Talkin’ Personal with Filipino celebrities, Sheryn Regis and Joel Sebag

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

Early this month, Filipino Americans in Indiana got an early Christmas treat with a couple of leading Filipino American celebrities headlining a dinner concert along with our Chicago-based Filipino Folk Fusion band, SamaSama Project organized by the Filipino American Heritage and Cultural Arts of Indiana.

Houston-based Sheryn Regis, who rose to fame after winning 2nd place in the first season of Star In A Million a nationally broadcasted Singing competition in the Philippines, gave audiences the chills with her gloriously high belts while warming their hearts singing old Filipino classics such as “Usahay” and “Rosas Pandan”. Joel Sebag, an Inspirational gospel pianist based in Arkansas who started as a piano prodigy, also rendered a number of beloved Christian songs like “Give Thanks” and rendered medleys of classic Broadway favorites much to the audiences’ enjoyment.

After the hugely successful concert organized by Ms. Marife Callender, I was fortunate to spend some time with them at the green room of the beautiful Indiana Roof Ballroom to chat briefly about their beginnings, life in America, their career and future plans.

LOUELLA: Is this your first time in Indianapolis?

SHERYN: This is my first time here and I feel so at home. There’s a lot of Bisayan people pala dito (here), I didn’t expect it. I enjoyed, I like the venue. The producer is nice.

JOEL: Marife is so good, she took care of us.

And they love you guys! I know you both are based in the US now. What brought you over here?

SHERYN: Music brought me here. The U.S. Government gave me the opportunity to be “an alien of extraordinary talent” so I petitioned myself to come here. I brought my family. Well, it’s a make it or break it (situation). It was really a tough decision for me because I left the Philippines at the top of my career. But I had to decide.

JOEL: I came here in 1993 for my practice. I started as a Physical Therapist. Actually, my first assignment was here in Indiana!

Do you miss living there?

SHERYN: I miss the limelight that’s why I don’t have the Filipino Channel [pauses smiling] because If I watch it, I am gonna miss the Philippines and I’ll wanna go home.

JOEL: I have been going (to the Philippines) at least twice a year. I do medical missions. Actually, it’s part of the cause of the concerts I do. I sell CDs (at shows) and that would supply some of the funds for the medical mission to help children in the Philippines.

I want to go back to when you started. What got you into music?

SHERYN: My parents (introduced me to) music. My dad was a singer and a theater actor, as well as my mom. I started at the early age of five. I got it from them.

JOEL: I started playing (the piano) when I was seven and I guess it’s my passion.

Now, that you are in the US, we all know, you got to have that drive to really make it in an international arena. For you, personally, where are you now, where do you want to be and what are you doing to get it?

SHERYN: I’m still (very active) in the music business. I travel a lot with Joel. The Filipino Channel brings me to different places too. Actually, a year after I immigrated here, I decided not to sing (anymore) but na-ah, (I realized) I can’t live without singing. So, I told the Filipino Channel, I want to sing again and they brought me everywhere and introduced me to a lot of Filipino communities here in America.

Are you trying to break out in the mainstream as well?

SHERYN: Of course, I want to. Well, Joel has a plan to have a mainstream act not just for Filipinos but (other) locals too.

Have you ever thought of joining the popular TV contests like American Idol?

SHERYN: It’s kinda like half and half because I don’t want stress. It’s a very good medium for you to get in (but) for me, I just want to live my life peacefully, and no stress. ‘Cuz I have been through Star In A Million and that’s just in the Philippines, how much more (would it be), internationally. That’s too much stress for me. I want to live happily.

Would you say then that life is more of a priority for you?

SHERYN: Yes. My life, my singing. This is the principle. Even if I am not famous as long as I still have my voice that would be the greatest gift from God. I don’t need to be popular. I just want to use my talent to share with everyone.

How is it for you, Joel, being a gospel artist?

