Regine Velasquez

Filipino singer and actress (born 1970)

Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez (/r//ɪ/'/dʒ//i://n// //v//ɛ/'/l//æ//s//k//ɛ//z/ rijEEN velASKez; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipino singer and actress. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and belting technique. She had unorthodox voice training during her childhood, where she was immersed neck deep in the sea. Velasquez rose to prominence after winning the television talent show Ang Bagong Kampeon in 1984 and the Asia Pacific Singing Contest in 1989. Under the name Chona, she signed a recording contract with OctoArts International in 1986 and released the single "Love Me Again", which was commercially unsuccessful. The following year, she adopted the stage name Regine Velasquez for her debut studio album, Regine (1987), under the guidance of Viva Records executive Vic del Rosario and producer Ronnie Henares. She explored Manila sound and kundiman genres on her second and third studio albums, Nineteen 90 (1990) and Tagala Talaga (1991). After signing an international record deal with PolyGram Records, Velasquez achieved commercial success in some Asian territories with her fifth album Listen Without Prejudice (1994), which sold more than 700,000 copies and became her highest selling album to date, aided by its lead single "In Love with You". She experimented further with jazz and adult contemporary genres on My Love Emotion (1995), while she recorded covers on Retro (1996). After she left PolyGram to sign with Mark J. Feists MJF Company in 1998, she released the R&B influenced album Drawn. Velasquez's follow up record, R2K (1999), was supported by remakes of "On the Wings of Love", "I'll Never Love This Way Again", and "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", and was subsequently certified twelve times platinum by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI). Velasquez played leading roles in the romantic comedies Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000) and Pangako Ikaw Lang (2001), and received the Box Office Entertainment Award for Box Office Queen for the latter. Her performance as an intellectually disabled woman in an episode of the anthology series Maalaala Mo Kaya (2001) earned her a Star Award for Best Actress. She later starred in the prime time television series Forever in My Heart (2004), Ako si Kim Samsoon (2008), Totoy Bato (2009), Diva (2010), I Heart You, Pare! (2011), and Poor Señorita (2016). Velasquez also won the Golden Screen Award for Best Actress for playing a document forger in the comedy film Of All the Things (2012). She expanded her career into reality television talent shows as a presenter on Star for a Night (2002), Pinoy Pop Superstar (2004), and The Clash (2018), and as a judge on StarStruck (2015) and Idol Philippines (2019). Having sold more than seven million records domestically and 1.5 million in Asia, Velasquez is the best selling Filipino music artist of all time. Her accolades include two Asian Television Awards, two MTV Asia Awards, 22 Awit Awards, 17 Aliw Awards (including 3 Entertainer of the Year wins), 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards, and 16 Star Awards for Music. Referred to as "Asia's Songbird", she has consistently been credited with inspiring a generation of Filipino singers.

Quote box|bgcolor=#E0E6F8|width=24em|quote="We were very poor but we were happy. My parents made sure that we ate on time and that was enough for me. [My father] had scoliosis and he was working at a construction site; he wasn't earning enough. My mom was good with money. She was able to stretch whatever little money we had. "|source=Velasquez on her childhood was born on April 22, 1970, in Tondo, Manila, to Teresita (née Ansong) and Gerardo Velasquez. She has three sisters—Cacai, Diane, and Deca—and a brother, Jojo. Her family moved to Hinundayan, Southern Leyte, where Velasquez spent the early years of her life. At age three, Velasquez became interested in music after listening to her father's lullabies. Velasquez started singing at age six; She credits this unorthodox method for strengthening her core and stomach muscles, and developing her lung capacity. Velasquez placed third in her first singing competition on Betty Mendez Livioco The Tita Betty's Children Show. When Velasquez was nine, her family moved to Balagtas, Bulacan, where she attended St. Lawrence Academy and competed for her school at the annual Bulacan Private Schools Association singing competition. Velasquez adopted the stage name Regine at the suggestion of Martin Nievera, Fernandez's husband and The Penthouse Live! co host. Henares served as an executive producer and worked with songwriters Joaquin Francisco Sanchez and Vehnee Saturno. Three singles were released in 1987: "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang", " Urong Sulong", and "Isang Lahi". Two years after Regine release, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest in Hong Kong and won, performing the songs "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical Carousel and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical Dreamgirls. which was originally recorded and performed by Maricris Bermont and written by Nonong Pedero for the 1978 Metro Manila Popular Music Festival. Later that year, she headlined her first major concert at the Folk Arts Theater. She recorded "Please Be Careful with My Heart" with Jose Mari Chan, who released the track on his album Constant Change; she also sang backing vocals on Gary Valenciano's "Each Passing Night", which appears on his album Faces of Love. In 1991, Velasquez made her North American concert debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, a first for an Asian solo artist. British theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh later invited Velasquez to audition for the West End production of the musical Miss Saigon. She received a letter from the production offering to train her in London, which she declined: partly due to her lack of experience in musical theater, and also because she wished to remain with her family. It includes cover versions of recordings by National Artist for Music recipients Ryan Cayabyab, Lucio San Pedro, and Levi Celerio. The album's lead single, titled "Buhay Ng Buhay Ko", was originally recorded by Leah Navarro and was written by Pedero, One of its singles, "Sana Maulit Muli", won the Awit Award for Best Performance by a Female Recording Artist in 1994.

