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Top 10 Amazing facts about Lea Salonga

Lea Salonga, whose career began in the Philippines, is Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga. She is well-known throughout the world. She is a Filipina icon with several historic accomplishments under her belt, like being the first Asian actress to receive a renowned theatrical award and being admitted into Walt Disney’s Hall of Fame, in addition, to enchanting the world with her crystal-clear voice.

Lea Salonga has several things of which to be proud of. Here are 10 amazing Lea Salonga facts that will make you admire the multifaceted diva, from her accomplishments in musical theatre to her commitment to Filipino culture.

1. She is famous for her Pure, rich and creamy vocals

Most famous singers in the Philippines are known for their birits. However, Salonga is phenomenal for the control of her pure and rich vocal range. For instance, in her rendition of Reflection which she sang for Disney’s Mulan critics noted that she knows how to navigate high notes and at the same time balance her head voice and chest register.

She is also an expert in controlling her vibrato. She discovered that she could use this singing technique when she was just 12 years old. The vibrato is characterized by a slight variation in tone, volume and pitch.

2. She was just 18 years when she performed in Miss Saigon

Lea Salonga was only 18 years old when she took on the role of Kim in Miss Saigon which was a musical. The artist admits that at that time she was not ready to fly to the United Kingdom all by herself as she was not in any rush to gain independence from her family.

Therefore, when she was asked if she would travel on her own, she suggested that her mother travel with her. Since the creators of the show found Lea so special, they agreed to facilitate travel for both her and her mother.

3. She is a big fan of the K-pop group BTS

K-pop has grown exponentially in the past years and has received international recognition. Lea Salonga has not been left out of it in that her online followers are well versed in her admiration for the K-pop group known as BTS.

She admires Jungkook who is a member of the group for his dedication to every performance that they have. The artist also mentioned that Kim Tae-Hyung is the most beautiful human on the planet. It is interesting to see her fangirl over the group as she is also a talented artist herself. This shows that she appreciates other artists in the music industry.

4. She starred in a movie known as Yellow Rose

The artist returned to the screens in 2019 when she starred in a film known as Yellow Rose which featured a Filipina teen in small Texas that had dreams of becoming a country music singer and performer.

Salonga says that she had fun making that movie but it was quick and therefore, she did not have a lot of time. The shoot took two days. She further shared that they improvised a lot of things and she was not sure how the film would turn out.

5. She is the first theatre actress of Asian descent to win a Tony award

The Artist’s rise to fame started when she won a Tony Award in 1991 for playing the key role in Miss Saigon. Winning this award made history in that she was the first actress of Asian descent to win this award for Broadway theatre performers.

In Miss Saigon, Lea played the character Kim who was a Vietnamese woman who fell in love with a United States soldier during the Vietnam war. Her performance was exceptional and she won praise from the New York Times reviewer Frank Rich. The reviewer described her as the actress who keeps sentimentality at bay by revealing the steely determination that is behind her gorgeous voice.

6. She is a Disney legend

The singer was recognized as a Disney Legend in 2011 as she sang for two Disney leading ladies. She first sang A Whole New World with Brad Kane for Princess Jasmine in the animated film Alladin. The song was written by Tim Rice and Alan Menken who are also Disney legends and it won a Golden Globe and an Oscar.

Furthermore, she lent her voice again for a lead character in 1998 by singing Reflection for the character of Fa Mulan in the animated film Mulan. The song was written by David Zippel and Mathew Wilder and it was nominated for the Golden Globe Awards in 1999 for the best original song.

7. She has performed for notable people

Lea Salonga has performed in front of several government officials like Hillary Clinton who went on to become her friend. This shows that she is talented and is also confident in her abilities and gifts that she can perform for dignitaries.

8. She is the first Asian to depict Esponine and Fantine in Les Miserables

The artist is notable for having a career that is filled with historical firsts. This is because she is the first Asian to portray the characters of Fantine and Esponine in Les Miserables. Les Miserables is one of the popular musicals in the theatrical field and it is based on a novel written by Victor Hugo.

9. She is a versatile actress

The actress is known for her usual tragic roles but in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street which is a musical, the actress proved she could play the role of a villain just as well and thus proving her versatility as an actress. In the musical, she played the character Mrs Nellie Lovett who was a baker who turned the corpses of Sweeney Todd’s victims into meat pies.

10. Her favourite lead man is fellow actor Aga Mulach

The actress was asked in an interview who her favourite leading man was and she answered Aga Mulach. She had co-stared with him in previous movies like Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal which was released in 1992 and Sana Maulit Muli in 1995.