Sheryn Mae Poncardas Regis (Tagalog:[ˈrɛhis]; born November 26, 1980) is a Filipino singer and songwriter. She rose to fame after finishing first runner-up in the television talent show Star in a Million in 2003. Dubbed as the "Crystal Voice of Asia,"[2][3][4] she is best known for singing the theme songs for several hit television series on ABS-CBN including Marina (2004), Krystala (2005), and Kampanerang Kuba (2005).
Regis is popularly known as a 'power belter',[5][6] noted for her belting range and technical ability.[7] With a career spanning 20 years in Philippineentertainment industry, she has since earned four multi-platinum albums and five gold records to her credit.[6][8][9] In 2004, she placed second in one of Asia's most renowned music festivals since 1990, Voice of Asia.[10] Regis was the original "Queen of Teleserye Theme Songs", being the voice behind several hit television shows in ABS-CBN.[2][11] Among her many accolades includes the Asian Star Entertainment Award for 'Asian Best Female Performing Artist'[12] and an Awit Award for 'Favorite Female Recording Artist',[13] the local counterpart of Grammy Awards.
Early life
Sheryn Mae Poncardas Regis was born in Carcar, Cebu, to Bernardo and Daisy Regis. She is the eldest of three children, with brothers Elton and Joseph. Sheryn's mother guided her in singing, and at the age of two, she was able to hum and sing simple tunes. Her first and favorite contest piece was Kuh Ledesma's "Dito Ba?" ("Is it Here?") which she learned at age 5. At seven, Regis started joining amateur singing contests. Her winnings were used to buy Shirley Bassey's cassette tapes for her next contest piece. She won her first grand prize at age 8 after singing Tillie Moreno's "Saan Ako Nagkamali" ("Where Did I Go Wrong").
Aside from singing in contests, Regis earned income by offering voice lessons to children while in high school. She finished her B.S. Secondary Education degree with a major in English at Cebu Normal University. It was during her college years that she was exposed to theater acting and chorale singing which eventually gave her the chance to travel and perform for Filipino communities in Canada and in the USA. Veteran actors Leo Martinez and Gina Alajar served as her workshop mentors. In 1999, she was awarded "Best Interpreter" at the Cebu Metro Pop Music Festival (a songwriting festival), when she sang "Among Gabayan" (Our Guide), a Cebuano tribute song to Cebu's patron Sto. Niño written by Fr. Jed Ponce Billones. Their entry was also hailed as the Grand Prize winner.[14]
Regis worked as a lounge singer at the Cebu Plaza Hotel where she met Earl Echiverri (cousin of Caloocan mayor Enrico Echiverri). They married in 2002 and had their first child Lourdes the following year.[15][16][17]
Regis came out as a lesbian in 2021, revealing her relationship with her partner Mel De Guia on social media.[18]
Career
Early career and Star in a Million
Regis first appeared in the "Sing-Eat" segment of Eat Bulaga! in 2002 where she became a grand finalist.
In 2003, Regis secured a place as grand finalist in ABS-CBN's television reality singing competition Star in a Million after advancing from the elimination rounds with Teresa Garcia. Dubbed as the "Power Belter" because of her effortless high notes, Regis was a judge favorite and was the only finalist to never place in the bottom two during the entire season. She placed consistently in the top performances every week, eventually reaching the Grand Champion Night on January 3, 2004, with Marinel Santos and Erik Santos. Regis won the Texter's Choice Award but placed only as a runner-up after singing Wendy Moten's Come in Out of the Rain. Disheartened by not winning the 1-million peso and house and lot prizes, Regis returned to Cebu thinking she would have to start over again, but was instead offered a recording contract with Star Records and released a recording of Come in Out of the Rain, which became an instant hit and Regis' signature song.[19]
2003–2004: Come in Out of the Rain, rise to prominence
After losing to Erik Santos, the management of ABS-CBN and Star Music offer her a recording contract. Even before its album's release, "Come In Out of the Rain" became a radio hit in the Philippines. It stayed for 12 consecutive weeks as number one on Myx OPM Countdown and ranked no. 4 in 2004 MYX HIT CHART YEAR-END TOP 20 SONGS. Regis also released other singles like Maybe (cover version of Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle) and Kailan Kaya, written by Raul Mitra and Cacai Velasquez which served as theme song of ABS-CBN's primetime fantaserye Marina.
