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Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga (; born February 22, 1971), known professionally as Lea Salonga, is a Filipino singer, actress, and columnist. Nicknamed "Pride of the Philippines," she is best known for her roles in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
, for supplying the singing voices of two
Disney Princess ''Disney Princess'', also called the ''Princess Line'', is a media franchise and toy line owned by the Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney, the franchise features a lineup of female protagonists who ha ...
es (
Jasmine Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely culti ...
and Mulan), and as a recording artist and television performer. Throughout her career, she has achieved numerous accolades and honors, becoming an internationally-recognized figure in music and entertainment. At age eighteen, Salonga rose to international recognition when she originated the lead role of Kim in the musical ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' in the West End and won the
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awa ...
. She then reprised the role on Broadway, winning the
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...
,
Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newsp ...
, and Theatre World Awards before making history as the first Asian actress to win a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
and the second-youngest actress to win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.Gioia, Michael
"'I'm Hoping There is a Shift', Says Lea Salonga On Diversity and the 'United Colors' of This Season"
Playbill, July 24, 2015, accessed April 30, 2016
Salonga was the first actress of Asian descent to play the roles of Éponine and
Fantine Fantine (French pronunciation: ) is a fictional character in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. She is a young '' grisette'' in Paris who becomes pregnant by a rich student. After he abandons her, she is forced to look after their chi ...
in the musical ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' on Broadway. * * She also portrayed Éponine and Fantine in the musical's 10th and 25th anniversary concerts, respectively, in London. She provided the singing voices of two official Disney Princesses: Princess Jasmine in ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
'' (1992) and Fa Mulan in '' Mulan'' (1998) and '' Mulan II'' (2004). She was named a Disney Legend in 2011 for her work with
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on Octobe ...
. Salonga starred as Wu Mei-Li in the 2002 Broadway revival of '' Flower Drum Song''. From 2015 to 2016, she returned to Broadway to portray Kei Kimura in '' Allegiance'', and from 2017 to 2019, she appeared as Erzulie in the Broadway revival of '' Once on This Island''. Salonga has sold 19 million albums worldwide, making her one of the best-selling Southeast Asian artists of all time. Salonga was the first Filipino artist to sign with an international record label (
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
in 1993). In her career, she has performed for six Philippine presidents (
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
,
Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...
, Fidel V. Ramos,
Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
,
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
, and
Benigno S. Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
), three American presidents ( George H. W. Bush,
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
, and George W. Bush), and for
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
and Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. She has toured widely as a concert artist and has played numerous theatre, film, and television roles in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
,
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, and
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
. Aside from her career, Salonga is an active supporter of non-traditional casting,
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countri ...
,
reproductive rights Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows: Reproductive rights rest o ...
,
sex education Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduc ...
, and
LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, ...
.


Early life and education

Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga was born on February 22, 1971, in the Ermita district of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
to Feliciano Genuino Salonga, a naval
rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star " admiral" rank. It is often rega ...
and shipping company owner, and María Ligaya Alcántara, ''née'' Imutan of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental. She spent the first six years of her childhood in Angeles City before returning to Manila. As a child, Salonga sang at family parties before being encouraged by her cousin to audition for an upcoming production of ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...
'', where she made her professional debut. While living in Angeles City, Salonga studied at the local Operation Brother Montessori Center (OBMC) campus. She later transferred to the campus in
Greenhills, San Juan Greenhills is an administrative division in eastern Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is an urban barangay in San Juan and is the largest barangay in the city, covering a total area of that spans over a third of San Juan City's total land are ...
,
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
to complete her secondary education, graduating as the class
valedictorian Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution. The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA) ...
in 1988. She later attended the University of the Philippines College of Music's extension program aimed at training musically talented children in music and stage movement. A college freshman studying biology at the Ateneo de Manila University when she auditioned for ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'', she intended to have a medical career. In the early 2000s, in between jobs in New York, she took two courses,
Philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
and European History, at
Fordham University Fordham University () is a private Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its original campus is located, Fordham is the oldest Catholic and Jesuit un ...
's
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...
campus.


Career


1971–1989: Career beginnings and ''Small Voice''

As a child, Salonga began singing at family parties. Her cousin, who was active with
Repertory Philippines Repertory Philippines Foundation Inc. (REP) is a Filipino theater company dedicated to showcasing English-language productions. History Repertory Philippines was established in 1967 by Zenaida Amador and Baby Barredo. Its first production was ...
, encouraged her to audition for a production of ''The King and I'', where she made her professional debut in 1978 at the age of seven. While performing with the company, she was trained by founders Baby Barredo and Zenaida “Bibot” Amador. She played the title role in '' Annie'' in 1980, later reprising the role in 1984, and appeared in other productions such as ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...
'' (1978), '' Fiddler on the Roof'' (1978), ''
The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...
'' (1980), '' The Rose Tattoo'' (1980), '' The Goodbye Girl'' (1982), '' Paper Moon'' (1983) and '' The Fantasticks'' (1988)."Salonga, Lea 1971–"
''Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television'', Encyclopedia.com, 2005, accessed November 4, 2015
In 1981, she recorded her first album, '' Small Voice'', which was certified gold in the Philippines."Lea Salonga"
D23, accessed October 21, 2015
In 1985, she and her brother took part in the eighth Metro Manila Popular Music Festival as the interpreters for the song entry titled "Musika, Lata, Sipol at La La La," which was composed by Tess Concepcion. During the 1980s, Salonga also had several television projects through GMA Radio-Television Arts, where she worked as a child actor. After the success of her first album, from 1983 to 1985, she hosted her musical television show, ''Love, Lea'' and was a member of the cast of German Moreno's teen variety show, '' That's Entertainment''. She acted in films, which included the family-oriented '' Tropang Bulilit'', ''Like Father, Like Son'', ''Ninja Kids'', ''Captain Barbell'', and ''
Pik Pak Boom ''Pik Pak Boom'' is a 1988 Filipino anthology comedy film directed by Leroy Salvador and starring Herbert Bautista, Lea Salonga, Lilet, Bing Loyzaga, Regine Velasquez, and Dingdong Avanzado. The film consists of two segments: "Manyika" () and " B ...
''. As a young performer, Salonga received a Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (
FAMAS The FAMAS (''Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne'', "Assault Rifle from the Saint-Étienne Weapon Factory") is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS in 1978, a year after the Austrian Ste ...
) award nomination for Best Child Actress and three Aliw Awards for best child performer in 1980, 1981, and 1982. She released her second album, '' Lea'', in 1988. She also opened for and performed with international acts such as Menudo and
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...
in their concerts in Manila in 1985 and 1988, respectively.


