Maria Teresa Magdalena Abellare Llamedo-Cruzata (born July 22, 1961), professionally known as Dulce (Tagalog pronunciation: [dʊlˈsɛ]), is a Filipino singer and actress.
Llamedo was born to a poor[2] family of musicians on July 22, 1961 in Villa Bulsita, a sitio of Barangay Bulacao in Pardo, Cebu City.[3] Her father, Leoncio, was a carpenter who played the double bass in the village band while her mother, Andrea, was a dress-maker who sang in their local chapel.[3][4][2] She is the sixth[2] of eight siblings having four sisters and three brothers.[3]
Among her first five siblings, Llamedo is the only one who completed her elementary education (she was able to send her two younger siblings up to college). However, due to financial problems, she couldn't enroll even in public schools for higher education.[2] She later attempted to finish high school through the Alternative Learning System.[5] She started singing at a very young age, joining her first amateur singing competition when she was just two years old.[3] When she was 10, she became a regular at a Saturday television show hosted by Justo Justo.[2][5] At 12, she was already performing at soda fountains in Cebu City.[3]
Career
In the early 1970s, she auditioned for Tawag ng Tanghalan but was initially rejected in her first attempt as she was still underaged.[6] When she finally got to enter the competition, she became a weekly and then monthly champion but failed to make it to the grand championship. After the competition, she stayed in Manila for five months, performing covers of songs by Shirley Bassey, among others, and had occasional stints in bars and restaurants around downtown Manila, Quezon City and Laguna.[3] She returned to Cebu with her mother but left and came back to Manila[4] at age 16[6] where she worked as a singer at a club-restaurant owned by a "controversial public official" who had abused her.[2] It was in this club-restaurant, however, where Llamedo was discovered by the composer George Canseco who was searching for a singer to sing his theme for the 1978 film Miss Dulce Amor, Ina starring Lorna Tolentino.[4] Considered to be her big break, from then on, Llamedo became known by her famous stage name Dulce.[1][4]
In 1979, Dulce recorded her most famous song Ako Ang Nasawi, Ako ang Nagwagi ("I Had Been Defeated, I Had Won").[7] The song was sent by its composer, Canseco, to compete at the Metropop Song Festival but lost. Later that year, Dulce was sent to Hong Kong to compete at the Asian Singing Competition using an English - translated version (adaptation, “I Am Not Crying Over You”) of the song as her performance piece. She, however, decided at the last minute to scrap the English translation and sing it in its original Tagalog form.[8] She won the grand prize of the competition and later recounted that her win was the event that changed her life.[8]
In the 1980s, there was an unofficial ban imposed on Dulce by several recording executives. During this time, she had joined the Philippine government's "Balik Saya" musical caravan singing theme songs of local movies in the United States and Canada. Recording executives, however, would block other deals she would make calling her "too rebellious".[2]
In 1987, Dulce placed first runner-up with Nonoy Tan’s entry “Langit - Kung Kaya Ko Kaya Mo Rin” at the ABU Popular Song Contest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[3] The following year, she won the Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Singing Competition where she sang Memory.[1] Dulce auditioned for the role of Gigi in Miss Saigon when the producers first came to Manila. She was, however, unable to proceed with the audition due to acute pharyngitis. When the production team came back in 1990, she auditioned again and was instructed to fly to New York City. In New York, Cameron Mackintosh reportedly told her that she was "over-qualified" for the small role that was open and that it would be a waste of talent.[9]Claude-Michel Schönberg is said to have commented that her voice "is like a Boeing 747 taking off".[4]
In 2003, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Aliw Awards.[1] That same year, she played Aling Saling in the first run of the musical Himala at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).[10] She returned to the musical theater stage in 2008 where she played Motormouth Maybelle in a local production of Hairspray also at the CCP.[11]
Her other monikers include "Asia's Diva", "Theme Song Queen", and "Timeless Diva".[12] She has since sung around 30 movie theme songs.[5]
Personal life
Dulce first lived with singer / actor Danny Cruz, with whom she had three children.[13] She is now married to Bernard Beltran Cruzata II, with whom she has two daughters, Jem and Abby.
^ abcdefgAzarcon-dela Cruz, Pennie (February 5, 2008). "After a life like a gritty telenovela, things just got sweeter of Dulce". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
^ abcdefgRed, Isagani (March 27, 1994). "The Have The Power". Manila Standard.
^ abcdeCorporal, Lynette (November 3, 1995). "Dulce with the PPO? And why not?". Manila Standard.
^ abcNewman, Jenara Regis (October 1, 2020). "Dulce: Diva with a Cebuano soul". Sunstar. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
^ abABS-CBN Entertainment (October 25, 2018). "The Bottomline: Dulce recalls the time she competed in "Tawag ng Tanghalan"". YouTube. from the original on December 21, 2019.
^ abABS-CBN (October 25, 2018). "The Bottomline: Dulce recounts the time she represented the country in the Asian Singing Competition". YouTube. from the original on February 29, 2020.
