Lea Salonga

For her eponymous album, see Lea Salonga (album).

Lea Salonga OL
Salonga in 2021
Born	Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga (1971-02-22) February 22, 1971 Pasay City, Rizal, Philippines
Occupations	Singer actress
Years active	1978–present
Works	Discography screen and stage
Spouse	Robert Charles Chien ​ ​ (m. 2004)​
Children	1
Relatives	Gerard Salonga (brother) Maniya Barredo (cousin) Shay Mitchell (cousin)
Awards	Full list
Honors	Presidential Merit Award Order of Lakandula
Musical career
Genres	OPM pop musical theatre
Instrument	Vocals
Labels	Atlantic Arista Capitol EMI Philippines Sony Music Philippines WEA Walt Disney
Website	leasalonga.com
Signature

Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga, OL (/ˈleɪə səˈlɒŋɡə/ LAY-ə sa-LONG-ə; born February 22, 1971) is a Filipino singer and actress. Known primarily for her work in theatre, she has starred in musicals on Broadway and in the West End. Her accolades include a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for two Grammy Awards. She was conferred with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1990 and the Order of Lakandula in 2007, and she was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.

Salonga began her career as a child in Philippine musical theatre productions and rose to international recognition in 1989 for playing the lead role of Kim in the original West End and Broadway productions of Miss Saigon. For her performance, she gained five awards—the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Theatre World Award, and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her further roles include Éponine in the Broadway and West End productions of Les Misérables, Wu Mei-Li in the 2002 Broadway revival of Flower Drum Song, Fantine in the 2006 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, Kei Kimura in the original Broadway production of Allegiance, Erzulie in the 2017 Broadway revival of Once on This Island, and Aurora Aquino in the original Broadway production of Here Lies Love. In 2023 and 2024, she starred in the West End production of the musical revue Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends.

As a recording artist, Salonga began her music career at age ten. Her first album, Small Voice, was launched in 1981 and received a gold certification. She later signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records, releasing her platinum-certified self-titled album in 1993. Her subsequent releases include I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (1997), Lea... In Love (1998), By Heart (1999), and Inspired (2007).

On film, she portrayed Lisa in the Filipino comedy Tropang Bulilit (1981), and her performances as Sandy and Agnes in the romantic dramas Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal (1992) and Sana Maulit Muli (1995), respectively, were widely acclaimed. Additionally, Salonga provided the singing voice for the characters of Jasmine in Aladdin (1992) and the titular character in Mulan (1998) and Mulan II (2004). As a teenager, she hosted the variety show Love, Lea and later appeared on That's Entertainment. Her television acting credits include Lien Hughes on As the World Turns, Aunt Myrna on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Elodie Honrada on Pretty Little Liars. Furthermore, Salonga has expanded her career to include reality television as a coach on The Voice of the Philippines and its spin-off series, The Voice Kids and The Voice Teens.

Life and career

1971–1989: Early life and career beginnings

Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga was born on February 22, 1971 to Ligaya (née Imutan) (b. 1937) and Feliciano Genuino Salonga (1929–2016). She has a younger brother named Gerard. At age three, she was trained by her aunt in singing. At age seven, she and her family relocated from Pampanga to Manila. She finished her primary and secondary education as salutatorian and valedictorian, respectively. In an article by The New York Times published in 2000, she said that she planned to enroll at Fordham University.

As a child, Salonga began singing at family parties. Her cousin, who was active with Repertory Philippines, encouraged her to audition for a production of The King and I, where she made her professional debut in 1978 at the age of seven. She played the title role in Annie in 1980, later reprising the role in 1984, and appeared in other productions such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1978), Fiddler on the Roof (1978), The Sound of Music (1980), The Rose Tattoo (1980), The Goodbye Girl (1982), Paper Moon (1983), and The Fantasticks (1988).

In 1981, Salonga released her first album, Small Voice, which was certified gold in the Philippines, and made her film debut in the comedy film Tropang Bulilit. As a young performer, Salonga received a Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) award nomination for Best Child Actress and three Aliw Awards for Best Child Performer in 1980, 1981, and 1982. From 1983 to 1985, she hosted her musical television show, Love, Lea, and was a member of the cast of German Moreno's teen variety show, That's Entertainment.

In 1985, Salonga and her brother, Gerard, took part in the 8th Metro Manila Popular Music Festival as the interpreters for the song entry titled "Musika, Lata, Sipol at La La La," composed by Tess Concepcion, which won second prize in the Amateur Division. That same year, she opened for the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo in their concerts in Manila. She again performed with the group in 1986 and 1987, also appearing on their English-Tagalog album, In Action. As a teenager, Salonga continued to act in films, appearing in Like Father, Like Son (1985), Ninja Kids (1986), Captain Barbell (1986), and Pik Pak Boom (1988). In 1988, she released her second studio album, Lea, and opened for Stevie Wonder in Manila.

