Focus on the Philippines: Lea Salonga honoured as Entertainer of the Year and more

Plus: Blind Filipino sings her way to final of France’s Got Talent; Gary Valenciano releases 27th album; Alex Calleja voted into final of Funniest Person in the World.

Courtesy ABS-CBN

Singer and actress Lea Salonga won the Entertainer of the Year award at this year’s Aliw Awards, considered one of the most prestigious music prizes in the Philippines.

Salonga, 45, catapulted into international fame at age 18, when she played the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, first in London's West End and then in New York's Broadway. She has since released 10 studio albums, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. She has also appeared in over 30 films and television programmes, including providing the singing voices of Jasmine in Aladdin (1992) and Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998).

Salonga recently starred in the Broadway production of Allegiance and currently appears as a celebrity coach on the reality singing competitions The Voice of the Philippines and The Voice Kids Philippines.

Other major winners at the Aliw Awards include Alden Richards for Best-Selling Album of the Year, Gerphil Flores for Best Major Concert, Junior New System for Best Dance Company, and Baste Duterte (the son of President Rodrigo Duterte) for Best New Male Artist.

Blind Filipino sings her way to final of France’s Got Talent

Filipino contestant Katchry Jewel Golbin made it to the final of the talent competition programme France's Got Talent on Tuesday after a stirring cover of Michel Legrand's ballad The Windmills of Your Mind.

The 25-year-old singer performs on the show with the stage name Alienette Coldfire. Golbin, who was born blind, grew up in the Philippines before moving to France a few years ago.

“I never thought I’d be selected amongst all these talented people,” Golbin said in a statement. “I would like to thank the team of France’s Got Talent for allowing me to live the greatest adventure of my life.”

Golbin will be competing in the final on December 13 against a male dancer and a pair of magicians.

“I need your support for the last step,” Golbin told her fans on social media. “Please let my dream continue.”

France's Got Talent is the French version of the international Got Talent franchise. Broadcast on France M6 Channel, the show features the judging panel of Helena Segara, Kamel Ouali, Gilbert Rozon and Eric Antoine.

A YouTube video of Golbin performing Mariah Carey's I'll Be There inside a shopping mall in Manila previously went viral on social media in 2014. In 2008, she auditioned for the reality singing show Pinoy Idol but did not make it far in the competition.

Gary Valenciano releases 27th album

Fresh from his concert at Dubai World Trade Centre Arena on December 1, veteran Filipino musician Gary Valenciano released his latest album, titled GV @ Primetime, last week in Manila.

The record, which is Valenciano's 27th studio album, features his songs popularised and revived in recent television drama series, including Wag Ka Nang Umiyak (Don't Cry), the theme track of the popular action-drama series Ang Probinsyano (The Man from the Province).

“Filipinos are fond of heartwarming ballads, so we really wanted this album to have a solemn mood,” Valenciano told the nightly news programme TV Patrol.

Valenciano is considered one of the most influential music artists in the Philippines. In a career spanning 38 years, he has released multiple chart-topping albums and has appeared in 18 films. He is currently a presenter and performer on the long-running musical variety programme ASAP and was previously a judge on The X Factor Philippines and an adviser on The Voice of The Philippines. Valenciano, whose smooth vocals and fiery dance moves have earned him the nickname "Mr Pure Energy", also performed in Dubai back in 2008.

Alex Calleja voted into final of Funniest Person in the World

Filipino stand-up comic Alex Calleja has been voted in by a panel of international judges to the final round of the Funniest Person in the World competition, organised by the Laugh Factory, the American chain of comedy clubs which has helped launched the careers of several comics on film and television.

During the semi-final held in Helsinki, Finland on December 5, Calleja competed against 19 other contestants in front of a panel of celebrity comics. Joining Calleja in the final five are India's Mino Van Nassau, Greece's Katerina Vrana, Malaysia's Harith Iskander and Israel's Kilimnick. They will compete in a final round of stand-up performances today, December 8, in Helsinki. The winner of the competition will be decided by a combination of votes from a panel of judges and the public. At stake is a US$100,000 (Dh367,000) prize. Fans can vote for Calleja on www.votealexcalleja.com

Calleja has done stand-up comedy in Manila since 2007. He is also a radio DJ and a writer for several sitcoms on Philippine television.