Regis was chosen by songwriter Vehnee Saturno to represent the Philippines in Voice of Asia in Kazakhstan where she sang "Isang Lahi", "Sana'y 'Di Pangarap", "Now More Than Ever" and Saturno's original song "Follow your Dream". She became the third Filipino to win the 2 Prize Silver Trophy after Jed Madela and Arnee Hidalgo. Upon returning, Regis was given a title, Crystal Voice of Asia by the local media, a common tradition among Filipino singers. She hosted in noontime show Masayang Tanghali Bayan/MTB Ang Saya Saya and mainstay of ASAP which created a hit segment ASAP Champions together with Sarah Geronimo, Erik Santos, Mark Bautista.
In May 2004, Regis officially launched her debut album under Star Records entitled Come In Out of the Rain, produced by Jonathan Manalo. The album included her previous pieces Follow Your Dream and Among Gabayan. The album received Platinum Record Award by PARI having sold over 40,000 copies.
She had her first concert, "Higher Note," at the Music Museum, followed by several concerts in the Philippines and abroad.
2005: What I Do Best, continuing success
Regis performing in the UK in 2007
She hosted in daily show M.R.S. (Most Requested Show) with Amy Perez, Roderick Paulate and Toni Gonzaga.Regis was awarded by the 21st Year-Ender Excellence Awards as Top Entertainer International Achievement Awardee and Best Female Performer in Asia Pacific and highly nominated in the 18th Awit Awards. She was also nominated in four other categories for her debut album, Best Inspirational Song ("Follow Your Dream"), Best Regional Recording ("Among Gabayan"), Best Song Written for Movie/TV/Stage Play ("Kailan Kaya") and Best Concert Performer in an Intimate Venue Female.
In July 2005, Sheryn launched her second album, "What I Do Best".
She also sang Sabihin Mo Sa Akin, the theme from Kampanerang Kuba.
After the success of her carrier single, she launched her second single by late 2005, Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka. It was chosen as the 'love theme song' of ABS-CBN's television series, Gulong ng Palad. Aside from this, her love song, Sa Piling Mo was aired as a wedding song on the same show.
By April 2006, she released the last single from her second album, Dahil Nagmamahal and was chosen as a theme song of Bernadette Sembrano's Nagmamahal, Kapamilya.
Two songs from this album received recognition. The carrier single, What I do Best, won as Best Song Performed by a Female Artist given by iFM Pinoy Music Awards. Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka, which is actually the most popular song from this album received a prestigious award. It was named by S Magazine as song of the year. At that time, she was dubbed the Crystal Voice of Asia, a title contested by the camp of another Filipino singer Mari Nallos, who held the title much earlier when she was under contract with Star Records.
What I do Best received Gold Record Award by PARI sold over 25,000 copies.
The Modern Jukebox Collection
In October 2006, Sheryn began recording for her third album under Star Records. The album was set to release on November 20, 2006. Her first single off the album was a cover of a Leah Navarro original, Ang Pag-Ibig Kong Ito.
She later launched her second official single from the album, a song penned by Ricky Sanchez, Ang Lahat Para Sa 'Yo (later used as a theme song for El Cuerpo), while her self-composition, Pusong Lito, enjoyed frequent airplay in provincial radio stations and was able to reach the Number 1 spot in the MOR Top Hits of MOR Cebu 97.1 Lupig Sila. It was chosen as the theme song of ABS-CBN TV-3 Cebu's Visayan drama series Summer Sunshine, aired during summer season.
Early 2008, Sheryn released her third and final single from the album, Sayang na Sayang, a cover of the Manilyn Reynes original. By end of February, the music video for the single was shot with her Love Spell costar and Be Bench finalist, John James Uy, as the leading man.
Starting Over Again
During the release of her third single from her jukebox album, Sheryn started hinting the public of an upcoming fourth album with a tentative June release. It was also during the planning stages of her fourth album that Sheryn became part of Star Magic, the talent management arm of her mother station, ABS-CBN.
The album, aptly titled Starting Over Again, released its first single bearing the same title, which is based on the Natalie Cole version (the song was originally sung by Dionne Warwick with different lyrics), during the final week of May. The album contains seven revivals and three originals. Sheryn, along with her husband, penned an English original, My Heart Beats for You. Anabelle Regalado, managing director of Star Records, also contributed a Tagalog original, Sana Nandito Ka. Vehnee Saturno, who is also one of the composers on the album with his song Patunayan Mo, was also its producer. This is the first time that one of Sheryn's albums was produced by somebody other than producer Jonathan Manalo.