JOEL: It was kinda easy for me to get into mainstream because I can (perform) in a lot of American churches and they would know the songs I play. So, I have good rapport with the people and I can sell my CDs quickly [laughs].

SHERYN: Probably, one of these days, we can have a gospel music concert!

Let me ask you. There are many Filipino Americans going back to the Philippines to start their careers in show business. What would you advise them?

SHERYN: When they go home, the need speak Tagalog all the time. Even for me, I had to try to speak Tagalog more because I am Bisaya and I don’t speak Tagalog much.

JOEL: There’s a lot of talented people there. They need to have more talents – if they can play musical instruments, sing and act, the whole package (the better).

SHERYN: It’s really hard to establish your name in the Philippines. Filipinos are hard to please. But I feel so lucky to get into show business. I am gonna say, I am not the best singer there but (still) I’m in the business. God is so good! My advice to all those people – be humble, be yourself, stay grounded and pray all the time.

Any message to the Filipino American community on behalf of all artists?

JOEL: The thing about Filipinos is that they easily would be “proud to be Filipino” with whoever (Filipino) is famous is on TV but if it’s a small gathering with somebody singing, they don’t show up because they don’t know them. We should be excited when (Filipinos) are performing and support them as much as we can.

SHERYN: I want to say that we really need to support our Filipino American artists. We need to be very united in supporting the kids. Generation to generation, we should be proud of being Filipinos conquering America. [smiles]

The duo, the Crystal voice and the Piano, which also is the official name of their show, will be on break the rest of December and January for the holidays but will kick off 2018 with shows in February in Toronto and Baltimore. A show in March in the works for Chicago, of course, with the homegrown talent SamaSama Project. So watch out for that next year!

Thank you to Marife Callender for making the interview, and our trip to Indiana possible! Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to everyone!

CHRISTMAS CAROLING FILIPINO STYLE AT SEAFOOD CITY

Shout out to Jcrew and the Filipino Musicians of Chicago for a very lively and engaging performance of Filipino Christmas Carols for the patrons and guests attending the Christmas 2017 program and Grand Bingo Finale at Seafood City Chicago last December 10. You definitely bring the warmth of Filipino Christmas to the Windy City!

Louella Maningas Cabalona is a singer, actor, and Senior Manager for Business Analytics, Sears Holdings. She is the lead singer of the Filipino Folk band, SamaSama Project; an active Board member of the League of Volunteers for Relief Expeditions and the Young Business United and is one of the inaugural delegates of the FYLPRO Immersion program of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC. She is passionate about sharing Filipino culture in the modern world and actively supports all outstanding Filipinos around the globe. If you would like to connect, email louellarose@gmail.com

Filipino singer and actor, Sheryn Regis and Joel Sebag, Inspirational Gospel pianist with Louella Cabalona (Photo Credits: Sombeb Mukherjee)

The artists and producers of the show (Fr L to R) – Louella Cabalona, Sheryn’s Accompanist and husband, Earl Echiverri, Sheryn Regis, Producers Marife Callender and husband and Joel Sebag. (Photo Credits: Sombeb Mukherjee)

The Crystal Voice and the Piano – Joel Sebag, Sheryn Regis, Earl Echiverri (Photo Credits: RJ Sebag and Han Photography)

SamaSama Project performing at the Indiana Roof Ballroom (Photo Credits: RJ Sebag and Han Photography)

The Filipino Musicians obliging to an encore performance (Fr L to R) – Bernadette Molina, Merle Fertig, Patty Soliman, Rose Tom, Louella Cabalona, Lanie and Roland (not seen) Del Rosario, Ed Sawyer, Rudy Campos, Rogel Arceo, Phil Fertig, Jason Maranan, George Molina, Gerry Lomotan on Guitars and Baron Cabalona on Double bass

Jcrew singing “Payapang Daigdig” (from L to R) Joshua Dizon, Jeremy Rabor, Ashley Dizon, Joey Rabor and Jared Maranan