Velasquez released her fifth studio album Listen Without Prejudice in 1994. The album was released in several countries in Southeast and East Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Gonzales commended the record's themes and said, "Cheung's presence on the duet had much to do with the overseas success". was described by Gonzales as a "triumph [and] an outstanding vehicle, containing a strong melody and hook in the chorus". The album made a combined regional and domestic sales of 250,000 copies. Velasquez left PolyCosmic in 1998, and signed a six album contract with the MJF Company. That year, her ninth studio album Drawn was released. Drawn sold more than 40,000 copies and was awarded a platinum certification within two weeks of its release.

Velasquez produced most of her next album R2K, which was released on November 27, 1999. She recorded remakes of Jeffrey Osborne's "On the Wings of Love", Dionne Warwick's "I'll Never Love This Way Again", Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", and ABBA's "Dancing Queen", among others. Commercially, R2K sold more than 40,000 copies in its second week of release, earning a platinum certification, R2K has since been certified twelve times platinum, becoming the highest selling album by a female artist in the Philippines. which began with Kiribati Line Islands and ended in American Samoa. Velasquez headlined and directed the R2K Concert at the Araneta Coliseum in April 2000, Ricky Lo from The Philippine Star was generally impressed with the production and complimented Velasquez's "boundless energy and creativity". She also performed a concert at the Westin Philippine Plaza that year, which spawned the release of her first live album Regine Live: Songbird Sings the Classics in December 2000. the album was certified six times platinum. Other singles were Tats Faustino's "Dadalhin" and Janno Gibbs' "Sa Aking Pag iisa". Gonzales called the album "an adventurous set" and praised the quality of the songwriting. Velasquez won the inaugural MTV Asia Award for Favorite Artist Philippines in February 2002. She performed "Cry" with Mandy Moore to promote the theatrical release of Moore's film A Walk to Remember. In March, Velasquez hosted the first season of Star for a Night, which is based on the British talent show of the same name. In April, she headlined a benefit concert called One Night with Regine at the National Museum of the Philippines, which was a collaboration with ABS CBN Foundation to benefit Bantay Bata Foundation's child abuse response fund. The show won Best Musical Program at the 7th Asian Television Awards. At the 2003 MTV Asia Awards, Velasquez won her second consecutive award for Favorite Artist Philippines. In May 2003, she embarked on Martin & Regine: The World Concert Tour with Nievera. The following month, Velasquez returned to host the second season of Search for a Star. That November, she had a concert residency named Songbird Sings Streisand, a tribute to American singer and actor Barbra Streisand, at Makati's Onstage Theatre.

In February 2004, Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid co headlined a concert, The Songbird & The Songwriter, at the Araneta Coliseum, and they embarked on a North American tour that April. At the 17th Aliw Awards, she won Best Female Performance in a Concert and was nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the collaboration. Velasquez hosted the reality talent show Pinoy Pop Superstar, which began airing on GMA Network that July. In October 2004, she released "Forevermore", the lead single from her twelfth studio album Covers, Vol. 1. Its songs were originally recorded by Filipino male artists, and it was her most expensive cover album to produce due in part to the cost of securing licensing rights for songs by local songwriters, The album has since been certified six times platinum. Later in November and December 2005, Velasquez had an eight day concert residency named Reflections at the Aliw Theater. The sequel album Covers, Vol. 2 was released in February 2006. Unlike its predecessor, it contains songs by foreign artists, including Alanis Morissette's "Head Over Feet", Blondie's "Call Me", and Elvis Presley's "Blue Suede Shoes". Manila Bulletins Jojo Panaligan was generally impressed with Velasquez's "versatility" and the album tracks' "jazzy and blues y interpretation". In 2007, she became co host of the reality television show Celebrity Duets, an interactive music competition based on the eponymous original US show.