dulce, singer, this, philippine, name, married, women, birth, middle, name, maternal, family, name, abellare, birth, surname, paternal, family, name, llamedo, marital, name, cruzata, maria, teresa, magdalena, abellare, llamedo, cruzata, born, july, 1961, profe. In this Philippine name for married women the birth middle name or maternal family name is Abellare the birth surname or paternal family name is Llamedo and the marital name is Cruzata Maria Teresa Magdalena Abellare Llamedo Cruzata born July 22 1961 professionally known as Dulce Tagalog pronunciation dʊlˈsɛ is a Filipino singer and actress DulceDulce in December 2021 performing at the 90th anniversary of the Manila Metropolitan TheaterBackground informationBirth nameMaria Teresa Magdalena Abellare LlamedoAlso known asAsia s Timeless DivaBorn 1961 07 22 July 22 1961 age 61 1 Cebu City PhilippinesGenresPopOccupation s Singer actressYears active1975 present Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Filmography 4 1 Film 4 2 Television 5 ReferencesEarly life EditLlamedo was born to a poor 2 family of musicians on July 22 1961 in Villa Bulsita a sitio of Barangay Bulacao in Pardo Cebu City 3 Her father Leoncio was a carpenter who played the double bass in the village band while her mother Andrea was a dress maker who sang in their local chapel 3 4 2 She is the sixth 2 of eight siblings having four sisters and three brothers 3 Among her first five siblings Llamedo is the only one who completed her elementary education she was able to send her two younger siblings up to college However due to financial problems she couldn t enroll even in public schools for higher education 2 She later attempted to finish high school through the Alternative Learning System 5 She started singing at a very young age joining her first amateur singing competition when she was just two years old 3 When she was 10 she became a regular at a Saturday television show hosted by Justo Justo 2 5 At 12 she was already performing at soda fountains in Cebu City 3 Career EditIn the early 1970s she auditioned for Tawag ng Tanghalan but was initially rejected in her first attempt as she was still underaged 6 When she finally got to enter the competition she became a weekly and then monthly champion but failed to make it to the grand championship After the competition she stayed in Manila for five months performing covers of songs by Shirley Bassey among others and had occasional stints in bars and restaurants around downtown Manila Quezon City and Laguna 3 She returned to Cebu with her mother but left and came back to Manila 4 at age 16 6 where she worked as a singer at a club restaurant owned by a controversial public official who had abused her 2 It was in this club restaurant however where Llamedo was discovered by the composer George Canseco who was searching for a singer to sing his theme for the 1978 film Miss Dulce Amor Ina starring Lorna Tolentino 4 Considered to be her big break from then on Llamedo became known by her famous stage name Dulce 1 4 In 1979 Dulce recorded her most famous song Ako Ang Nasawi Ako ang Nagwagi I Had Been Defeated I Had Won 7 The song was sent by its composer Canseco to compete at the Metropop Song Festival but lost Later that year Dulce was sent to Hong Kong to compete at the Asian Singing Competition using an English translated version adaptation I Am Not Crying Over You of the song as her performance piece She however decided at the last minute to scrap the English translation and sing it in its original Tagalog form 8 She won the grand prize of the competition and later recounted that her win was the event that changed her life 8 In the 1980s there was an unofficial ban imposed on Dulce by several recording executives During this time she had joined the Philippine government s Balik Saya musical caravan singing theme songs of local movies in the United States and Canada Recording executives however would block other deals she would make calling her too rebellious 2 In 1987 Dulce placed first runner up with Nonoy Tan s entry Langit Kung Kaya Ko Kaya Mo Rin at the ABU Popular Song Contest in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 3 The following year she won the Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Singing Competition where she sang Memory 1 Dulce auditioned for the role of Gigi in Miss Saigon when the producers first came to Manila She was however unable to proceed with the audition due to acute pharyngitis When the production team came back in 1990 she auditioned again and was instructed to fly to New York City In New York Cameron Mackintosh reportedly told her that she was over qualified for the small role that was open and that it would be a waste of talent 9 Claude Michel Schonberg is said to have commented that her voice is like a Boeing 747 taking off 4 From 1991 to 2004 Dulce s rendition of Constancio de Guzman s Maalaala Mo Kaya served as the theme song of the television drama anthology of the same name In 2003 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Aliw Awards 1 That same year she played Aling Saling in the first run of the musical Himala at the Cultural Center of the Philippines CCP 10 She returned to the musical theater stage in 2008 where she played Motormouth Maybelle in a local production of Hairspray also at the CCP 11 Her other monikers include Asia s Diva Theme Song Queen and Timeless Diva 12 She has since sung around 30 movie theme songs 5 Personal life EditDulce first lived with singer actor Danny Cruz with whom she had three children 13 She is now married to Bernard Beltran Cruzata II with whom she has two daughters Jem and Abby Filmography EditFilm Edit Year Title Role Film Company2010 Emir Ester Film Development Council of the Philippines2017 Ang Larawan Donya Upeng Culturtain Musicat ProductionsTelevision Edit Year Title Role Network2010 2011 Juanita Banana Donya Digna Buenaventura ABS CBN2018 2021 Tawag ng Tanghalan sa It s Showtime JudgeReferences Edit a b c d Dulce Everything Cebu August 6 2011 a b c d e f g Azarcon dela Cruz Pennie February 5 2008 After a life like a gritty telenovela things just got sweeter of Dulce Philippine Daily Inquirer a b c d e f g Red Isagani March 27 1994 The Have The Power Manila Standard a b c d e Corporal Lynette November 3 1995 Dulce with the PPO And why not Manila Standard a b c Newman Jenara Regis October 1 2020 Dulce Diva with a Cebuano soul Sunstar Retrieved November 3 2021 a b ABS CBN Entertainment October 25 2018 The Bottomline Dulce recalls the time she competed in Tawag ng Tanghalan YouTube Archived from the original on December 21 2019 La Dulce vita The Philippine Star a b ABS CBN October 25 2018 The Bottomline Dulce recounts the time she represented the country in the Asian Singing Competition YouTube Archived from the original on February 29 2020 Lam Lulubelle December 25 1990 Bravo Dulce Manila Standard Torre Nestor November 21 2003 Viewfinder Philippine Daily Inquirer Dulce is cast in local version of Hair Spray PEP ph Retrieved October 29 2021 Dulce Timeless Diva The Philippine Star La Dulce Vita Or The Soundtrack of Dulce s Life The Philippine Star This article about a Filipino singer is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dulce singer amp oldid 1121611275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