In 2020, Sheryn took on a new challenge by collaborating with the rock band Hey Moonshine. They recorded and released a single entitled "Ilang Beses"[20] under Viva Records. This was the first time Sheryn recorded a song in this genre.
Artistry
Voice and timbre
Regis is a soprano and is often praised for her range and technical ability. She possesses a four-octave vocal range, noted for her "distinctive tone and timbre" and "florid blend of breathy riffing and resonant belting."[2]
Regis launched The Little Voice Foundation during Sheryn's birthday concert on November 26, 2005, at the SM Megamall Cinema 10. It aims is to provide education to poor children between 5–12.She also engaged in clothing line business which located in different malls in the Philippines. Some of earnings were put on her business.
Regis hosted the now-defunct Search for the Star in a Million Season 2 with fellow champs Erik, Rachelle Ann, and Mark. She is also the host of Little Big Star Cebu, which was reportedly ranked as the fourth top-rating show in Nationwide Charts.[24]
In October 2007, Regis was given her first major dual acting role as a fairy godmother and an evil witch who are twin sisters in Love Spell's Cindyrella, starring Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Sheryn expressed her excitement as she is given the opportunity to dabble into acting and use her past experience in theater. The series ran through early January 2008.[25]
In early 2008, Regis was chosen to be part of the cast of Utoy with Dolphy and Makisig Morales as main stars.[26] However, the teleserye was not aired due to unknown reason.
In June of the same year, she was reported to be part of the final cast of I Love Betty La Fea, ABS-CBN's remake of Betty La Fea, which stars Bea Alonzo on the lead role. She played the role of Kylie in the series.[27]
When she came back in the Philippines in January 2013,[28] she appeared in Bandila under the segment Ikaw Na! of Boy Abunda. Further, she became a consistent guest singer in the TV5 variety show, Wowowillie. It was also in 2013 when Sheryn released a digital single entitled "Sinungaling Mong Puso" which was composed by Mr. Vehnee Saturno.
In November 2004, Regis became part of Viva Concerts' Pinoy Idols: Battle of the Popstars which was held at the Araneta Coliseum. Along with her was Raymond Manalo, Christian Bautista, Mark Bautista, Rachelle Ann Go, Frenchie Dy and Sarah Geronimo. In her solo performance, she performed a medley of her hits, Kailan Kaya, Maybe and Come In Out of the Rain. It was said that the concert was sold out.[33]
In May 2008, she was part of Erik Santos' US Tour. John Prats, Liza Manalo, Denise Laurel, and Pooh were also guests in the concert.[34]
Regis, as well as Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2 winner Laarni Lozada became part of Ronnie Liang's concert, My Ballad, My Music where it was reported that Ronnie's talent fee will proceed to the Aeta people in Angeles City. It was held November 2009 the Metro Bar.[35]
Regis was also invited as a guest performer in Rachelle Ann Go's send-off concert in February 2014. Rachelle together with Sheryn and Jimmy Marquez sang Lady Marmalade.[36] Other guests include Mark Bautista, Christian Bautista, Erik Santos and Regine Velasquez.
In celebration of Solaire Resort & Casino's first anniversary, A Celebration with the Champions was held in March 2014. Regis was part of the concert together with Mark Bautista, fellow Star in a Million contestants Erik Santos and Christian Bautista, The Voice of the Philippines finalists Morissette and Klarisse de Guzman, and finally American Idol (season 11) finalists Jessica Sanchez and Hollie Cavanagh.[37] Sheryn sang a medley of her hits during her solo performance. Moreover, she was part of a trio performance along with Klarisse and Morissette.
In April 2014, she had a concert in Al Nasr Leisureland, Dubai with the Star Power grand champion, Angeline Quinto.[38] The concert is named as "A Night with the Ultimate Divas" which was produced by Prolife Events: Concert Producers & Promoters and was presented by Power Horse Energy Drink.
In celebration of Mother's Day, Regis as well as Jon "Prince of Broadway" Joven had a concert entitled "A Mother's Day to Remember: Concert of World Class Performers" at the Pacific Star Resort & Spa, May 9, 2014.[39]
In June 2014, PLDT US Mobility sponsored a concert for Filipinos in California entitled Freedom Concert Tour as part of the 116th Philippine Independence Day. Part of the concert was Sheryn as well as other Filipino artists and celebrities namely Marian Rivera, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Alden Richards, Jonalyn Viray, Sheryn Regis, Allan K., Giselle Sanchez and Jannelle So.[40] Part of the proceeds were donated for the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation.
