Regine’s two scents’ worth

Author: Alwin M. Ignacio, Contributor, and Maripet L. Poso
Column: Life

Endorsing a signature scent ups the iconic ante of a celebrity. It’s a fact. Jennifer Lopez has Glow and Deseo to prove it. Beyonce has Emporio Armani’s Diamonds and Tommy Hilfiger True Star to seal the deal. And, of course, Mariah Carey decided to go all out sexy with M and Luscious Pink by Elizabeth Arden. Locally, some celebrities have also lent their names and faces to some fragrance lines, with Songbird Regine Velasquez the latest to launch her own pair of signature scents.

HerBench, one of the country’s hip retail brands, recently introduced these two new scents, aptly named Songbird and Reigne, endorsed and inspired by Regine. The perfumes not only capture the essence of Regine in a bottle — fun and feminine with a touch of sophistication — but also re-affirms HerBench’s philosophy of providing chic and affordable fashion essentials.

During its launch recently at the Atrium of SM Mall of Asia, Regine was undoubtedly in her best element, delighting her fans with a mini-concert, complete with a band and the presence of her loved ones. As expected, she held the audiences under a hypnotic spell. As she raised her voice an octave higher, signaling the crescendo of her ballad, the crowd erupted into a rapturous applause.

Regine’s climb to her present day stature can be best described as arduous. At an early age, she joined amateur singing contests, one after the other, in the many barrios of Bulacan, winning some, losing some, until the time her first big showbiz break.

It was in Bagong Kampeon, then hosted by Pilita Corrales and the late funnyman Bert Marcelo, where she started sowing her good seeds. She held an eight-week singing streak, and when finals night came, her rendition of George Benson’s "In Your Eyes" made her the champion. Since then, after so many albums, local and international triumphs, Regine continues to be an inspiration to her legions of fans.

With regard to her singing career, some of her most noteworthy triumphs include being the first Filipino to stage a solo concert at the main hall of Carnegie Hall, as part of the Carnegie’s centennial year concert series. She has sold more than five million albums, making her one of Manila’s bestselling artists. In Asia, she has sold more than a million records. She has also collaborated with other international artists as well like Asian superstar Jacky Cheung, international composers Michel Legrand and Jim Brickman, to name a few.

Her diva status soared with her colorful personal life. Her first boyfriend was the once dubbed "kilabot ng kolehiyala," balladeer and heartthrob Ariel Rivera. Her short-lived romance with Rivera earned her the ire of Gelli de Belen’s fanatics. They accused her then of "stealing" Ariel from De Belen.

Prior to her present relationship, entertainment media had a field day linking her with leading men Aga Muhlach, Richard Gutierrez and Robin Padilla. All these talks added more to her diva allure.

Presently, Velasquez’s paramour is singer and songwriter Ogie Alcasid, who, during the launch, acted like a photographer chronicling the event. The reason Regine was in full bloom during the launch was she and Alcasid had had "quality time" together, prior to Ogie’s natal celebration.

"It made me very happy since we have not really been spending time together because we both work and are very busy," shared Regine, "He did two movies simultaneously and then after that I’m going to be the one who’s going to shoot."

"So, it was wonderful that we went out of town, just the two of us. We went to a joyride to Tagaytay up to Nasugbu. He drove and I really like it when he does that because I feel very secure and this is something that we rarely do. We had a singing marathon while we were having our road trip," she added.

Stunning in her Michael Cinco purple sequined and feathered evening gown at the fragrance launch, Regine joked, "Pasensya na, hindi ako nakapaghanda masyado. Casual lang ang suot ko," which cracked up the crowd. "I’m very thankful to the Bench family for giving me this opportunity to be part of their family," she said, adding that she was involved in the development of the scents from start to finish.

Regine is good at what she does, there’s no doubt about it. But what made her stay this long in the fickle world of entertainment is her ability to stay rooted and true to herself. She reinvents her sense of style, but she remains simple. These sensibilities are reflected in her scents.

Songbird is light and powdery, much like Regine’s bubbly and sunny personality. This one is gentle and soft enough for everyday use. Reigne, on the other hand, is fruity-floral with notes of sophistication and unabashed femininity. This one is meant to echo Regine’s professional and serious onstage persona. Both scents come in limited edition packaging of purple and pink.

Reigne and Songbird are available at HerBench stores nationwide.

Source: The Daily Tribune

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