1989–1992: ''Miss Saigon'' and ''Aladdin''

In 1989, Salonga originated the leading role of Kim in the debut production of the musical ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' in London. Unable to find a strong enough East Asian actress/singer in the United Kingdom, the producers scoured many countries looking for the lead. For her initial Manila audition in 1988, the then 17-year-old Salonga chose to sing Alain Boublil and
Claude-Michel Schönberg Claude-Michel Schönberg (born 6 July 1944, in Vannes) is a French record producer, actor, singer, songwriter, and musical theatre composer, best known for his collaborations with lyricist Alain Boublil. Major works include ''La Révolution Fran� ...
's " On My Own" from ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
''. Salonga has sometimes credited the song as the starting point of her international career.Gelfand, Janelle
Review: Disney princess to 'Dancing Queen,' Lea Salonga charms with Pops
'' Cincinnati.com'', April 26, 2016
After hearing her rendition, she was asked if she had prepared another song to perform. Although she had not prepared another song for the audition, she chose to sing " The Greatest Love of All." She expected to perform
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
, but when she walked to the piano in the room, she noticed that a previous auditionee had left sheet music for the song, which was in her key. At her first callback audition, Salonga was asked to sing "Sun and Moon" and "The Movie in My Mind," impressing the audition panel. In December 1988, Salonga appeared before the panel at the
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dr ...
in London to perform "I'd Give My Life For You" and "Too Much For One Heart." After three days of intensive work sessions in London, Salonga was offered the lead role, while her childhood friend and fellow Repertory Philippines performer
Monique Wilson Monica Anne Esteva Wilson (born May 4, 1970), usually credited as Monique Wilson, is a Filipina singer, actress, and women's rights activist. She began her professional career at the age of nine. At 18, she gained recognition as the understudy f ...
was named her understudy and cast as the bar girl Mimi. During an episode of " Stars in the House" streamed on March 28, 2020, Salonga told
Seth Rudetsky Seth Dennis Rudetsky (born February 28, 1967) is an American musician, actor, writer and radio host. He currently is the host of ''Seth's Big Fat Broadway'' and ''Seth Speaks'' on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio's '' On Broadway''. The show focuses on R ...
and his husband, producer James Wesley, that she found out that she was officially cast when she read the Sunday supplement of the ''
Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper and news websitePeter Wilb"Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail: The man who hates liberal Britain", ''New Statesman'', 19 December 2013 (online version: 2 January 2014) publish ...
''. For her performance as Kim, Salonga won the 1990
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awa ...
, becoming one of the youngest winners of the award. On December 21, 1990, Salonga performed with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra,
Ateneo College Glee Club The Ateneo de Manila College Glee Club (ACGC), simply known as the Ateneo Glee Club, is a choir based in the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. It is distinguished as the oldest university chorale in the Philippines, celebrating its 98th ...
, and guest singer Robert Seña in a homecoming concert in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
entitled ''A Miss Called Lea'', which was later broadcast on television. She also received a Presidential Award of Merit from
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...
for her services to the arts.Porcalla, Delon
"Aquino confers awards on 33 outstanding Pinoys"
''The Philippine Star'', December 6, 2014, accessed March 10, 2016
When ''Miss Saigon'' opened on Broadway in 1991, she again played the role of Kim, winning the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and
Theatre World ''Theatre World'' is an annual American theatre pictorial and statistical print publication. It includes Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and regional theatre, national theatrical awards, and obituaries. Theatre World "In 1944, three ...
awards and becoming the first actress of Asian descent to win a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
. During the production transfer from West End to Broadway, a controversy erupted over Salonga's citizenship. The
Actors' Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing those who work in live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions without a boo ...
(AEA) initially prevented her from reprising the role, wishing to give priority to Asian-American performers. However, Cameron Mackintosh claimed he could not find a satisfactory replacement for Salonga, and an arbitrator later reversed the AEA ruling. In 1993 and 1996, she returned to play Kim on Broadway. In 1999, she was invited back to London to close the West End production, and in 2001, at the age of 29 and after finishing the Manila run of the musical, Salonga returned to Broadway to close that production. In 1991, she was named one of ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. In 1992, she performed the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in
Disney's The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
animated film ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
''. Later that year, Salonga's agent submitted her to an audition for the leading role of Eliza Doolittle in the upcoming Broadway revival of '' My Fair Lady''. However, the casting director for the production refused to see her because of her race. Shortly after, Salonga was contacted by Cameron Mackintosh to join the Broadway production of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
''.


1993–1996: ''Les Misérables'', films, and other musicals

In 1993, Salonga played the role of Éponine in the Broadway production of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'', becoming the first Asian actress to perform the role on Broadway. She performed the song " A Whole New World" from ''Aladdin'' with
Brad Kane Bradley Caleb Kane (born September 29, 1973) is an American actor, singer, producer and screenwriter. Career Kane began to act with a small role in the movie ''Six Weeks''. At the age of eight, he obtained the role of one of the four chorus bo ...
at the 65th Annual
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
, where the song won an Oscar, having already won a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
. That same year, she released her self-titled international debut album with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
. In 1994, Salonga played in various musical theatre productions in the Philippines and
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, such as Sandy in '' Grease'', Eliza Doolittle in '' My Fair Lady'', and the Witch in ''
Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...
''. In the U.S. in 1995, Salonga played the role of Geri Riordan, an 18-year-old adopted Vietnamese American child in the
Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...
TV movie ''
Redwood Curtain ''Redwood Curtain'' is a 1995 American dramatic TV movie created by Hallmark Hall of Fame, and directed by John Korty based upon the 1993 Broadway play of the same name by Lanford Wilson. Starring Jeff Daniels, Lea Salonga, Debra Monk and Joh ...
'', which starred
John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
and
Jeff Daniels Jeffrey Warren Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and playwright, known for his work on stage and screen playing diverse characters switching between comedy and drama. He is the recipient of several accol ...
. She then flew back to the Philippines to star with Filipino matinée idol Aga Muhlach in the critically acclaimed film '' Sana Maulit Muli'', which gave her a second Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (
FAMAS The FAMAS (''Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne'', "Assault Rifle from the Saint-Étienne Weapon Factory") is a bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS in 1978, a year after the Austrian Ste ...
) award nomination, this time for Best Actress. She reprised the role of Éponine in the 10th-anniversary concert of ''Les Misérables'' at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
in London, which was recorded and later released as a film titled '' Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert''. In 1996, Salonga was again in ''Les Misérables'' as Éponine in the West End production of the musical. In September of that same year, she continued to perform the role at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall in
Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
, during the musical's U.S. national tour. In December 1996, Salonga represented the Philippines while performing at ''ONE: The WTO Show'', the closing ceremony for the inaugural
World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...
(WTO) ministerial conference held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.


1997–2004: Recordings, concerts, television, and ''Flower Drum Song''

From 1997 to 2000, Salonga did recordings and concerts in the Philippines, another engagement in London, and a few returns to ''Miss Saigon'' in London and on Broadway. In 1997, she released '' I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing'' to gold sales in the Philippines. That recording was followed by '' Lea... In Love'' in 1998 and '' By Heart'' in 2000, both albums reaching multiple platinum status in the Philippines. In 1998, she again provided the singing voice for the title character in '' Mulan'' before later reprising the role in the 2004 sequel, '' Mulan II''. At age 28, Salonga moved to New York City, purchasing her own apartment (which she still owns up to at least 2013).
She participated in the 1998 tribute concert to Cameron Mackintosh in London entitled ''Hey, Mr. Producer!'', where she performed numbers from several of his musicals. In December 1998, Salonga appeared in an international panel of performers, along with Iain Glen, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Manahan, for episode 277 of the American Theatre Wing’s documentary series, '' Working in the Theatre.'' In the Philippines in 1999 and again in 2000, she played Sonia Walsk in '' They're Playing Our Song''. She also performed in four concerts: ''The Homecoming Concert'', ''The Millennium Concert'', ''The Best of Manila'', and ''Songs from the Screen''–the last two being benefit shows. Salonga returned to Manila in ''Miss Saigon'', staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the end of 2000. After her final stint in ''Miss Saigon'' for its closing on Broadway in 2001, Salonga recreated the role of Lien Hughes, originally played by Ming-Na Wen, in the
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
'' As the World Turns''. After completing her contract that year, she was asked to return to the role in 2003. She guested on Russell Watson's ''The Voice'' concert, narrated for the television special ''My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States'', and appeared on the Season 8 Christmas episode of the television medical drama '' ER'', playing a patient with
lymphoma Lymphoma is a group of blood and lymph tumors that develop from lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). In current usage the name usually refers to just the cancerous versions rather than all such tumours. Signs and symptoms may include en ...
. In 2002, Salonga returned to Broadway to play the leading role of Wu Mei-Li, a Chinese immigrant in a reinterpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's '' Flower Drum Song'' opposite Jose Llana. This was after the reinvented musical had a run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 2001 with Salonga playing the role and in 2002 winning Lead Actress in a Musical from the Los Angeles theatre Ovation Awards. The Salonga-led Broadway revival cast album was nominated for a 2004
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for Best Musical Show Album. Salonga's performance was received positively by theatre critics in New York, and she received a nomination for ''Distinguished Performance'' from the Drama League, among other honors.The 2003 Drama League Nominees and Winners"
BroadwayToVegas.com, 2003
In September 2002, she appeared on ''Working in the Theatre'' for a second time, along with
John Cullum John Cullum (born circa 1930) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in many stage musicals and dramas, including '' Shenandoah'' (1975) and '' On the Twentieth Century'' (1978), winning the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Mu ...
, Edie Falco, Stanley Tucci, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Charlayne Woodard. Between the 2001 Los Angeles and 2002 Broadway productions of ''Flower Drum Song'', she performed in a non-musical theatrical production for the first time, playing the role of Catherine in the stage play '' Proof'' in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
. This was followed by a major concert, ''The Broadway Concert'', at the Philippine International Convention Center. She also sang at the 56th
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
with Harry Connick Jr., Peter Gallagher, and Michele Lee in a number paying tribute to
Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most well-known American ...
. From 2003 to 2004, Salonga did her first "all-Filipino" concerts in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
called ''Songs from Home'', which later won her an Aliw Award as ''Entertainer of the Year''. In 2003, she performed in several concerts at the
Mohegan Sun Mohegan Sun is an American casino, owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe on of their reservation, along the banks of the Thames River in Uncasville, Connecticut. It has of gambling space. It is in the foothills of southeastern Connecticut ...
hotel in Connecticut. This was followed by a Christmas concert in the Philippines called ''Home for Christmas'' and performances at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, New Jersey, in 2004. Later in 2004, she played Lizzie in the Manila production of the musical '' Baby'', which earned her another nomination from the
Aliw Awards The Aliw Awards by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the renowned Philippine journalistbr>Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press ...
.


2005–2007: International ventures

In 2005, Salonga gave her first U.S. concert tour. Later that year, on November 7, she performed to a sold-out crowd at
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...
for the benefit of Diverse City Theater Company. The same year, she received the Golden Artist Award at the 53rd FAMAS Awards in honor of her international achievements, performed during the grand opening of Hong Kong's
Disneyland Disneyland is a theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney initially envisio ...
, and recorded two songs on Daniel Rodriguez's album ''In the Presence''. She also did voice work for Disney's English dub of Hayao Miyazaki's '' My Neighbor Totoro'' as Yasuko Kusakabe. Salonga wrote the foreword to Linda Marquart's ''The Right Way to Sing'' (2005). In 2006, at the 15th Asian Games in
Doha Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor, it is home to m ...
,
Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
, Salonga concluded the closing ceremony with the song "Triumph of the One" before an audience of 50,000 people at Khalifa International Stadium. In 2007, Salonga released her first studio album in seven years called ''Inspired'', which was certified platinum in the Philippines. On August 14, 2007, she received the ''
Order of Lakandula The Order of Lakandula ( fil, Orden ni Lakandula) is one of the highest civilian orders of the Philippines, established on September 19, 2003. It is awarded for political and civic merit and in memory of King Lakandula’s dedication to the resp ...
'', with the rank of Commander (''Komandante''), from Philippine President Gloria Arroyo in recognition of using her talents to benefit Philippine society and foster cultural exchange. She has also received the Congressional Medal of Achievement from the
House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house of Congress, th ...
for showing "the extent and depth of the Filipino musical talent" and "opening the way for other Filipino artists to break into the finest theaters in the world." In March 2007, Salonga returned to Broadway for another stint in the musical ''Les Misérables'', this time as Fantine. Her rejoining the show boosted the musical's ticket sales. President Arroyo watched Salonga in this role, with Filipino Americans
Adam Jacobs Adam Jacobs (born circa 1979) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for originating the title role of Aladdin in ''Disney's ''Aladdin'' on Broadway.'' He also starred as Marius in the Les Miserables 2006 Broadway Revival, and Simba i ...
as Marius and Ali Ewoldt as Cosette. Salonga received rave reviews and made it again to the short list of Broadway.com's Audience Award favorites as Best Replacement. During her tenure on Broadway that season, she appeared in
Broadway on Broadway The Broadway League, formerly the League of American Theatres and Producers and League of New York Theatres and Producers, is the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry based in New York, New York. Its members include thea ...
2007 and Stars in the Alley 2007, spoke at the Broadway Artists Alliance Summer Intensives, guested on the Broadway musical ''
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'' is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn, based on a book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional s ...
'', and participated in
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemi ...
' ''12th Annual Nothing Like a Dame'' event to benefit the women's health initiative of The Actors Fund. Right after doing ''Les Misérables'', she performed in two events: at the U.S. Military Academy Band's concert in West Point, where she sang four songs and an encore, and in her concert at the Tarrytown Music Hall in New York. She was then busy with other concerts and musical events, including a Christmas presentation in Manila.


