Kidsday talks with singer Charice

We interviewed singer Charice while she was in Manhattan recently. After our interview she sang a few songs for us including “Pyramid” and Justin Bieber’s “Baby.” Besides singing she plays guitar and drums.

How were you first discovered?

Just like Justin Bieber, I got discovered on YouTube when I was 13 and someone actually posted my video on YouTube when I was 12. I joined this contest back in the Philippines. It was pretty much like “American Idol,” but unfortunately I didn’t win, but he posted in online and I got discovered by Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. It’s all Internet and YouTube.
 
Do you write you own music?

Yes, I write my own music but right now I think I’m not ready to send it to David Foster, he’s like a legendary song writer. But there’s one song in the album, which I co-wrote and there’s like a part there I changed the lyrics to “Tagalog,” which our language. I did that for the Filipinos so that they could actually understand it.
 
Do you get nervous while you’re on stage performing?

Always. But when I’m actually starting like singing, it’s — I’m always focused on the song and to all the people who’s are watching, but before I perform and right after I perform like I’m always nervous. And the only way I could get out of that nervous is like play around. It’s very important that I have like a play-station in my hand before a performance. That’s really the way. But when I start singing it’s like all focus on the song.
 
How was it like to perform in the movie “Alvin and the Chipmunk’s: The Squeakquel”?

It was really fun because that was the first movie that I’ve ever been in. It was the first story about the audition kids. I did the Beyonce songs, “Replaceable” and “Listen.” And they asked me do you have other talents and I told them that I could imitate chipmunks and they’re were like oh, yeah, can you give us a sample. Hello, I’m Simon etc. And they were like flipping out. I think that was one of the reasons I made the movie, I was a rival singer and I got a chance to meet the chipmunks, the animate one. It was fun.
 
How did you spend your 18th birthday?

I spent here in New York. We were in our penthouse in our hotel and we just celebrated, just a simple party with my close friends, my family, David Foster was there. I just went on line blogged TV for my fans, it was really fun. It was just like a small party.

Who else would you like to work with you on another song?

I’m hoping and I’m looking forward to work with Justin Timberlake or Beyonce, Lady Gaga, or Justin Bieber. I met Justin on the Oprah Winfrey show, he was really nice.
 
What was your first reaction finding out that you got 40 million hits on YouTube?

I didn’t know that. They just emailed me like three days ago. All in all, all my videos and all that on YouTube is a 100 million hits already. It’s like that came along so far, it was like my friend posted my video on YouTube it was like a million. All in all it’s like a million hits, hundred million hits. It’s just amazing. I just found out on Oprah when Oprah told me that my videos are like 40 million, I was like oh, man. That’s really a lot and I hope a lot of people will get a chance to see my videos and count more views.
 
Do you enjoy making music videos?

Yes. Especially when I did a music video for “Pyramid.” It was two months ago with Iyaz. That was the first time I met Iyaz. Iyaz was so funny, so sweet and very comfortable to work with. I did two music videos in the Philippines like two years ago and got that two months ago and that was like the best experience. Iyaz was amazing.
 
Do you live in America or the Philippines?

I still live in the Philippines right now but I mostly stay in LA. I travel a lot. I stay here a week, and stay in LA. I travel a lot. I still live in the Philippines.
 
Do you like all the attention of being famous?
 
Right now I’m not really that big, like Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, or Beyonce, but right now where I am right now I think I’m loving it. All my fans are so amazing and all my new fans are like Tweeting me. It feels so amazing and sometimes, especially the Filipino’s every time I perform they’re always there. I’m loving it and I hope that a lot of people will get to recognize me sooner or later.
 
What is the first song you ever wrote?

It’s actually not part of my album, but I started writing my own songs when I was around 12 to 13, but the first song that I wrote, it’s still on my laptop, but the first song that I had published, it’s on my album, that’s the first song that I really co-wrote that it’s been out for like world-wide, but the first song it was not really - I was just making fun of it.
 
Did anyone inspire you to become a musician?
 
My mom use to be a vocalist in a band. She’s the one who discovered me when I was 4 years old. That’s why I use to sing Whitney’s songs and Celine Dion songs because she was singing that song before. I’m really happy that this album that I actually launched two days ago on Oprah, is actually my first pop album. I’m really happy and I like it more because I’m 18. I just turned 18 two days ago. I like it more because these songs are really for me. But my Mom she’s the one.
 
Do you also play any instruments?
 
I play guitar. Not really that perfect. I play drums too. I play a little bit of piano. I think if you could ask what instrument I really, really play. I think it’s guitar. That’s number 1. The other ones is just playing around.
 
What is your favorite store to shop in?
 
Nike. I love collecting shoes, Nike’s, Sketchers, BeBe, I think that’s the perfect one for me, Guess and Converse.
 
What is your favorite song of all time?
 
“Halo,” Beyonce. Every time I hear that song, it’s like that’s a real inspirational song. I love that song.
 
Do you still get to hang out with your friends?
 
Yes, when I’m in the Philippines. Next week I’m going to be in the Philippines and they’re already waiting for me. When I’m here in the United States we’re always talking on line, chatting and we love to do that, but when I’m in the Philippines we still get a time to bond.
 
Besides singing what are some of your hobbies?
 
I love to dance and my idols are Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jackson. They’re like my inspirational when it comes to dance. Right after “Alvin and the Chipmunks” I got interested in acting, but I want to try a horror film. I just thought it’s pretty cool. And my other hobbies, I love collecting some things like sports car (just a toy not the real one) I love collecting Apple products, I love collecting stuff toys.
 
Describe what it was like to meet Oprah on her show.
 
Oprah is like my fairy godmother. I gave her this dream journal. I drew all my fantasies inside of it when I was 12 and I sent it to her. On the first page was me and Andrea Bocelli and she made it come true. And the second page was me and Celine Dion and she made it come true. The Madison Square Garden. And the third page was me and Whitney and I met her and the fourth page was me and Mariah and she made it come true. But I think the last page was really inspirational. I made it come true for my family. Last year, Mother’s Day, and I gave my Mom and house and a car in the Philippines and for me she’s like a fairly godmother for me. She’s really, really nice. She’s a real good person.
 
What is the song “Pyramid” about?
 
It’s actually pretty cool that you’re comparing a love to a pyramid. It’s like when you’re going to see the titles like “Pyramid,” what’s that song about. The title is going to pull you to listen to the whole song. Because you want to find out what’s the meaning of that. It’s kind of interesting that especially the part, earthquakes can shake, it’s just amazing words that and I’m really, really happy and really amazed by the songwriters who did that. When I first heard that song, I was like this is pretty cool, Pyramid is the title, what’s the song about it’s kind of weird. When I heard the music and all the words, it’s amazing. I can really relate to it that, like my love to my family, no one could destroy it. It’s like really strong like a pyramid. You can dedicate it not only for the lovers, you can dedicate it to your family, your friends and all that.