1989–1992: Miss Saigon and Aladdin

See also: Miss Saigon controversy § Lea Salonga

In 1989, Salonga originated the leading role of Kim in the debut production of the musical Miss Saigon in London. For her initial Manila audition in 1988, the then 17-year-old Salonga chose to sing Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's "On My Own" from Les Misérables. Salonga has sometimes credited the song as the starting point of her international career. After hearing her rendition, she was asked if she had prepared another song to perform. Although she had not prepared another song for the audition, she sang "The Greatest Love of All." At her first callback audition, Salonga was asked to sing "Sun and Moon" and "The Movie in My Mind," impressing the audition panel. In December 1988, Salonga appeared before the panel at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London to perform "I'd Give My Life For You" and "Too Much For One Heart." After three days of intensive work sessions in London, Salonga was offered the lead role. During an episode of "Stars in the House" streamed on March 28, 2020, Salonga told Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley, she found out that she was officially cast when she read the Sunday supplement of the Daily Mail.

For her performance as Kim, Salonga won the 1990 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest winners of the award. On December 21, 1990, Salonga performed with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Ateneo College Glee Club, and guest singer Robert Seña in a homecoming concert in Manila entitled A Miss Called Lea, which was later broadcast on television. She also received a Presidential Award of Merit from President Corazon Aquino for her services to the arts.

When Miss Saigon opened on Broadway in 1991, she again played the role of Kim, winning the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards and becoming the second-youngest actress and first actress of Asian descent to win a Tony Award. During the production transfer from West End to Broadway, a controversy erupted over Salonga's citizenship. The Actors' Equity Association (AEA) initially prevented her from reprising the role, wishing to give priority to Asian-American performers. However, Cameron Mackintosh claimed he could not find a satisfactory replacement for Salonga, and an arbitrator later reversed the AEA ruling. In 1999, Salonga returned to reprise the role of Kim on Broadway, then again in 2001, at the age of 29 and after finishing the Manila run of the musical, this time to close the Broadway production.

In 1991, she was named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. In 1992, she performed the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney's animated film Aladdin. Later that year, Salonga's agent submitted her to an audition for the leading role of Eliza Doolittle in the upcoming Broadway revival of My Fair Lady. However, the casting director for the production refused to see her because of her race. Shortly after, Salonga was contacted by Cameron Mackintosh to join the Broadway production of Les Misérables.

1993–1996: Les Misérables, films, and other musicals

In 1993, Salonga played the role of Éponine in the Broadway production of Les Misérables, becoming the first Asian actress to perform the role on Broadway. She performed the song "A Whole New World" from Aladdin with Brad Kane at the 65th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, where the song won an Oscar, having already won a Golden Globe Award. That same year, she released her self-titled international debut album with Atlantic Records. In 1994, Salonga played in various musical theatre productions in the Philippines and Singapore, such as Sandy in Grease, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, and The Witch in Into the Woods.

In the U.S. in 1995, Salonga played the role of Geri Riordan, an 18-year-old adopted Vietnamese American child in the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie Redwood Curtain, which starred John Lithgow and Jeff Daniels. She then flew back to the Philippines to star with Filipino matinée idol Aga Muhlach in the critically acclaimed film Sana Maulit Muli, which gave her a second Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) award nomination, this time for Best Actress. She reprised the role of Éponine in the 10th-anniversary concert of Les Misérables at the Royal Albert Hall in London, which was recorded and later released as a film titled Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert.

In 1996, Salonga was again in Les Misérables as Éponine in the West End production of the musical. In September of that same year, she continued to perform the role at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, Hawaii, during the musical's U.S. national tour.

In December 1996, Salonga represented the Philippines while performing at ONE: The WTO Show, the closing ceremony for the inaugural World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.

1997–2004: Relationships, marriage, and continued work

From 1997 to 2000, Salonga did recordings and concerts in the Philippines, another engagement in London, and a few returns to Miss Saigon in London and on Broadway. In 1997, she released I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing to gold sales in the Philippines. That recording was followed by Lea... In Love in 1998 and By Heart in 2000, both albums reaching multiple platinum status in the Philippines. In 1998, she provided the singing voice for the title character in Mulan before later reprising the role in the 2004 sequel, Mulan II. At age 28, Salonga moved to New York City, purchasing her own apartment (which she still owns up to at least 2013). She participated in the 1998 tribute concert to Cameron Mackintosh in London entitled Hey, Mr. Producer!, where she performed numbers from several of his musicals. In December 1998, Salonga appeared in an international panel of performers, along with Iain Glen, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Manahan, for episode 277 of the American Theatre Wing's documentary series Working in the Theatre. In the Philippines in 1999 and again in 2000, she played Sonia Walsk in They're Playing Our Song. After performing in the 2000 production, Salonga began a relationship with Korean-American co-star Michael K. Lee. She also performed in four concerts: The Homecoming Concert, The Millennium Concert, The Best of Manila, and Songs from the Screen–the last two being benefit shows. Salonga returned to Manila in Miss Saigon, staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the end of 2000.

