I guess it's because she's no longer gutom. She's now very happy, content. Unlike at the time she recorded Kahit Wala Ka Na, you could really feel the intensity, the pain." He fears that his baby has become far to succesful (therefore: unreachable) for his humble self. "Mahirap na siyang abutin," Valera says sheepishly. No, he is not jealous of his protegee's progress. He's just being realistic. "Kumbaga pagpinadalhan ko siya ng pichi-pichi, na paborito niya, kailangan itong dumaan sa limang sekretarya.`Tapos `yong 'Thank You' niya dadaan din sa limang levels...." He waxes poetic. "I understand. Alam ko namang may sarili na siyang buhay. Saka kahit kailan naman hindi ko siya iniisipang utangan." He roars. Of course, this was again a source of inspiration for Valera: FM Ka, AM Ako, Rey and Sharon eventually recorded as a duet and was even included as a latter's Sharon's Sings Duets album. Although she's very FM, Miss Mega's mas appeal is undeniable. Although she's a Megastar, she seems approachable. Although she's a rich man's daughter, she appeals to wide cross-section of the populace. Valera tries to explain Mega-Paradox: "Sa kanyang pananalita, sa kanyang mga kilos, mababang loob si Sharon. Hindi siya nang-i-isnab porke't hindi ka mayaman. Kung meron man siyang kayamanan hindi kailangang ipagyabang." "The real Sharon?" he asks, seemingly ready with an arsenal of anecdotes. "'Yan ang gusto kong malaman n'yo," he says in mock seriousness. "Yung Sharon sa TV hindi siya `yon" "Child-like," the man behind "Mr.DJ" describes Ma'am Mega. "On TV she looks so demure and sophisticated, but she is basically the same 12-year-old kid I met at the Sunshine office. Nagbago lang sa height, saka minsan mataba ng konti," he chukles. "In terms of ugali, pareho pa rin. Which I think is good. Na meron pa rin siyang innocence within her. Pragmatic din siya, pero hindi niya ginagamit para manggulang ng ibang tao. Ginagamit na lang niya para huwag siyang magulangan." Though his first impression of Miss Mega was that of a pampered princess, he soon realized that his "Baby" was a gifted singer - a fellow artist. "Lumawak na ang experience niya," Valera remarks. "Lumalim ang perception niya sa buhay." Just watching from the sidelines, he has noticed remarkable changes in the DJ's Pet. His baby is all grown up.... "Hindi na siya nagpapadala sa emotions. Marunong ng pumili," he laughs. "Tell her, aprub ako kay Kiko!"