By BlessedSoul

Never in my life have I witnessed something so delicate 
like a petal of a rose and pierced like a raindrop on a desert soil…

Ever since I saw charice in starking, I  passionately became her follower.

Charice amazingly pulls out of her little body so much power when she sings, that I thought 
“she is possessed by music” .

When I’m not listening to her music I would search YouTube for new videos, hoping there are new ones.
One particular night, a dinner party after the last edition of “Ti lascio una canzone” I happened to see her in Ellen Degeneres show.
My boss passing by, heard her and took a peek at the monitor during the song “Im not leaving without you”.
He uttered in disbelief “Ma chi sei?!!!”(who are you?)
“We should contact her for the next edition”.
I could only nod in agreement.

I sent an inquiry on her multiply site, but received no response.
months passed by and  I forgot the whole thing.
One afternoon, my boss told me “We have pempengco on the show”.
wow.wow..wow…am I in disbelief.
So many things had happened since then. Charice has been all over America,
yet I am about to meet her…wow.

My flight to San Remo was 8:30 a.m. I’m wide awake at 4 a.m.
April 3rd, I am sad that she missed her flight that was scheduled for April 2, 2009. 
So am sure I will not see her when I arrive in San Remo.
Entering Teatro Ariston for the first time sent chills to my spine, it is magical.
It felt like all the artist who performed there left an indelible legacy.

During the rehearsal of the kids,
I was told that Charice will arrive at 11:30 p.m., April 3.
It means I will see her the day of the live telecast, I was worried that she has no time to rehearse with the kids for the duets…
The bag on my shoulder felt heavier, with the camcorder, camera, battery pack and all.
With all the adrenalin rush vanishing, I felt the lack of sleep and tiredness.
While waiting for my friends for lunch, I logged on Charicemania to update them.

April4
We were met by a beautiful sunny day.
“You brought sunshine to San Remo my friend, Clari told me”
It has been gloomy the past few days.
I thought tonight Charice will give us the stars…
We finished our lunch almost 3 p.m., I was told that Charice  will rehearse at 4 p.m.
I waited at the theater’s hall. I was glad that I’ll be able to see her before the show.
While checking for my camcorder, the corner of my eye I saw Charice on the  mirror down the hall.
From the stairs I took a video clip of Charice entering the theater.
I let her meet everyone first.
Afterwards, I went inside the theater to meet her.
As she saw me approaching, she opened her arms and gave me a warm embrace.
She had a bewildered gaze as she looked around her.
As I caressed her hair, I felt it damp and so did my boss.
He immediately called Button and sent them up to dry her hair.
“Button, can I please come?” “of course!” Button replied.
There were two flights of stairs to the make up room.
I engaged her into a conversation.
Her childlike voice hardly perceptible from the loud orchestra behind us, made me wonder how could she sing the way she does.
From then on you know what happened…
Through the video clip of the hair drying I posted.
I must say she cant hold herself still. It seems like million musical notes and other hidden talent were running back and forth in her veins.

We went down to practise her first song.
The intro of  ’I will always love you’ filled the stage…
Sitting in the front row, I pushed the record button when all my voluntary and involuntary muscles begun shaking.
I knew it would be impossible to have a decent shoot.
My finger just cannot find the zoom in/out button, knowing I am in some way would be responsible for the outcome of her performance made me feel nervous the more.
She is not yet known by the Italians aside from those who follows david foster and the usual YouTube followers..
Brava! after the ‘I will always love you’ rendition, beaming faces contended with the spotlight, more than anyone else’, mine and that of the director.whew!
The prayer followed, as the video clip shows they blended really well.
 The director suffers the possessed by music syndrome too, I managed to pull him back as he walks back and forth blocking my view, thus, the now much commented “scusi signore” in the “Charice – Gianluca rehearsal video”.
Needless to say  you saw how enthusiastic the crowd were after the rendtion of the song.
The trio singing ‘I have nothing followed’.
There I was in my goosebumped skin, trying to contain all kinds of emotions when the director mimicked Charice stomping the floor on the notes of  ’don’t make me cloooooooose one more dooor!)
I went nuts laughing.

