Lani Misalucha

Lani Misalucha
Lani Misalucha performing in Taguig City
Background information
Also known as	Asia's Nightingale, The Siren of the Strip
Born	(1969-08-03) August 3, 1969
Origin	Manila, Philippines
Genres	OPM, Pinoy rock, jazz, classical
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Alpha (1997) Viva (1999 – 2005) Universal Records (2006-present)
Notable instruments
Vocals

Lani Misalucha (born August 3, 1969 in Manila, Philippines) is a singer from the Philippines currently performing in the United States where she also resides. She holds shows at the Flamingo Las Vegas with the Hawaiian variety troupe Society of Seven - SOS. She performs pop, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, and operatic arias.

Since arriving in Las Vegas in 2004, Misalucha has been called "New Siren of the Strip." ^[1][2][3][4] In March 2008, Misalucha was voted "Best Singer" (staff pick) in the "27th Annual Best of Las Vegas" poll by the Las Vegas Review Journal. Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman declared December 4 "Lani Misalucha Day".^[5][6]

Biography

Lani Misalucha was born into a musical family.^[7] Her father Benjamin Bayot had been an operatic tenor, her mother Esperanza Dimalanta was a coloratura soprano, sister May is a band vocalist, sister Karlyn is an actress (Munting Paraiso) who also plays violin and flute, while brothers Novi and Osi play guitar and piano. She was tutored in classical vocals by her parents.^[8][9]

Misalucha acquired her basic education from Rafael Palma Elementary School and PCU Union High School. At age 20, she sang with the Andres Bonifacio Choir of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She eventually joined various bands as a vocalist or back-up singer, beginning with the group "Prelude" and later the group "Law of Gravity" whose bandleader Bodjie Dasig gave Misalucha her first single, entitled "More than I Should" (1993).^[10] She also recorded "Sakayan ng Jeep," Bodjie Dasig's ballad. Misalucha later worked around the lounge circuits as a soloist and lend her voice to numerous commercial jingles and karaoke tapes, thus earning her the epithet, "Multiplex Queen." ^[8][9][11]

After Misalucha obtained her degree in Business Management from the Philippine Christian University, she married Noli Misalucha (gave birth to two children, Lian and Louven.

Misalucha is a member os for the benefit of Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans.

Health

In an interview with on GMA Network on January 5, 2008, Misalucha stated that she was set to undergo surgery on an ovarian cyst (2.5 cm. now enlarged to 7.1 cm.) scheduled for February 2008.^[12]

Career

Misalucha sang the song "Ang Iibigin ay Ikaw" (written by Jimmy Borja) which was a finalist at the MetroPop Song Festival and later received the Awit Award for Record of the Year. She recorded an album "More than I Should" (Alpha Records) with carrier single of the same title written by Bodjie Dasig in 1993. The album included Misalucha's cover of Fifth Dimension's "Somebody Warm Like Me" . The entire album earned 12 Katha Award nominations in 1997.

In 1998, Misalucha won the Minuro Endo Best Interpreter/Singer Award at the 3rd Asian Song Festival. Her piece entitled "Handle with Care" (written by Gideon Jungee Marcelo) won silver in the Best Original Song category.

In 1999, Misalucha moved to Viva Records and her album, with carrier single "Tunay na Mahal" (written by Freddie Saturno), made the charts and turned gold, later receiving the Awit Award for Best Ballad Recording, Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist, and Katha Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Her cover of the 1966 song, "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" topped the Philippine charts in the same year.

Misalucha's interpretation of "Can't Stop Loving You" (written by Dodjie Simon) finally won for her the Grand Prize at the 1999 Metropop Song Festival. She was tapped to play the lead role of Sita in the S.K. Productions musical play entitled Rama at Sita. In 1999, Misalucha also received Artist of the Year Award, Aliw Award for Best Lounge Act, Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist, and Awit Award Nomination for Best Stage Actress.

In 2000, Misalucha released the album All Heart, a collection of love songs with the carrier single "One More Time" (written by Simon). The album also included songs written by some of the Philippines' contemporary composers such as Vehnee Saturno ("Ang Lahat Ng Ito Ay Para Sa Iyo"), Jimmy Borja ("Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin") and Trina Belamide ("Save This Heart").