In November 2001, while performing in the Los Angeles production of Flower Drum Song at the Mark Taper Forum, Salonga met Robert "Rob" Charles Chien, an American entrepreneur of Chinese and Japanese heritage. The two were married on January 10, 2004 at the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral. She gave birth to their child, Nic, on May 16, 2006.

After her final stint in Miss Saigon for its closing on Broadway in 2001, Salonga recreated the role of Lien Hughes, initially played by Ming-Na Wen, in the soap opera As the World Turns. She guested on Russell Watson's The Voice concert, narrated for the television special My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States, and appeared on the Season 8 Christmas episode of the television medical drama ER, playing a patient with lymphoma.

In 2002, Salonga returned to Broadway to play the leading role of Wu Mei-Li, a Chinese immigrant in a reinterpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song opposite Jose Llana. This was after the reinvented musical had a run at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 2001 with Salonga playing the role and, in 2002, winning an Ovation Award for Lead Actress in a Musical. The Salonga-led Broadway revival cast album was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Salonga's performance was received positively by theatre critics in New York, and she received a nomination for Distinguished Performance from the Drama League, among other honors. In September 2002, she appeared on Working in the Theatre for a second time, along with John Cullum, Edie Falco, Stanley Tucci, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Charlayne Woodard. Between the 2001 Los Angeles and 2002 Broadway productions of Flower Drum Song, she performed in a non-musical theatrical production for the first time, playing the role of Catherine in the stage play Proof in Manila. This was followed by a major concert, The Broadway Concert, at the Philippine International Convention Center. She also sang at the 56th Tony Awards with Harry Connick Jr., Peter Gallagher, and Michele Lee in a number paying tribute to Richard Rodgers.

From 2003 to 2004, Salonga did her first "all-Filipino" concert in Manila called Songs from Home, which later won her an Aliw Award as Entertainer of the Year. In 2003, she performed in several concerts at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. This was followed by a Christmas concert in the Philippines called Home for Christmas and performances at the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center in Marlton, New Jersey, in 2004. Later, in 2004, she played Lizzie in the Manila production of the musical Baby, which earned her another nomination from the Aliw Awards.

2005–2007: International ventures

In 2005, Salonga gave her first U.S. concert tour. Later that year, on November 7, she performed to a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall for the benefit of Diverse City Theater Company. The same year, she received the Golden Artist Award at the 53rd FAMAS Awards in honor of her international achievements, performed during the grand opening of Hong Kong's Disneyland, and recorded two songs on Daniel Rodriguez's album In the Presence. She also did voice work for Disney's English dub of Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro as Yasuko Kusakabe. Salonga wrote the foreword to Linda Marquart's The Right Way to Sing (2005). In 2006, at the 15th Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, Salonga concluded the closing ceremony with the song "Triumph of the One" before an audience of 50,000 people at Khalifa International Stadium.

In 2007, Salonga released her first studio album in seven years called Inspired, which was certified platinum in the Philippines. On August 14, 2007, she received the Order of Lakandula, with the rank of Commander (Komandante), from Philippine President Gloria Arroyo in recognition of using her talents to benefit Philippine society and foster cultural exchange. She has also received the Congressional Medal of Achievement from the House of Representatives of the Philippines for showing "the extent and depth of the Filipino musical talent" and "opening the way for other Filipino artists to break into the finest theaters in the world."

In March 2007, Salonga returned to Broadway for another stint in the musical Les Misérables, this time as Fantine. Her rejoining the show boosted the musical's ticket sales. President Arroyo watched Salonga in this role, with Filipino-Americans Adam Jacobs as Marius and Ali Ewoldt as Cosette. Salonga received rave reviews and made it again to the short list of Broadway.com's Audience Award favorites as Best Replacement. During her tenure on Broadway that season, she appeared in Broadway on Broadway 2007 and Stars in the Alley 2007, spoke at the Broadway Artists Alliance Summer Intensives, guested on the Broadway musical 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and participated in Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' 12th Annual Nothing Like a Dame event to benefit the women's health initiative of The Actors Fund. Right after doing Les Misérables, she performed in two events: at the U.S. Military Academy Band's concert in West Point, where she sang four songs and an encore, and in her concert at the Tarrytown Music Hall in New York. She was then busy with other concerts and musical events, including a Christmas presentation in Manila.

2008–2012: Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist and touring

In 2008, Salonga gave concerts in the Philippines, California, Hawaii, Hong Kong, and Guam, On July 3, 2008, Salonga became a columnist in the Philippine Daily Inquirer with her column "Backstory" (Entertainment section), "Introducing: Lea Salonga, writer." Since then, she has written numerous columns for the Inquirer. She performed in "Global Pop" at the Music Center on July 11, 2008. It was presented by The Blue Ribbon, a group founded by Dorothy Chandler in 1968. Salonga gave a concert on July 11 at Los Angeles' Walt Disney Concert Hall. That same year, she received a special citation from the Awit Awards.

Salonga in New York in 2009

From late July 2008 to mid-2009, Salonga played the title role in the 30-week Asian tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, which premiered in Manila. Salonga performed a series of concerts in North America in 2009 and was asked to dance the Filipino novelty dances "Ocho-Ocho" and "Spaghetti." The same year, Salonga advertised the Avon Products line of anti-aging skin care products, Anew Rejuvenate, in the Philippines. In June 2009, she sang at the 95th Anniversary Special of the Iglesia ni Cristo. Salonga sang Patriotic song "Bayan Ko" at the Requiem Mass for former President Corazon Aquino at Manila Cathedral. Salonga celebrated 20 years of Miss Saigon by performing in concerts called Lea Salonga... Your Songs at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall on December 11 and 12, 2009. In the same venue, Salonga received the Gusi Peace Prize in November 2009.

From July to August 2010, Salonga played the role of Grizabella in the Manila run of the Asia-Pacific tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In October, she played Fantine during the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables, fifteen years after appearing in the 10th Anniversary as Eponine. The same year, she served as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices.

Salonga was honored as a Disney Legend on August 19, 2011. She was one of the judges in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. Salonga and Darren Criss sang "A Whole New World" to its composer, Alan Menken, as Menken was named the winner of the 2011 Maestro Award at the Billboard/Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference on October 24, 2011.

Salonga performed in a six-concert series titled The Magic of Broadway and Disney Favorites in 2012 with the Palm Beach Pops. She starred in the first production of Allegiance at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego from September to October 2012. Salonga starred in the Philippine production of the comedy God of Carnage in July 2012 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza in Manila. She reprised the role at the DBS Arts Centre in Singapore in November 2012. Also in 2012, Salonga was the guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Epcot in Walt Disney World from December 14 to 16, retelling the Christmas story accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir.

2013–2018: The Voice of the Philippines and return to Broadway

In January 2013, Salonga participated in Lincoln Center's American Songbook concert series at the Allen Room. In February in the Philippines, Salonga provided the theme song for TV5's reality singing competition Kanta Pilipinas, and, together with Tyne Daly and Norm Lewis, she starred as Mother in a concert performance of Ragtime at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Salonga headlined a concert series, "4 Stars One World of Broadway Musicals", in Tokyo Osaka in June, performing with Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, and Yu Shirota. She was one of the four coaches, together with apl.de.ap, Sarah Geronimo, and Bamboo Mañalac, for the ABS-CBN program, The Voice of the Philippines, which premiered in June 2013. In December 2013, Salonga began her Lea Salonga: Playlist concert tour in the Philippines, celebrating her 35 years in show business. The concert series was extended to January 2014. Salonga wrote a book, Playlist: A Celebration of 35 Years, which she used as a souvenir program for the concerts.

Salonga performing at the Malacañang Palace in 2014

In 2014, she returned for the second season of The Voice of the Philippines and joined the new Philippine version of The Voice Kids, on which she has appeared for three seasons. Salonga recorded a song titled "Wished That I Could Call You" that was included in the charity compilation album Children In Need, released in March 2014. Also, in 2014 and 2015, she toured Asia and North America with Il Divo. In mid-2015, she performed a concert series in Australasia. Salonga reprised her role as Kei Kimura in the 2015–16 Broadway production of Allegiance. In The New York Times, Charles Isherwood wrote of her performance: "Her voice retains its plush beauty, and her culminating first act solo, 'Higher' ... is perhaps the show's musical highlight." Salonga guest-starred on the April 2016 season finale of the American television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, playing Filipino-heritage character Josh's visiting aunt, a former Star Search contestant, in town for a wedding, at which she sings the episode's climactic Disney princess parody song, "One Indescribable Instant."