Breath of relief.
There she is, being a playful kid again, dancing like a fairy in an enchanted garden.
I said you can now greet the chasters,
she waved and said “Hello chasters”
Simone: who’s chasters?
Me: her fans
She turned swiftly when the musical notes of  ’listen’ began to float in the air,  and she  transformed again.
Another playfull gesture, a jabbawockeez move., then a wonderful voice engulfed us yet again.
I have no words to describe the feelings hearing the song live,
wonderful, marvelous, incredible seems to me as understatement..
We were like, “She’s not for real!”…gosh.
Those occasional look at her mother made me more emotional.
They look like accomplices in so many ways.

Another mystery, how could she do that?
She doesn’t sing like someone who just flew from the Philippines and slept just for a few hours..
She’s not human.

As she hit the high notes of  ’Listen’
jaws dropped, contained claps during the song,
drummers in the air 
indeed, a blissful moment.
PRICELESS.all caps.shouting.underlined.in bold letters.
Priceless.
And as always, almost making it a standard operating procedure after every performance,
standing ovation.

Charice and company were ushered to the exit door,
I waved goodbye, asking where is she headed to,
“Shopping po, ang gaganda po ng sapatos dito” (am going shopping,they have really beautiful shoes here).
I wonder if she bought any.

She was stopped by Italians for picture taking, 
as always she is so nice to everyone.
She never turned anyone away.

I headed back home myself, trying to remember which way to take.
Two hours to rest before the live telecast.
The slightly cold air, the festive atmosphere, made me feel lightheaded and dizzy.

Having only 30 minutes to shower and go back to the theater, I was in frenzy.
Yes I will, I thought, yes I’m gonna faint somewhere.

Good thing I felt the pricking pain on my toes as we walk towards the theater,
it made me forget I’m dizzy and about to faint.

“go , go ,go”
you have to go sit in the front row before your boss kill me.
no.no.no.
no way, i have to shoot vids during the show.
sit or die.
Die?
sit.
I reluctantly complied.

With the thought that  during the shows duration it’s impossible to go to the bathroom, I headed for the bathroom. I encountered Ceci rushing,”where to ce?”
“I’m going to ask Charice a couple of questions”
SAMA KO!
“Can I come with you?”
“Yes of course”.
“Wear your pass all the time”.

Oh,my almighty
two flights of step on these heels?
Now thats really love and madness.

I stood by the door as Ceci asked her questions.
A few minutes after Charice went out.

Now, why my bag held my journal hostage is a mystery still,
but i did managed to pull it out in time.
“Charice, please sign my Sanreme book please”
“ay teka”,(oh wait) while offering me growers peanuts.
Charice then wrote the note you see now in my you tube channel.
aw sweetness.
Thank you Charice.
Almost show time. I rushed to my seat.
Unbelievable.
The kids were really good and the audience werent prompt to clap 
 they spontaneously clap.
During Charice performances as I occasionally look back or behind me, someone 
would try to catch my gaze and would give thumbs or would put a hand on their chest
a gesture to show they were touched.
During commercial they would give me compliments exchanging me for Cha’s aunt, sister,
and mom.
Inako ko na.hahaha(i willingly abide).
After the show, we hung around waiting for everybody for a group dinner.
I never expected to see Charice again, I thought they went out already.
We took the opportunity for picture taking, and we were having model moments when my boss, smiling himself at the camera but giving me a kinda pissed look because I didn’t
hear him talking for like minutes. He told me,
please tell them (Charice and manager) that Warner Italy is very eager to sign her up.
Marc replied, she’s a Warner already!
hurrah.
Exhaustion then began to become real to me.
I had to sit, people around still talking,taking pictures.
I cannot recall how but somehow I managed to shoot with my cell phone,
the three after the show videos. The birthday song was not finished because my husband called during the recording.

argh.

My all time favorite ‘Ikaw’ was the cherry on top of this wonderful experience.
Pippo my friend who doesnt know a word of Filipino was moved by the way she sang it.

What can I say?
I’m blessed.

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (A) – Dressing Room before the show

By 3BlessedSoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (B) – ‘The Prayer’ rehearsal before the show

By 3BlessedSoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (C) – ‘Listen’ rehearsal before the show

By 3blessedsoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (D) – Charice sings birthday song before the show

By 3BlessedSoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (E) – After the show

By 3BlessedSoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (F) – ‘Tagalog Song’ After the show

By 3blessedsoul3

Additional Video by BlessedSoul (G) – ‘I Will Always Love you’ rehearsal for the show

By 3blessedsoul3
Acknowledgement: Special thank you to BlessedSoul for sharing her videos, pictures and her own personal experience upon meeting “The Most Talented Girl In The World.”

Posted by GM, submitted by BlessedSoul

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