2008–2012: ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' columnist and touring

In 2008, Salonga gave concerts in the Philippines, California, Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Guam, On July 3, 2008, Salonga became a
columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the form of a short essay ...
in the ''
Philippine Daily Inquirer The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' (''PDI''), or simply the ''Inquirer'', is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Founded in 1985, it is often regarded as the Philippines' newspaper of record. The newspaper is the most awarded br ...
'' with her column "Backstory" (Entertainment section), "Introducing: Lea Salonga, writer." Since then, she has written numerous columns for the ''Inquirer''. She performed in "Global Pop" at the Music Center on July 11, 2008. It was presented by The Blue Ribbon, a group founded by
Dorothy Chandler Dorothy Buffum Chandler (May 19, 1901 – July 6, 1997; born Dorothy Mae Buffum) was a Los Angeles cultural leader. She is perhaps best known for her efforts on behalf of the performing arts. Personal life Born Dorothy Mae Buffum (nicknamed "Buff ...
in 1968. Salonga gave a concert on July 11 at Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall. That same year, she received a special citation from the Awit Awards.From late July 2008 to mid-2009, Salonga played the title role in the 30-week Asian tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's '' Cinderella'', which premiered in Manila. Salonga performed a series of concerts in North America in 2009 and was asked to dance the Filipino novelty dances "Ocho-Ocho" and "Spaghetti." The same year, Salonga advertised the
Avon Products Avon Products, Inc. or simply known as Avon, is an American-British multinational cosmetics, skin care, fragrance and personal care company, based in London. It sells directly to the public. Avon had annual sales of $9.1 billion worldwide in 20 ...
line of anti-aging skin care products Anew Rejuvenate in the Philippines. In June 2009, she sang at the 95th Anniversary Special of the Iglesia ni Cristo. Salonga sang Patriotic song "
Bayan Ko "Bayan Ko" (usually translated as "My Country"; es, Nuestra patria, lit=Our Fatherland) is one of the most recognizable patriotic songs of the Philippines. It was written in Spanish by the Revolutionary general José Alejandrino in light of the ...
" at the
Requiem Mass A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...
for former President Corazon Aquino at
Manila Cathedral The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception ( fil, Basilika Menor at Kalakhang Katedral ng Kalinis-linisang Paglilihi; es, Basílica Menor y Catedral Metropolitana de la Inmaculada Concepción), also known as the ...
. Salonga celebrated 20 years of ''Miss Saigon'' by performing in concerts called ''Lea Salonga... Your Songs'' at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall on December 11 and 12, 2009. In the same venue, Salonga received
Gusi Peace Prize The Gusi Peace Prize is a private award given by the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation, based in Manila, Philippines. The Gusi Peace Prize is given to recognize individuals and organizations who contribute to global peace and progress through a wide var ...
in November 2009. From July to August 2010, Salonga played the role of Grizabella in the Manila run of the Asia-Pacific tour of
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...
's ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...
'' at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In October, she played Fantine during the 25th Anniversary Concert of ''Les Misérables'', fifteen years after appearing in the 10th Anniversary as Eponine. The same year, she served as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices. Salonga was honored as a Disney Legend on August 19, 2011. She was one of the judges in the
Miss Universe 2011 Miss Universe 2011 was the 60th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. At the end of the event, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico crowned Leila Lopes of Angola as Miss Universe 2011. It is the ...
pageant in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. Salonga, along with Darren Criss, sang "A Whole New World" to its composer, Alan Menken, as Menken was named the winner of the 2011 Maestro Award at the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference on October 24, 2011. Salonga performed in a six-concert series titled ''The Magic of Broadway and Disney Favorites'' in 2012 with the Palm Beach Pops. She starred in the first production of '' Allegiance'' at the Old Globe Theatre in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
from September to October 2012. Salonga starred in the Philippine production of the comedy ''
God of Carnage ''God of Carnage'' (originally in French ''Le Dieu du carnage'') is a play by Yasmina Reza that was first published in 2008. It is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public park. The pare ...
'' in July 2012 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Manila. She took on the same role at the DBS Arts Centre in Singapore in November 2012. Salonga joined the Candlelight Processional at
Epcot Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unre ...
in
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...
as narrator on December 14 to 16, retelling the Christmas story accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir.


