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How Charice Made It to David Foster’s Elite List of Friends

And her cup runneth over, because at this point, there is really no stopping Charice.The young singing sensation continues to count her blessings, among them making it to the elite list of people prolific songwriter, producer and musician David Foster call friends as they will perform at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Friday, May 23, alongside Foster’s other friends such as Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Brian McKnight, Babyface and Katharine McPhee, among others.

Charice met with the famous composer/producer in Los Angeles last year before she taped her Ellen guesting. They flew together to Las Vegas on a private jet to watch the farewell show of Celine Dion at the Caesar’s Palace Colosseum.

All these seem to be happening so fast for the diminutive diva, after her ground-breaking guestings on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, Paul O’Grady Show in London, and just recently, Oprah.

Last Saturday, Charice shared the spotlight with Josh Groban, John Mayer and Alicia Keys in a show organized by Foster at the grand opening of the MGM Grand Casino-Hotel at Foxwoods in Connecticut.


Noted immigration lawyer Michael Gurfinkel and his wife Millie were with Charice and her mom Raquel in Connecticut and they shared their story with the Asian Journal. Atty. Gurfinkel helped expedite the issuance of US visas to Charice and her mom.

"David Foster put together and produced the very first show, featuring Alicia Keys, Josh Groban, John Mayer and, of course, the International Singing Sensation and pride of the Philippines, Charice. She appeared just before Josh and sang a medley of Whitney Houston hits (I Have Nothing and I Will Always Love You, from the movie The Bodyguard which starred Houston herself and Kevin Costner)," Millie shared.

Charice received a standing ovation, the only performer to receive one that night, and ovation, the only performer to receive one that night, and Foster asked the crowd after Charice finished her rousing rendition, "Would you like one more song?"

The audience cheered and shouted an enthusiastic "Yes!" The crowd’s request for an encore led David and Charice to do an unrehearsed performance of And I’m Telling You.

After they performed, the audience once again gave Charice yet another standing ovation.

Among those in the audience were Quincy Jones, and Michael Douglas with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Backstage, David, Alicia and Josh congratulated Charice for her "phenomenal performance." For her part, the young diva was just so happy to be a representative of the Philippines on such an important world stage, with some of the biggest names in entertainment. "I hope I make my kababayans proud," Charice said.

Next stop: Las Vegas
Touted as one of the music industry’s most celebrated producers, David Foster, will be honored by a historic onenight-only live concert, David Foster and Friends this Friday, May 23.

This special tribute to Foster —the man and his music—is scheduled to take place at the Event Center at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The show will feature a host of acclaimed performers, including Andrea Bocelli, Babyface, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Kenny G, Katharine McPhee, Brian McKnight, Boz Scaggs, piano virtuoso William Joseph, Renee Olstead, Cheryl Lynn and Charice among others. Foster, along with the above artists, will be performing some of his biggest hits.

During Foster’s 35-year career as a songwriter, producer and 14-time Grammy winner, he has discovered and nurtured the careers of scores of artists, as well as creating chart-topping hits for Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, The Corrs, Chaka Khan, Madonna, Josh Groban; Earth, Wind and Fire; Natalie Cole, Michael Buble and many others.

"I am honored to be recognized in this way by so many of the artists I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the past three decades," Foster said, "Not only are they supremely talented, but I also consider them dear friends, so I’m really looking forward to getting up onstage and spending the evening with some of my favorite people in the world."

David Foster and Friends

will be filmed for broadcast in December on PBS stations nationwide. A CD/DVD of the show will be released by Warner Bros. Records this fall. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster and the Mandalay Bay box office online at www.mandalaybay.com.

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