In Manila in November 2016, she appeared as Helen Bechdel in the international premiere of Fun Home. A review in ABS-CBN News said that she "delivers a finely tuned performance, utilizing her prodigious stage presence to provide the cold and dark shadings to erstwhile peppy scenes with her subtle stares and held back emotions. ... [In] "Days by Days" ... she finally lets go of all the resentment and repressed anger of a woman stuck in a marriage built on a lie. Yet there is dignity in her breakdown ... Salonga pulls it off with such clarity, both musically and emotionally, that it's difficult not to be moved."

Salonga after a performance of Once on This Island

In 2016, Salonga won two more Aliw Awards, one for Best Major Concert in a Foreign Venue and her second Entertainer of the Year award. The following year, Salonga was one of the coaches on The Voice Teens. Also in 2017, she released an album, Bahaghari: Lea Salonga Sings Traditional Songs of the Philippines, with songs sung in several languages spoken in the Philippines. Salonga portrayed Erzulie in the 2017 Broadway revival of Once on This Island at Circle in the Square Theatre, where she received critical praise for her vocal performance. She returned to the show for its final performances in December 2018 and January 2019. The cast recording for Once on This Island was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

2019–2021: Yellow Rose, Sweeney Todd, and international concerts

Salonga appeared alongside Eva Noblezada, Dale Watson, and Princess Punzalan as a Philippine immigrant, Aunt Gail, in the musical film Yellow Rose, which premiered at the 2019 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. She also toured North America and the United Kingdom that year. Later, in 2019, she played Mrs. Lovett in a revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Manila and then Singapore. Critics praised her "crystalline tones that turned her numbers, especially 'By the Sea,' into unexpected show-stoppers" and called the performance a "career-high" for the actress. Between these two short runs, she gave concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane in November 2019.

In March 2020, shortly after performing in Dubai, Salonga announced that her 2020 North American tour would be rescheduled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, she announced that the tour would again be rescheduled to Fall 2021, but these dates were rescheduled again. During the pandemic, Salonga performed for several virtual global fundraising events and concerts. In August 2020, she released her single "Dream Again," a song of hope and persistence. On November 27, the PBS series Great Performances broadcast her 2019 concert at the Sydney Opera House, where she performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In 2021, Salonga voiced the Mysterious Woman in the Netflix series Centaurworld. In September of the same year, she announced her Dream Again Tour, named after her 2020 single. One month later, she announced she would also be touring the United States and Canada. On December 25, 2021, Salonga returned to Dubai to perform a Christmas concert for Expo 2020 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.

2022–present: Return to the stage and screen

On April 6, 2022, Salonga began her Dream Again Tour in the United States and Canada. Following the completion of this tour, she performed the song "The Prayer" at the 2022 National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., which was broadcast on PBS. On June 18, she continued her tour in the United Kingdom. On July 28, the critically acclaimed series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin premiered on HBO Max, where Salonga portrays Elodie Honrada. In September 2022, Salonga began portraying Mama Soubirous in the Indie Theatrical workshop of the new musical adaptation of The Song of Bernadette in Manhattan. In the same month, she was recognized by TIME magazine at the TIME100 Impact Awards for being a "life-long role model for children of color." On October 27, 2022, Salonga was featured on Pentatonix's cover of Jose Mari Chan's "Christmas In Our Hearts" in their Christmas album, Holidays Around The World. On December 15, 16, and 17, 2022, Salonga performed with The Tabernacle Choir as the featured guest artist in a series of Christmas concerts at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The event was televised on PBS in December 2023.

Salonga at a White House state dinner in 2023

In February 2023, it was announced that Salonga would make her producing debut and appear for a five-week run in the original Broadway production of Here Lies Love in the role of Aurora Aquino, mother of Ninoy Aquino. The production notably marks the first time Salonga has played a Filipino role on the Broadway stage and her return to the Broadway Theatre, where Miss Saigon originally played. From March through July 2023, she performed concerts across the United States in California, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and North Carolina. On March 13, Salonga performed at the annual Broadway Backwards event at the New Amsterdam Theatre. On April 26, Salonga performed for U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and other world leaders at a White House state dinner alongside Jessica Vosk and Norm Lewis. On May 6, she was recognized by Gold House at the 2nd Annual Gold House Gala, receiving the Gold Legend Honor for a "lifetime of indelible contributions to the success and representation of the Asian Pacific community." On May 25, Salonga was featured on TAAF AAPI Heritage Heroes 2023 on Hulu. In June 2023, it was announced that Salonga would be featured on a studio recording for the upcoming musical Wild About You, which was released in December of the same year. She returned to London's West End to star alongside Bernadette Peters in the tribute revue Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, which ran at the Gielgud Theatre from September 21, 2023 to January 6, 2024.