Velasquez developed other television projects in 2008. She appeared in Songbird, a weekly late night musical television show that featured performances by musical guests. She also featured in the musical television special The Best of Me, which was filmed at her residence in Quezon City. Velasquez signed a deal with Universal Records and released an album titled Low Key in December 2008. The album consists of cover versions of international songs that she described as "more relaxed, laid back and restrained". It includes tracks such as Billy Joel's "She's Always a Woman", Dan Fogelberg's "Leader of the Band", and Janis Ian's "At Seventeen". The Philippine Daily Inquirer praised the album's maturity and wrote, "[Velasquez] no longer shrieks and shouts as much as she used to". The album sold more than 25,000 copies within two months of its release and was certified platinum. In May 2009, she appeared on the television documentary Roots to Riches, which chronicles her personal and professional struggles, and includes musical performances filmed in her hometown of Malolos, Bulacan. Later that month, she hosted the television talent show Are You the Next Big Star?. Velasquez's next album, a double CD set called Fantasy, was released in December 2010. The Philippine Daily Inquirer called the album "vocally sumptuous" and was generally impressed with Velasquez's vocals and range. Fantasy received a platinum certification and earned three nominations at the 3rd Star Awards for Music. After receiving the Magna Award at the Myx Music Awards 2011, and the confirmation of her pregnancy, Velasquez took a hiatus from public engagements. She returned to television on October 6, 2012, with Sarap Diva, a weekly lifestyle talk show. On November 16, Velasquez performed a concert titled Silver at the Mall of Asia Arena, which was cut short after she lost her voice due to a viral infection.

After Silver's cancellation, Velasquez restaged the concert on January 5, 2013. The concert received generally favorable reviews; Manila Bulletin Jojo Panaligan called it a "redemption of reputation", while Dolly Anne Carvajal of the Philippine Daily Inquirer said Velasquez did not fail to make up for the initial cancellation of the show. The following month, she co headlined in Foursome alongside Alcasid, Fernandez, and Nievera. For both shows, Velasquez received four nominations at the 5th Star Awards for Music, winning Best Female Major Concert Act for Silver and Concert of the Year for Foursome. In November 2013, Velasquez's album Hulog Ka Ng Langit was released; it received a platinum certification for two week sales of 15,000 copies. She won Best Inspirational Record for "Nathaniel (Gift of God)" and Best Christmas Recording for "Hele ni Inay" at the 27th Awit Awards, while Hulog Ka Ng Langit won Album Cover of the Year at the 6th Star Awards for Music. In 2014, she worked with Nievera in a one night show titled Voices of Love, with Gloc 9 on "Takipsilim", and with Vice Ganda on "Push Mo Yan Teh". In February 2015, Velasquez appeared alongside Nievera, Valenciano, and Lani Misalucha in a concert titled Ultimate at the Mall of Asia Arena. She received accolades at the 47th Box Office Entertainment Awards, 7th Star Awards for Music, and 5th Edukcircle Awards for the production. In the same year, Velasquez served as a judge on the sixth season of the reality talent television show StarStruck. In November 2015, Velasquez headlined a four date concert residency called Regine at the Theater, which featured songs from musicals. For the third consecutive year, Velasquez appeared in a co headlining concert at the Mall of Asia Arena in February 2016. The two night show, Royals, reunited her with Nievera and also features Angeline Quinto and Erik Santos. Due to the concert's positive critical reception, Velasquez won Best Female Concert Performer at the 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards and Most Influential Concert Performer of the Year at the 6th Edukcircle Awards. In December 2016, People Asia magazine included Velasquez on its annual People of the Year list.

Velasquez hosted Full House Tonight, which ran from February to May 2017. The following month, she announced that she had returned to Viva Records and that she had begun production of a new studio album called R3.0. In August 2017, a cover of Up Dharma Down's 2010 song "Tadhana" was released as a promotional single. An original track called "Hugot" was released as the album's lead single the following month. In November she headlined the R3.0 Concert at the Mall of Asia Arena, and two months later, with Alcasid, she played a four date U. S. concert tour titled Mr. and Mrs. A.

Velasquez hosted the first season of the television talent show The Clash, which premiered on July 7, 2018. In October, she signed a network deal with ABS CBN; her subsequent projects included serving as a judge on the Idol franchise series Idol Philippines, and hosting the musical variety show ASAP Natin 'To. to critical appraisal centering on Velasquez's vocals. Sharon Cuneta and Velasquez co headlined a concert, Iconic, at the Araneta Coliseum in October 2019. For the show, she received the awards for Best Collaboration in a Concert and Entertainer of the Year at the 32nd Aliw Awards, becoming one of the few performers to win the latter honor thrice. Velasquez and Moira Dela Torre released a single together, "Unbreakable", for the soundtrack of the film of the same name. She also contributed to the soundtracks of the spy action thriller series The General's Daughter (2019) and the drama series Love Thy Woman (2020). Having signed with BYS Cosmetics, Velasquez became the Australian beauty brand's ambassador. She released the promotional single, "I Am Beautiful", for their print media advertising campaign. In February 2020, Velasquez worked with Sarah Geronimo on a joint concert titled Unified. Amidst the COVID 19 pandemic, Velasquez organized virtual benefit concerts in support of relief efforts. She curated One Night with Regine on April 25, 2020, to benefit the Bantay Bata Foundation's COVID 19 response fund; the special raised million (US$77,000). That June, she worked with Jollibee Foods Corporation and appeared in Joy From Home, which raised money in support of the brand's food aid program. In collaboration with Alcasid, Velasquez joined forces with PLDT, Inc. for its No Learner Left Behind fundraiser. The initiative raised more than million (US$20,000) to help provide reliable internet access and distance learning tools to students in rural areas and from disadvantaged families.