2013–2018: ''The Voice of the Philippines'' and return to Broadway

In January 2013, Salonga participated in Lincoln Center's American Songbook concert series at the Allen Room. In February in the Philippines, Salonga provided the theme song for TV5's reality singing competition '' Kanta Pilipinas'' and, together with Tyne Daly and
Norm Lewis Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in Europe, on Broadway, in film, television, recordings and regional theatre. Productions that he has been involved in include ''Dessa Rose'', ''Miss Saigon'', '' T ...
, she starred as Mother in a concert performance of ''
Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...
'' at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Salonga headlined a concert series, "4 Stars One World of Broadway Musicals," in Tokyo Osaka in June, performing with Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, and Yu Shirota. She was one of the four coaches, together with
apl.de.ap Allan Pineda Lindo (born November 28, 1974), known professionally as apl.de.ap (), is a Filipino-American rapper, singer and record producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas. Early life Allan Pineda Lindo was born ...
,
Sarah Geronimo Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo-Guidicelli (, , born July 25, 1988) is a Filipino singer, performer and actress. Geronimo rose to prominence after winning the television singing contest '' Star for a Night'' earning her a recording contract with Viv ...
, and Bamboo Mañalac, for the
ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...
program, '' The Voice of the Philippines'', which premiered in June 2013. In December 2013, Salonga began her Lea Salonga: Playlist concert tour in the Philippines, which celebrated her 35 years in show business. The concert series was extended to January 2014. Salonga wrote a book, ''Playlist: A Celebration of 35 Years'', which she used as a souvenir program for the concerts. In 2014, she returned for the second season of ''The Voice of the Philippines'' and joined the new Philippine version of ''
The Voice Kids ''The Voice Kids'' is a version of ''The Voice'' TV series franchise in which children participate. Versions The first such variation was '' The Voice Kids'' from the Netherlands, which was followed by other international variants: : Franchise wi ...
'', on which she has appeared for three seasons.Villano, Alexa
"Lea Salonga on ''Fun Home'', working with Eric Kunze"
Rappler Rappler (portmanteau of the words "rap" and "ripple") is a Filipino online news website based in Pasig, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa along with a group of fellow Filipino journali ...
, November 11, 2016
Salonga recorded a song titled "Wished That I Could Call You" that was included in the charity compilation album ''Children In Need'', released in March 2014. Also, in 2014 and 2015, she toured Asia and North America with
Il Divo Il Divo (; ) are a multi-national classical crossover vocal group. The male quartet, which originated in the United Kingdom in December 2003, consists of tenors Urs Bühler, David Miller, and Sébastien Izambard. It also included baritone ...
. In mid-2015, she performed a concert series in Australasia. Salonga reprised her role as Kei Kimura in the 2015–16 Broadway production of ''Allegiance''. In ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'',
Charles Isherwood Charles Isherwood (born 1964/65) is an American theater critic. Education Isherwood is a graduate of Stanford University. Career Isherwood wrote for '' Backstage West'' in Los Angeles. In 1993, he joined the staff of ''Variety'', where he was pr ...
wrote of her performance: "Her voice retains its plush beauty, and her culminating first act solo, 'Higher' ... is perhaps the show's musical highlight." Salonga guest-starred on the April 2016 season finale of the American television series ''
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ''Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'' is an American romantic musical comedy-drama television series that premiered on October 12, 2015, on The CW and ran for four seasons, ending on April 5, 2019. The series was created, written, and directed by Rachel Blo ...
'', playing Filipino-heritage character Josh's visiting aunt, a former Star Search contestant, in town for a wedding, at which she sings the episode's climactic Disney princess parody song, "One Indescribable Instant." In Manila in November 2016, she appeared as Helen Bechdel in the international premiere of '' Fun Home''.Hetrick, Adam
"Lea Salonga Will Star in ''Fun Home'' International Premiere"
''Playbill'', November 18, 2015
A review in
ABS-CBN News ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs, known on-air as ABS-CBN News (formerly known as ''ABS-CBN News and Public Affairs'' and later ''ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs''), is the news and current affairs production and distribution divisi ...
said that she "delivers a finely tuned performance, utilizing her prodigious stage presence to provide the cold and dark shadings to erstwhile peppy scenes with her subtle stares and held back emotions. ... n"Days by Days" ... she finally lets go of all the resentment and repressed anger of a woman stuck in a marriage built on a lie. Yet there is dignity in her breakdown ... Salonga pulls it off with such clarity, both musically and emotionally, that it's difficult not to be moved." In 2016, Salonga won two more
Aliw Awards The Aliw Awards by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the renowned Philippine journalistbr>Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press ...
, one for Best Major Concert in a Foreign Venue and her second Entertainer of the Year award. The following year, Salonga was one of the coaches on ''The Voice Teens''. Also in 2017, she released an album, ''Bahaghari: Lea Salonga Sings Traditional Songs of the Philippines'', with songs sung in several languages spoken in the Philippines. Salonga portrayed Erzulie in the 2017 Broadway revival of '' Once on This Island'' at
Circle in the Square Theatre The Circle in the Square Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 50th Street, in the basement of Paramount Plaza, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is one of two Broadway theaters that use a thrust stage that extends ...
, where she received critical praise for her vocal performance. She returned to the show for its final performances in December 2018 and January 2019. ''Once on this Island'' was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.


2019–present: ''Yellow Rose'', Dream Again tour, and ''Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin''

Salonga appeared alongside Eva Noblezada, Dale Watson, and Princess Punzalan as a Philippine immigrant, Aunt Gail, in the musical film '' Yellow Rose'', which premiered at the 2019
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) – formerly known as VC FilmFest – is an annual film festival presented by Visual Communications (VC). It was established in 1983 by Linda Mabalot as a vehicle to promote Asian Pacific Amer ...
."Musical Film ''Yellow Rose'' Starring Lea Salonga & Eva Noblezada Set for Opening Night of LAAPFF"
BroadwayWorld, May 2, 2019, accessed October 6, 2020
She also toured North America and the United Kingdom that year. Later in 2019, she played
Mrs. Lovett Mrs. Lovett is a fictional character appearing in many adaptations of the story ''Sweeney Todd''. Her first name is most commonly referred to as Nellie, although she has also been referred to as Amelia, Margery, Maggie, Sarah, Shirley, Wilhelmina ...
in a revival of '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' in Manila and then Singapore. Critics praised her "crystalline tones that turned her numbers, especially 'By the Sea,' into unexpected show-stoppers. ... e disappears into this loud devil woman. This is by far the best musical theater outing of Salonga in the Philippines, post-''Miss Saigon'', and the very long wait was well worth it," and called her portrayal "a delirious hurricane of deviousness and devilry, sprinkled with lust ... one of the most accomplished stage creations we've seen this year ... a career-high for the actress. Pangan s Toddsimmers; Salonga is the explosive fire underneath." Between these two short runs, she gave concerts in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
,
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
, and
Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
in November. In March 2020, shortly after performing in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, wikt:دبي, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates#Major cities, most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 ...
, Salonga announced that her 2020 North American tour would be rescheduled due to the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In May 2020, she announced that the tour would again be rescheduled to Fall 2021, but these dates were later rescheduled once more. During the pandemic, Salonga performed for several virtual global fundraising events and concerts. In August 2020, she released her single " Dream Again," a song of hope and persistence. On November 27, the PBS series '' Great Performances'' broadcast her 2019 concert at the
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
, performed with the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. Simone Young is the orchestra's chief conductor and f ...
. In 2021, Salonga voiced the Mysterious Woman in the
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
series ''
Centaurworld ''Centaurworld'' is an American animated musical comedy streaming television series created by Megan Nicole Dong, with songs by Dong and Dominic Bisignano. Produced by Sketchshark Productions and Netflix Animation, it premiered on Netflix on July ...
''. In September of the same year, she announced her Dream Again Tour, named after her 2020 single. One month later, she announced she would also be touring the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
. On December 25, 2021, Salonga returned to Dubai to perform a Christmas concert for
Expo 2020 Expo 2020 ( ar, إكسبو 2020) was a World Expo hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 ...
at the Dubai Exhibition Centre. On April 6, 2022, Salonga began her Dream Again Tour in the United States and Canada. Following the completion of this tour, she performed the song " The Prayer" at the 2022 National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., which was broadcast on PBS. On June 18, she continued her tour in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
. In September 2022, Salonga began portraying Mama Soubirous in the Indie Theatrical workshop of the new musical ''The'' ''Song'' ''of'' ''Bernadette'' in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
. In the same month, she was recognized by ''TIME'' magazine at the TIME100 Impact Awards for being a "life-long role model for children of color." On October 27, 2022, Salonga was featured on
Pentatonix Pentatonix (abbreviated PTX) is an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, currently consisting of vocalists Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee. Characterized by their pop-style arrangem ...
's cover of Jose Mari Chan's "Christmas In Our Hearts" in their Christmas album, ''Holidays Around The World''. On December 15, 16, and 17, 2022, Salonga performed with The Tabernacle Choir as the featured guest artist in a series of Christmas concerts at the Conference Center in
Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, t ...
. Salonga currently portrays Elodie Honrada, a recurring character in the critically acclaimed
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
series '' Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin'', which has been renewed for a second season.Harms, Talaura
"In the News: Lea Salonga Tapped for Pretty Little Liars Reboot..."
''Playbill'', September 28, 2021