Salonga reprised her role as Elodie in Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, which premeired in May 2024. In June 2024, Salonga appeared in the audio fiction series Does This Murder Make Me Look Gay?! alongside Michael Urie, Frankie Grande, Douglas Sills, Cheyenne Jackson, Jonathan Freeman, Brad Oscar, Robin de Jesús, Lea DeLaria, Seth Rudetsky, and Kate McKinnon. In the same month, Salonga began performing her third U.K. concert tour, Stage, Screen & Everything In Between, which included a concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, where the original production of Miss Saigon premiered. In October of the same year, Salonga starred in a Filipino production of the Franz Xaver Kroetz solo play Wunschkonzert (or Request Program), retitled Request sa Radyo, at the Samsung Performing Arts Center in Manila. She alternated the lead role of Ms. Reyes with Filipino actress Dolly de Leon. On November 1, 2024, Salonga released Sounding Joy, her first holiday album in over two decades.

In 2025, Salonga and Bernadette Peters will reprise their performances in the Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, following a pre-Broadway run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Artistry

Musical style and themes

In her popular music releases, Salonga has sung "simple love songs," common in Original Pilipino Music.

Influences

Salonga's style and music have been inspired by musical artists such as ABBA, the Carpenters (particularly Karen Carpenter), Olivia Newton-John, the Osmonds, Elaine Paige, and Barbra Streisand. She has noted that these performers provided "clear voices that really helped the listener focus on the lyrics besides the tone and music."

Salonga has repeatedly praised Streisand as one of her favorites for her "mammoth" career in singing, acting, producing, and arranging. During her January 15, 2000 concert at the Philippine International Convention Center, Salonga called Streisand one of her idols.

Voice

Lea Salonga

@MsLeaSalonga

Replying to @iLeanatics

I'm a alto/mezzo. My natural voice sits low to midrange.

Aug 17, 2013

Salonga has been praised for her absolute pitch and control over her powerful vocals, which can evoke a wide array of emotions and soundscapes. Her voice has been described as "golden" by Marilyn Stasio for Variety magazine and "clear and as sparkling as Baccarat crystal" by Rex Reed for Observer.

Due to her vocal versatility, her vocal range and type classifications are often debated. When Salonga performed as Kim in Miss Saigon, she was expected to utilize most of her range, hitting notes as low as E₃ and as high as D₅. In both Disney Princess singing roles, Jasmine and Mulan, Salonga uses head tones that reach up to F₅.

Philanthropy and activism

Reproductive rights and sex education

In 1987, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Population Center Foundation (later renamed the Philippine Center for Population and Development) established the Philippine Young People’s Project and selected Salonga and Menudo to lead the campaign. Music videos, commercials, and live performances were used to sell the message of responsible sexual behavior and to encourage counseling for discussing and solving their problems. Additionally, Salonga promoted the campaign's program Dial-A-Friend, a telephone hotline that provides confidential counseling regarding mental health, relationships, and contraception.

"You don't have to be pro-contraception to be pro-reproductive health... You choose for yourself, because I believe every individual has a choice."

—Salonga during a 2011 interview on State of the Nation

In 2011, Salonga expressed support for the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill, later signed and known as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 or RH Law. On May 18, 2011, she was interviewed by Jessica Soho on State of the Nation about her views on the controversial bill. In the interview, Salonga showed understanding towards the anti-contraceptive stance held by many Filipino Catholics at the time but stated that the bill was designed "to serve every single Filipino."

World hunger

On October 15, 2010, Salonga was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. In a speech, she stated: "I am very honored to assume today the office of Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It is of great significance to me, as an artist, as a woman, as a mother, to have the opportunity to participate in this global effort to give support to the hungry and impoverished."

LGBT rights

Salonga has been openly supportive of LGBT equality for many years. On October 12, 2009, during a benefit concert held at the Philippine Center's Kalayaan Hall for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy, Salonga referenced the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., and stated, "I believe that every single human being has the fundamental right to marry whoever they want." In 2011, The Advocate called her a "major gay icon". In February 2016, Salonga criticized Filipino politician and former professional boxer Manny Pacquiao via Twitter for his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. In October 2018, she tweeted, "Trans rights are human rights, and trans people will not be erased."

Racial prejudice and violence

On March 29, 2021, Salonga condemned the rise of violent attacks on Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 21, 2021, she appeared with actress Lucy Liu, politician Hillary Clinton, and others in the #AAPI Women Strong: Organizing Beyond A Hashtag forum to share their experiences and spread awareness of anti-Asian hate.