She became a semi-regular host in the Sunday noontime show SOP (Sobrang Okey Pare) in 2001. Her first major solo concert in September 2001 at the Araneta Coliseum entitled, "Lani Misalucha, The Crossover Live Tour" and was repeated at the Cultural Center of Philippines.^[13] These concerts received the Aliw Award for Best Major Concert by a Female Artist and the Tinig Award for Best Solo Performer. Her Crossover Live Concert album received the Platinum Award.

In 2002, Misalucha continued to hold concerts in Cebu, Bacolod, Baguio, Clark (Angeles), and Davao, as well as at OnStage Greenbelt, Makati City. Misalucha then held a US concert tour, performing in Reno, San Diego, Washington, Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Atlantic City, Pasadena, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. of San Francisco declared August 17 "Lani Misalucha Day"^{[citation needed]}

Misalucha received the Aliw Award for Best Female Performance in Music Lounges, Bars, Clubs & Restaurants for consecutive years, 1999-2002. In 2002, she received Aliw "Entertainer of the Year." In addition, she won two Katha awards—Best Folk Song Vocal Performance and Best Traditional Song Vocal Performance for "Kasal Sa Kaluluwa" (2002).

Misalucha released her fourth studio album entitled, Loving You in June 2003 with the singles "Tila" (written by Liza Diy) and "Malaya Ka Na" (written by Jimmy Antiporda). In November of the same year, she began a TV show entitled Celebrity Turns with actor-comedian Michael V.

In 2004, Misalucha subordinated and her family relocated to the United States.^[14]

Misalucha became the first Asian to headline in a Main Showroom of the Las Vegas Strip,^[15] performing with Hawaii's Society of Seven at the Jubilee Theatre of Bally's. Her stint at Bally's ran for 15 months from August 7, 2004 to February 5, 2006, after which she and the Society of Seven moved to the Main Showroom of the Flamingo from August 2006 to April 13, 2008.

In late October 2006, Misalucha released a self-titled album under Universal Records, a cover album. The album reached gold record and platinum status in the Philippines within months.^[16]

Misalucha re-appeared a few times on Philippine television starting on February 17, 2007 in the Sunday afternoon show "ASAP" of ABS-CBN (The Filipino Channel) promoting her one-night homecoming concert entitled "Missing You" scheduled for March 17, 2007.

In the latter part of May 2007, record label Viva re-released "Lani Misalucha Live Vol. 1 and 2". The two-volume recording contains previously released material mostly from her Crossover Live Tour albums with various live performances from different albums within the Viva catalogue where she had appeared.

Misalucha is the voice behind the version of Gary Valenciano's "Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?," theme song of the ABS-CBN television soap opera that goes by the same title.

At the 20th Awit Awards, her rendition of "I Live For Your Love" received Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist.^[17]

Lani Misalucha was voted staff pick as Best Singer in the 27th Annual Best of Las Vegas poll.^[18]

In November 2008, Universal Records released a Christmas CD titled "The Gift of Christmas". The album comes with a Bonus CD featuring the Minus-One of the entire album.

Filmography

Television

• Gandang Gabi Vice herself Guest (ABS-CBN,2013) Herself
• Showtime herself special guest (ABS-CBN,2013)
• A.S.A.P. (semi-regular)
• SOP Rules (1997–2006)
• Talentadong Pinoy
• 5 Star Specials
• P.O.5

Discography

Studio albums

• More Than I Should (1997, Alpha)
• Tunay Na Mahal (True Love) (1999, Viva)
• All Heart (2001, Viva)
• Loving You (2003)
• Lani Misalucha (album)|Lani Misalucha (2006, Universal)
• Reminisce (2008, Universal)
• The Gift of Christmas (2008, Universal)

Live albums

• Love Concert - Vol. 1 and 2 (2001)
• Crossover Live Tour - Vol. 1 and 2 (2001)
• The Best of Crossover Presents (2003)
• Lani Misalucha Live Vol. 1 and 2 (2007, Viva)

Compilation albums

• Greatest Hits (2005)
• Silver Series (2006)
• 18 Greatest Hits (2009)

See also

• Regine Velasquez
• Jaya
• Pops Fernandez
• Zsazsa Padilla
• Kuh Ledesma
• Janno Gibbs
• Ogie Alcasid
• Gary Valenciano
• Martin Nievera
• Ariel Rivera

References

External links

• Lani Misalucha - Official Website