Artistry


Musical style and themes

In her popular music releases, Salonga has sung "simple love songs," which are common in
Original Pilipino Music The music of the Philippines ( fil, Musika ng Pilipinas) includes the musical performance arts in the Philippines and the music of Filipinos composed in various local and international genres and styles. Philippine musical compositions are oft ...
.


Influences

Salonga's style and music has been inspired by musical artists such as
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...
, the Carpenters (particularly Karen Carpenter),
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one s ...
, the Osmonds, Elaine Paige, and
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
. She has noted that these performers provided "clear voices that really helped the listener focus on the lyrics besides the tone and music." Salonga has repeatedly praised Streisand as one of her favorites for her "mammoth" career in singing, acting, producing, and arranging. During her January 15, 2000 concert at the Philippine International Convention Center, Salonga called Streisand one of her idols.


Voice

Salonga has been praised for her
absolute pitch Absolute pitch (AP), often called perfect pitch, is a rare ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of a reference tone. AP may be demonstrated using linguistic labeling ("naming" a note), associating ...
and control over her powerful vocals, which can evoke a wide array of emotion and soundscapes. Her voice has been described as "golden" by Marilyn Stasio for ''Variety'' magazine and "clear and as sparkling as Baccarat crystal" by Rex Reed for ''Observer''. Due to her vocal versatility, it is often debated on what her vocal range and type classifications are. When Salonga performed as Kim in ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'', she was expected to utilize most of her range, hitting notes as low as E3 and as high as D5. In both
Disney Princess ''Disney Princess'', also called the ''Princess Line'', is a media franchise and toy line owned by the Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney, the franchise features a lineup of female protagonists who ha ...
singing roles,
Jasmine Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely culti ...
and Mulan, Salonga uses head tones that reach up to F5. Salonga has been recorded singing notes ranging from D3 to C6.


Other ventures


Philanthropy and activism

On October 15, 2010, Salonga was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
(FAO) of the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
. Salonga has been openly supportive of
LGBT equality Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , ...
for many years. On October 12, 2009, during a benefit concert held at The Philippine Center's Kalayaan Hall for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy, Salonga referenced the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. and stated, "I believe that every single human being has the fundamental right to marry whoever they want." In 2011, ''The Advocate'' called her a "major
gay icon A gay icon is a public figure who is regarded as a cultural icon of some members of the LGBT community. The most widely recognized gay icons are often actresses and singers who garnered large LGBT fanbases, such as Judy Garland, Madonna, Diana Ros ...
." In February 2016, Salonga criticized Filipino
politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, ...
and former professional boxer Manny Pacquiao via Twitter for his views on
homosexuality Homosexuality is Romance (love), romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romant ...
and same-sex marriage. On March 29, 2021, Salonga condemned the rise of violent attacks on Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 21, 2021, she appeared with actress Lucy Liu, politician and First Lady
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
, and others in the #AAPI Women Strong: Organizing Beyond A Hashtag forum to share their experiences and spread awareness on anti-Asian hate.


Personal life

Salonga lives in the Philippines and the United States.


Early relationships

After performing in the 2000 Manila production of '' They're Playing Our Song'', Salonga began a relationship with Korean-American co-star
Michael K. Lee Michael K. Lee (born June 5, 1973) is an American theater actor and singer who resides in Seoul, Korea. Early life Lee was born in Brooklyn, New York to Susie and Won Yub Lee. He was raised in Salamanca, a small Native American reservation to ...
. The relationship ended in mid-2001.


Marriage and children

In November 2001, while performing in the Los Angeles production of '' Flower Drum Song'' at the
Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of Downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighborin ...
, Salonga met Robert "Rob" Charles Chien, an American entrepreneur of Chinese and Japanese heritage. On January 10, 2004, Salonga and Chien married at the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. During the wedding ceremony, Salonga performed the song "Two Words," composed by
Louie Ocampo Louie Ocampo (born Jose Luis Ocampo on June 21, 1960) is a Filipino composer and arranger best known for his association with Martin Nievera. His numerous hits, mostly collaborations, include ''Tell Me'', ''Kahit Isang Saglit'', and ''You Are My ...
and Freddie Santos, given to her as an early wedding present. The wedding was aired as a two-hour television special, which was directed by Bobby Garcia and hosted by
Boy Abunda Eugenio Romerica Abunda Jr. (; born October 29, 1960), popularly known as Boy Abunda, is a Filipino professor, television host, publicist and talent manager. Early life and education Boy Abunda was born as Eugenio Romerica Abunda Jr. in ...
, on
ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Philippine commercial broadcast network that serves as the flagship property of ABS-CBN Corporation, a company unde ...
in late January 2004. They have one daughter together.


