Grazia Kauffman, a big fan of Charice, was blown away by her Filipino idol’s performance. “Before her, there were many famous people singing. And the minute she started singing, I cried, through the whole song, all four songs that she sang,” Kauffman said.

Wednesday’s concert was Foster’s first ever national tour and he said the show was off to a great start. For one, more than 50 percent of the opening night’s crowds were Filipinos.

Pinay talent

Besides Charice, another Filipina shared the stage with Foster. Hawaiian native Jewl Anguay is one of Foster’s touring background singers.

Anguay comes from a family of singers originally from Cebu. She was only 16 when she joined the second national tour of Miss Saigon. And at 19, she was the youngest ever non-African American to play the lead role of Nala in the Los Angeles production of “Lion King.”

It was in LA where she met Foster for the first time.

“I’m completely blessed that I get to do this and that I’ve been given this opportunity to just work with these people who I’ve listened to growing up and I’ve completely respected,” Anguay said.

Foster also recently picked another Filipino singer to sing for the show. But this time to compete as one of the two finalists for the San Jose tour’s “Hitman Talent Search.”

Rosalee Sher is an amateur singer from Las Vegas and she will be performing live at the HP Pavillion on November 6.

With Charice, Anguay and Sher on his show, Foster has certainly set the stage for Filipino talents to shine, not just for the Filipino audience, but for the rest of the world to see.

Source: by Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau