What I Learned From Working With Asia's Queen of Songs

A nation mourns the loss of a legend.

- By CARLO OROSA

Pilita Corrales—the woman we all called "Asia's Queen of Songs"—has taken her final bow, leaving behind a legacy that shaped generations of Filipino music and brought our culture to the global stage.

Born in Cebu, Pilita's journey was extraordinary. In the 1950s, she became the first Filipina to top the Australian pop charts, a groundbreaking achievement that earned her the title "Australia's Dame of Music, Radio & Television."

Long before global recognition was common for Filipino artists, Pilita was already performing in international circuits, appearing on Australian television, and becoming a beloved voice overseas.

Her ability to perform in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Visayan—and to shift from pop to bolero to jazz to kundiman with ease—made her not only versatile but iconic.

She wasn't just a singer. She was the voice of a generation, then another, and another. With her signature grace and unique vocal timbre, she breathed soul into every song, every lyric, every note.