Notable relatives

Salonga has notable relatives around the world, including Filipino musical conductor and arranger Gerard Salonga (brother), ballerina Maniya Barredo (first cousin), and Canadian actress and model Shay Mitchell (cousin).


Discography


Solo recordings

* '' Small Voice'' (1981) * '' Lea'' (1988) * '' Lea Salonga'' (1993) * '' I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing'' (1997) * ''Lea... In Love'' (1998) * '' By Heart'' (1999) * '' Lea Salonga: The Christmas Album'' (2000) * '' Songs from the Screen'' (2001) * ''Inspired'' (2007) * ''Lea Salonga: Your Songs'' (2010) * ''Bahaghari ainbow Lea Salonga Sings Traditional Songs of the Philippines'' (2017)


Cast recordings

* ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' (Original London Cast Recording) (1989) * ''
Little Tramp : ''See The Tramp for the character played by Charlie Chaplin''. ''Little Tramp'' is a musical with a book by David Pomeranz and Steven David Horwich and music and lyrics by David Pomeranz. Based on the life of comedian Charles Chaplin and nam ...
'' (Studio Recording) (1992) * ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...
'' (Hollywood Studio Cast Recording) (1992) * ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
'' (Soundtrack Recording) (1992) * '' Mulan'' (Soundtrack Recording) (1998) * '' Making Tracks'' (Original Cast Recording) (2001) * '' Flower Drum Song'' (Revival Cast Recording) (2002) * '' Mulan II'' (Soundtrack Recording) (2005) * ''Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia'' (Soundtrack Recording) (2008) * '' Cinderella'' (Original International Tour Cast Recording) (2010) * '' Allegiance'' (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2016) * '' Once on This Island'' (First Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (2018)


Video/Live recordings

* ''Hey Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh'' (1997) * '' Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert'' (1995) * ''Lea Salonga Live Vol. 1'' (2000) * ''Lea Salonga Live Vol. 2'' (2000) * '' The Broadway Concert'' (2002) * '' Songs from Home: Live Concert Recording'' (2004) * '' Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary'' (2010) * ''The Journey So Far – Recorded Live at Cafe Carlyle'' (2011) * ''Live: Jazz at Lincoln Center'' (2016) * ''Blurred Lines'' (2017) * ''The Story of My Life: Lea Salonga Live from Manila'' (2019) with the BYU Chamber Orchestra * ''Lea Salonga in Concert with the
Sydney Symphony Orchestra The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. Simone Young is the orchestra's chief conductor and f ...
'' (2020)


Compilation albums

* ''100% Lea Gives Her Best'' (2003) * ''The Ultimate OPM Collection'' (2007)


Featured recordings

* '' Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection'' (2004), for the song " If You Can Dream" (sung with Susan Logan, Grey Griffin, Jodi Benson, Paige O'Hara and Judy Kuhn) * '' Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams'' (2007), for the songs "Peacock Princess" (sung with Gilbert Gottfried) and "I've Got My Eyes on You" * '' Shelldon'' (2008), for the song "It's a Brand New Day" * '' Sofia the First'' (2014), for the songs "The Ride of Our Lives" (episode 12: "Two to Tangu") and "Stronger that You Know" (episode 36: "Princesses To The Rescue")


Acting credits

One of the most prolific actresses since her career's inception in 1978, Salonga has appeared in numerous international theatre productions, television shows, films, and video games. In Manila, Salonga has appeared in theatre productions such as ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...
'' (1978), ''
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...
'' (1978), '' Fiddler on the Roof'' (1978), '' Annie'' (1980), ''
The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...
'' (1980), '' The Rose Tattoo'' (1980), '' The Bad Seed'' (1981), '' The Goodbye Girl'' (1982), '' The Paper Moon'' (1983), '' Annie'' (1984), '' The Fantasticks'' (1988), '' My Fair Lady'' (1994), '' Grease'' (1995), '' They're Playing Our Song'' (2000), ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' (2000), '' Proof'' (2002), '' Baby'' (2004), ''
Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...
'' (2010), ''
God of Carnage ''God of Carnage'' (originally in French ''Le Dieu du carnage'') is a play by Yasmina Reza that was first published in 2008. It is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public park. The pare ...
'' (2012), '' Fun Home'' (2016), and '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' (2019). In London's West End, she has appeared in ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' (1989–1990, 1999) and ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (1996). On Broadway, she has appeared in ''
Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed rom ...
'' (1991–1992, 1993, 1999, 2001), ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (1993), '' Flower Drum Song'' (2002–2003), ''Something Good: A Broadway Salute to Richard Rogers on His 100th Birthday'' (2002), ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (2007), '' Allegiance'' (2015–2016), and '' Once on This Island'' (2017–2018, 2018–2019). Salonga has also appeared in ''
Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...
'' (1994), '' They're Playing Our Song'' (1999), ''
God of Carnage ''God of Carnage'' (originally in French ''Le Dieu du carnage'') is a play by Yasmina Reza that was first published in 2008. It is about two sets of parents; the son of one couple has hurt the son of the other couple at a public park. The pare ...
'' (2012), and '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' (2019) in Singapore, ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' (1996) in Honolulu during the third U.S. national tour, Rodgers and Hammerstein's '' Cinderella'' (2008), '' Allegiance'' (2012) in San Diego, '' Annie'' (2018) at the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...
in Los Angeles, and the 10th and 25th anniversary concerts of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
and
The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the ...
, respectively. Salonga made her film debut in 1981 in the Filipino comedy '' Tropang Bulilit''. She went on to appear in the films ''Like Father, Like Son'' (1985), ''Ninja Kids'' (1986), ''Captain Barbell'' (1986), ''
Pik Pak Boom ''Pik Pak Boom'' is a 1988 Filipino anthology comedy film directed by Leroy Salvador and starring Herbert Bautista, Lea Salonga, Lilet, Bing Loyzaga, Regine Velasquez, and Dingdong Avanzado. The film consists of two segments: "Manyika" () and " B ...
'' (1988), ''Dear Diary'' (1989), ''The Heat Is On'' (1989), ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
'' (1992), '' Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal'' (1992), '' Sana Maulit Muli'' (1995), '' Mulan'' (1998), '' Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert'' (1998), '' My Neighbor Totoro'' (2004), '' Mulan II'' (2004), '' Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams'' (2007), '' Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary'' (2010), ''Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary'' (2016), '' Allegiance'' (2016), ''Expedition Reef'' (2018), and '' Yellow Rose'' (2019). In 1983, Salonga began hosting her own variety show entitled ''Love, Lea'', which ended its run in 1985. She went on to appear in '' That's Entertainment'' (1986), ''Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special'' (1993), ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...
'' (1993), '' Reading Rainbow'' (1993, 2001), ''
Redwood Curtain ''Redwood Curtain'' is a 1995 American dramatic TV movie created by Hallmark Hall of Fame, and directed by John Korty based upon the 1993 Broadway play of the same name by Lanford Wilson. Starring Jeff Daniels, Lea Salonga, Debra Monk and Joh ...
'' (1995), ''Aladdin on Ice'' (1995), '' ASAP'' (1997–present), '' ER'' (2001), '' As the World Turns'' (2001, 2003), '' Johnny Bravo'' (2004), ''
Miss Universe 2011 Miss Universe 2011 was the 60th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. At the end of the event, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico crowned Leila Lopes of Angola as Miss Universe 2011. It is the ...
'' (2011), '' Sofia the First'' (2012, 2014), '' The Voice of the Philippines'' (2013, 2014–15), ''
The Voice Kids ''The Voice Kids'' is a version of ''The Voice'' TV series franchise in which children participate. Versions The first such variation was '' The Voice Kids'' from the Netherlands, which was followed by other international variants: : Franchise wi ...
'' (2014–2019), ''
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend ''Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'' is an American romantic musical comedy-drama television series that premiered on October 12, 2015, on The CW and ran for four seasons, ending on April 5, 2019. The series was created, written, and directed by Rachel Blo ...
'' (2016), ''Nature Is Speaking'' (2016), '' 91st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade'' (2017), '' The Voice Teens'' (2017, 2020), ''
Centaurworld ''Centaurworld'' is an American animated musical comedy streaming television series created by Megan Nicole Dong, with songs by Dong and Dominic Bisignano. Produced by Sketchshark Productions and Netflix Animation, it premiered on Netflix on July ...
'' (2021), '' American Experience'' (2022), '' Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin'' (2022), and '' Little Demon'' (2022).