Discography

Main article: Lea Salonga discography

Solo recordings

• Small Voice (1981)
• Lea (1988)
• Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal (1992)
• Lea Salonga (1993)
• I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing (1997)
• Lea... In Love (1998)
• By Heart (1999)
• Lea Salonga: The Christmas Album (2000)
• Songs from the Screen (2001)
• Inspired (2007)
• Lea Salonga: Your Songs (2010)
• Bahaghari [Rainbow]: Lea Salonga Sings Traditional Songs of the Philippines (2017)
• Sounding Joy (2024)

Cast recordings / soundtracks

• Miss Saigon (Original London Cast Recording) (1989)
• Little Tramp (Studio Recording) (1992)
• The King and I (Hollywood Studio Cast Recording) (1992)
• Aladdin (Soundtrack Recording) (1992)
• Mulan (Soundtrack Recording) (1998)
• Making Tracks (Original Cast Recording) (2001)
• Flower Drum Song (Revival Cast Recording) (2002)
• Mulan II (Soundtrack Recording) (2005)
• Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia (Soundtrack Recording) (2008)
• Cinderella (Original International Tour Cast Recording) (2010)
• Dyesebel (The Official Soundtrack) (2014)
• Allegiance (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2016)
• Once on This Island (First Broadway Revival Cast Recording) (2018)
• Wild About You (World Premiere Recording) (2023)

Video / live recordings

• Hey Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (1997)
• Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert (1995)
• Lea Salonga Live Vol. 1 (2000)
• Lea Salonga Live Vol. 2 (2000)
• The Broadway Concert (2002)
• Songs from Home: Live Concert Recording (2004)
• Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary (2010)
• The Journey So Far – Recorded Live at Cafe Carlyle (2011)
• Live: Jazz at Lincoln Center (2016)
• Blurred Lines (2017)
• The Story of My Life: Lea Salonga Live from Manila (2019) with the BYU Chamber Orchestra
• Lea Salonga in Concert with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (2020)
• Season of Light: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square (2023)

Compilation albums

• 100% Lea Gives Her Best (2003)
• The Ultimate OPM Collection (2007)

Featured recordings

• Disney Princess: The Ultimate Song Collection (2004), for the song "If You Can Dream" (sung with Susan Logan, Grey Griffin, Jodi Benson, Paige O'Hara, and Judy Kuhn)
• Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007), for the songs "Peacock Princess" (sung with Gilbert Gottfried) and "I've Got My Eyes on You"
• Shelldon (2008), for the song "It's a Brand New Day"
• Sofia the First (2014), for the songs "The Ride of Our Lives" (episode 12: "Two to Tangu") and "Stronger that You Know" (episode 36: "Princesses To The Rescue")

Acting credits

Main article: Lea Salonga on screen and stage

One of the most prolific actresses since her career's inception in 1978, Salonga has appeared in numerous international theatre productions, television shows, films, and video games.

In Manila, Salonga has appeared in theatre productions such as The King and I (1978), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1978), Fiddler on the Roof (1978), Annie (1980), The Sound of Music (1980), The Rose Tattoo (1980), The Bad Seed (1981), The Goodbye Girl (1982), The Paper Moon (1983), Annie (1984), The Fantasticks (1988), My Fair Lady (1994), Grease (1995), They're Playing Our Song (2000), Miss Saigon (2000), Proof (2002), Baby (2004), Cats (2010), God of Carnage (2012), Fun Home (2016), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2019), and Request sa Radyo (2024). In London's West End, she has appeared in Miss Saigon (1989–1990, 1999), Les Misérables (1996), and Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (2023–2024). On Broadway, she has appeared in Miss Saigon (1991–1992, 1999, 2001), Les Misérables (1993), Flower Drum Song (2002–2003), Something Good: A Broadway Salute to Richard Rogers on His 100th Birthday (2002), Les Misérables (2007), Allegiance (2015–2016), Once on This Island (2017–2018, 2018–2019), and Here Lies Love (2023). Salonga has also appeared in Into the Woods (1994), They're Playing Our Song (1999), God of Carnage (2012), and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2019) in Singapore, Les Misérables (1996) in Honolulu during the third U.S. national tour, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (2008) across Asia, Allegiance (2012) in San Diego, Ragtime (2013) at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City, Annie (2018) at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and the 10th (1995) and 25th (2010) anniversary concerts of Les Misérables at the Royal Albert Hall and The O2 Arena, respectively, in London.

Salonga made her film debut in 1981 in the Filipino comedy Tropang Bulilit. She went on to appear in the films Like Father, Like Son (1985), Ninja Kids (1986), Captain Barbell (1986), Pik Pak Boom (1988), Dear Diary (1989), The Heat Is On (1989), Aladdin (1992), Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal (1992), Sana Maulit Muli (1995), Mulan (1998), Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert (1998), My Neighbor Totoro (2004), Mulan II (2004), Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007), Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary (2010), Miss Saigon: 25th Anniversary (2016), Allegiance (2016), Expedition Reef (2018), Yellow Rose (2019), and Once Upon a Studio (2023).

