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If you have heard of Charice, you get plus points in my book. If you like her, we can be best friends! However, if you HAVEN’T heard of Charice, then I’m glad you’re reading this. For those who came to this site expecting a design-related post (as this is a design site after all), I promise you this IS design-related.
In a nutshell, Charice is a singing sensation from the Philippines. When she was 7 years old, she started joining small singing contests so they can have food on their table. She joined an estimated 80+ singing contests and won most of them. Then when she was fifteen, she was invited to sing on a Korean TV show and the video of that performance generated millions of hits until Ellen Degeneres called (watch the video of that powerful, jawdropping performance here). Charice flew to America for the first time to sing on Ellen and received the first two standing ovations of her life. THEN Oprah Winfrey called. Charice sang on Oprah, blew the roof off of Harpo studios, and Oprah was so impressed with Charice that when Charice was on a plane about to take off for the Philippines, Oprah actually STOPPED the plane to bring her back to her office. Charice, with Oprah’s help, has since sung or performed with Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, Michael Buble, and Josh Groban, among others. Charice has been on Oprah THREE times and a FOURTH appearance is coming up on Tuesday, MAY 11th (with current hot topic Justin Bieber), to release her self-titled international debut album. Not bad for a little barrio girl from a third-world country who used to sing for her supper!
If I were to show someone who has never heard of Charice just ONE video of her singing, this would be it. Please indulge me and watch. You’re still reading this, anyway. Charice was sixteen years old in this video (she’ll be eighteen by the time you read this– May 10th (tomorrow) is her birthday):
Those who know me in real life are probably as surprised as I was when I became a huge, huge fan of Charice last year. I have never in my life been a “fan” of any celebrity and a singer at that! I don’t even consider myself a music lover. So it was a huge surprise for me when I “discovered” Charice and got so “addicted” that I would spend the whole night and the whole day watching videos of her singing on YouTube. As in literally the entire day, I would be on YouTube watching Charice videos. The first few months into the “fandom”, I spent more time on YouTube than I have for all the years YouTube has been in existence. It was so unlike me. (Fortunately, I don’t go on YouTube as much anymore. The comments are so idiotic and also, I’ve run out of Charice vids to watch as I’ve watched them all)
How big of a fan am I, exactly? Well, I have all her music. Since July of last year I’ve watched all her new videos that come out on YouTube. I read all articles and news about her. I go to her concerts and gigs whenever I can. I’ve met her in person. I visit fan sites , chat with other fans, and I help out as moderator on one of her fan forums. My being a fan has actually come to the point where I MAKE FAN ART FOR HER.
See, I told you this was design-related.
Lying awake in bed the first night after I “discovered” her, incredulous from the realization that I, formerly a practical, sane, level-headed person, was turning into a fan(atic), I was thinking I wanted to help her by designing her official or fan-made website. I woke up the next day, went online, and saw she already had an official website manned by her record label (and well-designed at that) and dozens of other fan sites. So scratch that, let’s make fan art instead.
Making fan art is actually a great way for me to merge two of my interests together: Charice and design. It’s a chance to promote Charice, flex my design muscles, and have fun all at the same time.
This is my most recent Charice fan art (see my other fan art here). Charice appreciates it and told me she’s going to use it as her wallpaper. And you can, too.
Download 1440 x 900 | 1600 x 1200
Also watch the sped-up video of how I put this together.
Charice is an amazing artist and an awesome person to boot. You may already be hearing her song PYRAMID feat. Iyaz on the radio. If you haven’t yet (which cave are you living in?), you will soon. Her debut album comes out in stores and online on May 11th– same day as her Oprah guesting. She’ll also be on QVC on May 11th (8 pm), performing LIVE with her mentor, legendary music producer David Foster, so be sure to tune in and call in to order her CD.
For more of Charice, you can visit the following:
YouTube – http://youtube.com/user/charice
Myspace – http://www.myspace.com/charice
Twitter – http://twitter.com/officialcharice
Official website – http://charicemusic.com
Metro Manila and practically the whole of Luzon has been declared in state of calamity. The map on the right shows the HUGE flooded areas– there were flood waters everywhere. Among the hardest hit areas are Cainta in Rizal, Pasig, and Marikina. Most of the houses there have been completely submerged underwater with the residents clambering up to their roofs to wait out the floods. My family and I are lucky to be safe and dry as we live in an elevated area (in Parañaque) but some of my friends were not so lucky. Some have had their homes flooded in and they lost everything.
Initial sketches for a children’s book about a girl wishing for peace in Mindanao.