Achievements and legacy

Salonga gained national recognition in the Philippines at a young age, winning Best Child Performer at the
Aliw Awards The Aliw Awards by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the renowned Philippine journalistbr>Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press ...
in 1980, 1981, and 1982. * For her success as a child singer and actress, she was known as the " Shirley Temple of the Philippines." For her performance as the leading role of Kim in ''Miss Saigon'', Salonga won Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical at the 1990
Laurence Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...
. After her return to the Philippines, she won Outstanding Performer at the
Aliw Awards The Aliw Awards by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the renowned Philippine journalistbr>Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press ...
. In the same year, she received a
Presidential Medal of Merit President most commonly refers to: * President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
from
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Corazon Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...
for her services to the arts. For reprising her role as Kim in the Broadway production of ''Miss Saigon'', Salonga was awarded Outstanding Actress in a Musical at the 1991 Drama Desk Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Musical at the 1991 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Best Actress in a Musical at the 1991
Theatre World Awards The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical at the 45th Annual Tony Awards. She made history as the first Asian actress to win a Tony Award and the second-youngest actress to win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. She later became the first Asian actress to portray the role of Éponine when she joined the Broadway production in early 1993. In 1993, she also became the first Filipino artist to sign with an international record label when she signed with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
. In 2004, Salonga won Entertainer of the Year at the
Aliw Awards The Aliw Awards by the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc. was established by the renowned Philippine journalistbr>Alice H. Reyes to recognize achievements in the live entertainment industry in the Philippines. It was founded in 1975 by the National Press ...
. She later won the Aliw Award for Best Major Concert (Female) in 2008. In 2007,
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Gloria Arroyo honored Salonga with the rank of Commander of the
Order of Lakandula The Order of Lakandula ( fil, Orden ni Lakandula) is one of the highest civilian orders of the Philippines, established on September 19, 2003. It is awarded for political and civic merit and in memory of King Lakandula’s dedication to the resp ...
in recognition of using her talents to benefit Philippine society and foster cultural exchange. The
House of Representatives of the Philippines The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house of Congress, th ...
also awarded her with the Congressional Medal of Achievement for showing "the extent and depth of the Filipino musical talent" and "opening the way for other Filipino artists to break into the finest theaters in the world." In 2011, Salonga was declared a " Disney Legend" for her work with the Walt Disney Company, providing the singing voices for Princess Jasmine in ''
Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part o ...
'' and Fa Mulan in '' Mulan'' and '' Mulan II''. In September 2022, Salonga was recognized by ''TIME'' magazine at the TIME100 Impact Awards for being a "life-long role model for children of color." Salonga has been cited as an influence for several singers and actors, especially those of Asian descent, including Ali Ewoldt, Kimiko Glenn, Rachelle Ann Go,
Bella Poarch Denarie Taylor (born February 9, 1997), known professionally as Bella Poarch ( ), is a Filipino-born American singer and social media personality. On August 17, 2020, she created the most liked video on TikTok, in which she lip syncs to the s ...
,
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
, and Phillipa Soo.


See also

* Filipinos in the New York metropolitan area *
Honorific nicknames in popular music When describing popular music artists, honorific nicknames are used, most often in the media or by fans, to indicate the significance of an artist, and are often religious, familial, or (most frequently) royal and aristocratic titles, used ...
* List of people with absolute pitch * Recipients of Presidential Medal of Merit in the Philippines * Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical


Notes


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Salonga, Lea 1971 births 20th-century Filipino actresses 20th-century Filipino women singers 21st-century Filipino actresses 21st-century Filipino women singers ABS-CBN personalities Actresses from Pampanga Arista Records artists Ateneo de Manila University alumni Atlantic Records artists Audiobook narrators Capitol Records artists Disney Legends Disney people Drama Desk Award winners FAO Goodwill ambassadors Filipino child actresses Filipino child singers Filipino expatriates in the United States Filipino musical theatre actresses Filipino voice actresses Filipino women musicians Fordham University alumni GMA Network personalities Kapampangan people Laurence Olivier Award winners Living people People from Angeles City People from Manila Recipients of the Order of Lakandula Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines) Singers from Pampanga Sony Music Philippines artists That's Entertainment (Philippine TV series) That's Entertainment Thursday Group Members Theatre World Award winners Tony Award winners Walt Disney Records artists