Following the official release, on Oprah no less, of Charice’s first US single “Note To God” (written by the legendary Diane Warren and produced by multi-Grammy award winner David Foster), Charice fans worldwide can be heard (or seen, more like) “Tweeting” and “Buzzing” not only about the song “Note To God”, but also about this compelling young artist, dubbed as the latest international teenage singing sensation!

Even as I write, videos of young Charice performing at different shows, with a host of well-known (as well as not so well-known) local and international artists, in different parts of the world, are being uploaded on YouTube at a rate that will rival the heartbeat of a marathon runner.  There are Charice fans all over the world losing sleep right now, being on an almost permanent stakeout on YouTube just on the off-chance that a new video of Charice will be uploaded, and perhaps, be able to satisfy their daily craving for more Charice!  Failing that, these same fans can be seen hanging out at Charicemania.com, waiting for any bit of new information about Charice, or even signing up for contests to win a chance to meet Charice.  We just can’t seem to get enough of Charice!

So who is Charice?  Well, the question really is, where have you been?

Discovered in or around 2007, Charice first gained international fame on YouTube garnering over one million hits on the video of her performance on StarKing, a popular talent show in Korea.  She caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres who featured that video on her show and invited anyone who knew Charice to “bring that girl” to Ellen’s show.  Within months Charice was a special guest on Ellen (her very first US appearance), in which Ellen declared, quite rightly, that the audience has “just witnessed the beginning” of Charice’s career.  She has since appeared on Oprah’s show three times and was featured on Oprah as part of the World’s Most Talented Kids program, she performed a duet with Celine Dion in Madison Square Garden, she had sung a duet with Andrea Bocelli in Italy, has performed to an audience of 8,000 to 10,000 as part of David Foster & Friends concert in Las Vegas (twice) sharing the stage with big name artists such as Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, etc.  She has performed at a couple of shows in Italy, was a featured guest on The Paul O’Grady show in the UK, oh and the list goes on… all the way to the release of her first US single, Note To God!  Mind you, all of these performances commanding no less than a standing ovation from her totally awestruck audience, some of whom, I’m sure, went home wondering if their lives will ever be the same again after their first Charice encounter.  You only have to see one of Charice’s videos to understand that feeling.

So what is it about this diminutive, unassuming young 17 year old “no-longer-a-girl-but-not-quite-a-woman” that keeps us glued on YouTube up to the wee hours of the morning watching videos (of her performances dating back from when she was 9 years old), over and over again! One fansite even has a gadget on their website dedicated to creating new words resulting from this phenomenon, and they call it the Dic-CHA-nary! Hence, we now have a word for people on the video stake-out: Chaddicts!

It isn’t just her voice, as utterly captivating as it is, nope. It’s not just her pretty face and her engaging smile.  It isn’t just her sense of self-assuredness that spills out onto the stage and grabs hold of the entire audience (including the tv/video watching public) from the moment she takes that microphone into her hands and the first melodic tones come out of her.  It isn’t just the depth of emotions that she brings into every note and every word that she sings.

It isn’t just the facial expressions that seem to naturally just happen at perfectly appropriate sections of the songs. It isn’t the goosebumps nor the effervescent feeling that emanates from the core of your being as you watch her and listen to her. It isn’t the joy, nor the sense of pride, nor the feeling of recognition that she evokes in her listener (or beholder). It isn’t her childlike innocence that lets you know the purity of her heart.

It isn’t the obvious love and respect she has for her mother. It isn’t because she broke through all possible limitations and seemingly huge obstacles strategically placed in front of her. It is not even her sudden rise to international stardom. It isn’t the string of successes (just in the last 12 months alone) that she has added to her already dazzling resumé.  It isn’t because she remains grounded and down to earth amidst the accolades and the standing ovations!

It is precisely because of all of that – put together in one compact albeit beautiful, attractive, delightfully addictive little package!  An innocent child yet able to display a maturity that is well beyond her years and, without even trying, exhibit the power to move grown men to tears!

It is because her very existence assures us that there is something, someone Supreme within all of us that makes the impossible possible.  It is her absolute belief in herself, and faith in that supreme being within, which makes her an undisputable evidence of greatness and well-being, as well as a shining example and a great role model for anyone (young and old alike) who harbours a dream in their heart.

Yes, this young diva commands not just your attention, your admiration, your respect, your laughter, your tears, but most of all your unconditional love. Yes, Charice has the magic to pull you right into her world… all of you… heart, mind and soul! Because she has so much more to give back to you!

So if you haven’t yet experienced the phenomenon that is Charice, I encourage you to get in front of a computer, log on to charicemania.com, and get ready for a deliciously emotional ride of a lifetime! Oh and remember to have food and drink nearby because you’ll be glued to your seat for a looooong time!  Be sure to enter the “Note To God” contest. You might just win a chance to meet this “Phenomenon”.

Now, fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen, I give you… CHARICE!

Author:  OzGirl

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3. Charice still high after her “Oprah” experience