Julia's Latest Photo
Taken on 7th May 2006. Inside the dressing room of Esplanade Theatre At the Bay
posted by Ee Hoon . 燕云 at 2:44 AM
Monday, May 08, 2006
Taken on 7th May 2006. Inside the dressing room of Esplanade Theatre At the Bay
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9 years ago, all the way in the Philippines, an extraordinarily confident little angel took up a microphone and performed for her family in celebration of her beloved lolo’s (grandfather) birthday. This marked the beginning of a spectacular and unforgettable journey for little Julia Roman Abueva. A star was thus discovered.
She hails from a family of outstanding and talented individuals. Her grandparents are 2 University of the Philippines Presidents – (1987-1993 ) Dr. Jose V. Abueva and (2004-2010) Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman. Her parents, Jonas and Regina, have successful careers in Singapore and set aside time to coach her in her singing skills and try to write lyrics for her songs. Her older sister, Jerone, is a young sculptor and at age 13 has already sold an art piece that will be featured in a gallery in Canada. Her older brother Josh, is a skilled athlete and dabbles in music as well by playing guitar and the saxophone.
At first glance, she appears to be like any other 10 year old. Spending quality time with a loving and wonderful family, playing with her hyperactive but adorable beagle George, supportive friends who helped her in her studies, lounging in her private sanctuary adorned with sweet pink bedsheets, and seeking comfort in Pitan, a fuzzy leopard-looking soft toy who has been her constant companion for as long as she could remember. Yet this is a girl, a seasoned performer, who has sung and danced in over 200 events in Singapore, the Philippines and recently Indonesia and Sri Lanka for the past 3 years. From the moment she starts to sing, you will be captivated as your breath is taken away. Her powerful, crystal clear vocals and mellifluous voice can express an amazingly wide range of emotions from the joys of a first love and celebration to the pain and poignancy of a heartbreak.
Julia’s first foray into public performances was at the tender age of 7. She burst into the Singapore music scene in 2004 with JazzKids and was part of the first group of children in Singapore performing to big band, swing and jazz standards. Notable performances include a special tribute to her grandmother during her investiture as President of the University of the Philippines, the 107th Anniversary of Philippine Independence celebration organized by the Philippine Embassy in Singapore, 108th Anniversary of Philippine Independence celebration mounted in Manila and the 28th International Organization for Standardization (ISO) General Assembly where Singapore played host for the first time to 400 international Chairmen and CEOs of national standards bodies, representatives of business associations, and business leaders from 120 nations. She has also performed alongside famous Filipino stars such as Martin Nievera, Monique Wilson and Lea Salonga. However, her most memorable performance was the 2005 Southeast Asian Games which was held in Manila. Watched by 11 nations live telecast and close to a million spectators including the Philippine President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Julia sang her way into the hearts of her fellow countrymen and the millions of viewers around Southeast Asia with a beautiful rendition of the Game’s hymn “We’re All Just One”. As the song came to an end, everybody rose to their feet to give her a standing ovation.
She has performed in 3 Musicals – “Peter Pan”, “Aspects of Love” (Manila & Singapore) and “Children’s Letters To God”. Julia was also invited to sing “Bata Pa Ako” (“I’m Still A Child”) which focused on one of the Millennium Goals in the MGD album entitled 'Tayo Tayo Rin Sa 2015 - Sing the Songs. Find your Voice. Change the World. It's your Choice'. It was an album released by the United Nations in the Philippines which featured 27 Filipino artists, including Lea Salonga, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano and Freddie Aguilar. She is now hard at work with her very first recording which is targeted for release in 2007.
In just 3 years, Julia has had the honour of performing before Presidents, foreign dignitaries and diplomats, CEOs, internationally renowned singers and musicians and ardent fans. She has been called a “child prodigy”, a “singing sensation”, an “exceptional talent” and even a “Lea (Salonga)-in-the-making”, but Julia has both of her feet planted firmly on the ground. She attributes her musical talent to God and desires to give her gift – her voice – back to God. She hopes that one day, she would be able to take on the lead in a musical, perform on Broadway, have her own Television show and make her country proud. The road to stardom may be long and arduous, but nothing will dampen her enthusiasm and zest for performing.
Julia has proven her capacity and ability to perform in front of thousands. What sets her apart is her down-to-earth nature and generosity in sharing her gift with everyone. Blessed with an extraordinary voice and nerves of steel, Julia is set to achieve what some may think of as the impossible dream. “Dream big, always follow your dreams and never give up!” Spoken like a true star indeed.
WOW! Tremendous achievements for a child singer. Best wishes on your success!
WOW! Tremendous achievements for a child singer. Best wishes on your success!
WOW! What a beautiful voice,I was blown away by it.Good luck and God bless you.
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