In 1983, Salonga began hosting her own variety show entitled Love, Lea, which ended its run in 1985. She went on to appear in That's Entertainment (1986), Olsen Twins Mother's Day Special (1993), Sesame Street (1993), Reading Rainbow (1993, 2001), Redwood Curtain (1995), Aladdin on Ice (1995), ASAP (1997–present), ER (2001), As the World Turns (2001, 2003), Johnny Bravo (2004), Miss Universe 2011 (2011), Sofia the First (2012, 2014), The Voice of the Philippines (2013, 2014–15), The Voice Kids (2014–2019), Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2016), Nature Is Speaking (2016), 91st Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2017), The Voice Teens (2017, 2020), Centaurworld (2021), American Experience (2022), Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (2022), Little Demon (2022), and Pretty Little Liars: Summer School (2024).

Achievements and legacy

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Lea Salonga

Salonga featured on a 2021 Philippine stamp

Dubbed the "Pride of the Philippines," Salonga gained national recognition in the Philippines at a young age, winning Best Child Performer at the Aliw Awards in 1980, 1981, and 1982. For her success as a child singer and actress, she was known as the "Shirley Temple of the Philippines." Salonga has been cited as an influence for several singers and actors, especially those of Asian descent, including Ali Ewoldt, Kimiko Glenn, Rachelle Ann Go, Vanessa Hudgens, Arielle Jacobs, Vina Morales, Bella Poarch, Nicole Scherzinger, Phillipa Soo, and Lola Tung.

For her performance as the leading role of Kim in Miss Saigon, Salonga won Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical at the 1990 Laurence Olivier Awards. After her return to the Philippines, she won Outstanding Performer at the Aliw Awards. In the same year, she received a Presidential Medal of Merit from President Corazon Aquino for her services to the arts. For reprising her role as Kim in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon, Salonga was awarded Outstanding Actress in a Musical at the 1991 Drama Desk Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Musical at the 1991 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Best Actress in a Musical at the 1991 Theatre World Awards, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical at the 45th Annual Tony Awards. She made history as the first Asian actress to win a Tony Award and the second-youngest actress to win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. She later became the first Asian actress to portray the role of Éponine when she joined the Broadway production in early 1993. In 1993, she also became the first Filipino artist to sign with an international record label when she signed with Atlantic Records.

In 2004, Salonga won Entertainer of the Year at the Aliw Awards. She later won the Aliw Award for Best Major Concert (Female) in 2008. In 2007, President Gloria Arroyo honored Salonga with the rank of Commander of the Order of Lakandula in recognition of using her talents to benefit Philippine society and foster cultural exchange. The House of Representatives of the Philippines also awarded her the Congressional Medal of Achievement for showing "the extent and depth of the Filipino musical talent" and "opening the way for other Filipino artists to break into the finest theaters in the world."

In 2011, Salonga was declared a "Disney Legend" for her work with the Walt Disney Company, providing the singing voices for Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II. At the 2020 Box Office Entertainment Awards, she won Female Concert Performer of the Year.

In September 2022, Salonga was recognized by TIME magazine at the TIME100 Impact Awards for being a "life-long role model for children of color." In 2024, Salonga will be featured as a wax figure in the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum's Music Zone in recognition of "her remarkable talent and contributions to the world of entertainment." The figure, wearing Filipino designer Rajo Laurel's blue "workhouse gown," was unveiled at Solaire Resort & Casino in September 2024.

Published works

Books

• Marquart, Linda; Salonga, Lea (2005). The Right Way to Sing. New York City, New York: Allworth Press. ISBN 1581154070.
• Michael, Ted; Salonga, Lea (2012). So You Wanna Be a Superstar?: The Ultimate Audition Guide. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press Kids. ISBN 978-0762446100.

Columns

• "Backstory." Inquirer Entertainment. Makati, Metro Manila: Philippine Daily Inquirer; Inquirer Holdings, Inc. ISSN 0116-0443. 2008–present.

Audiobooks

• Ko, Lisa (Author); Lea Salonga (Narrator). The Contractors (2020). Amazon Original Stories. ASIN B08FF2W658.

See also

• Filipinos in the New York metropolitan area
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of people with absolute pitch
• Recipients of Presidential Medal of Merit in the Philippines
• Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical

Further reading

• Fernandez, Yvette (2013). Princess Lea: The Life Story of Lea Salonga. Mandaluyong: Summit Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 9789719902393.

External links

• Official website
• Lea Salonga at the Internet Broadway Database
• Lea Salonga at IMDb