Freedom was Velasquez's first livestream concert outside her benefit show ventures. Performed on February 28, 2021, at the ABS CBN Studios, it was broadcast via four live streaming platforms. Velasquez said she crafted the virtual show because of her desire to perform material from a variety of music genres and step out of her comfort zone. Ticket sales grossed more than million (US$20,000) within twelve hours after they were made available for purchase. Additional VIP tickets were sold because of high demand. Critics commended Freedom's intimate production and Velasquez's vocal performances. She featured on Davey Langit's single "Ipinagpanata Kita", released in August 2021. That year, she recorded the soundtrack themes for the drama series La Vida Lena and the action series Ang Probinsyano. At the 35th Awit Awards, Velasquez won Best Song Written for Movie/TV/Stage Play for her work on the latter. Velasquez spent much of 2022 working on television projects. She returned as a judge for the second season of Idol Philippines, which premiered on June 25, 2022. In August, she joined the morning talk show Magandang Buhay as its host, replacing Karla Estrada. She then appeared as a guest judge on the first season of Drag Race Philippines, a spin off of RuPaul's Drag Race. At the 13th Star Awards for Music, Velasquez won Concert of the Year and was named Female Concert Performer of the Year for her work on Unified. Following its initial cancellation, Velasquez and Cuneta embarked on a U. S. concert series for Iconic, which commenced on July 9, 2022. After a two year hiatus from headlining a live event, Velasquez staged a four date concert residency, entitled Solo, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater from February 1725, 2023. Featuring songs she has never performed before, Velasquez experimented with disco, funk, and chill out music styles on it. Reviewers praised Velasquez's mature artistry and vocals. Two extra dates in April were added to the itinerary after the show concluded its initial run. She then reunited with Cuneta on a second U. S. leg of the Iconic tour in March. On October 13, 2023, Velasquez released a cover of Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love", the lead single from her upcoming studio album, Reginified, which would feature remakes of songs she performed in previous concerts and televised appearances. At the Mall of Asia Arena in November 2023, she headlined Regine Rocks, a themed concert exploring rock music and its subgenres. It was followed by a three date U. S. leg in February, and a re staging in April.

Velasquez made her film debut with a minor role in the 1988 comedy film The Untouchable Family. Its soundtrack includes her single "Urong Sulong". She continued to appear in a series of supporting roles in comedies, including Pik Pak Boom (1988) and Elvis and James 2 (1990). Vic del Rosario, head of Viva Entertainment's film production arm, saw Velasquez in one of her performances and offered her a starring role in a film, for which she won Best Movie Theme Song and Best Ballad Recording at the Awit Awards. Velasquez continued to play leading roles in romantic comedies, appearing in Honey Nasa Langit Na Ba Ako (1998) with Janno Gibbs and Dahil May Isang Ikaw (1999) with Aga Muhlach. A key point in Velasquez's film career came when she was cast in Joyce Bernals Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (2000) opposite Robin Padilla. while Vera was impressed with its direction and writing, and described Velasquez's performance as "sunny good nature [with a] light comic touch". Pangako Ikaw Lang was a commercial success, becoming the highest grossing Filipino film of 2001. Also in 2001, Velasquez appeared in an episode of the anthology series Maalaala Mo Kaya, playing an intellectually disabled woman. It was the most watched and highest rated of the program, with a reported 47.9 percent viewership. For her portrayal, she won the Star Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress. The Yam Laranas directed romantic drama Ikaw Lamang Hanggang Ngayon (2002), opposite Richard Gomez, saw her play a mundane and undesirable mail sorter. Writing for The Philippine Star, Butch Francisco deemed the film to be vacuous and awkward overall, but thought it had "moments of fun, entertainment and romance". She next took on the role of a woman who falls in love with a widowed man (played by De Leon) in the drama Pangarap Ko Ang Ibigin Ka. The film premiered at the 2003 Manila Film Festival to polarized reception from critics; Isah Red of the Manila Standard criticized the film's visuals and lack of narrative coherence. Terming the film formulaic, Francisco believed that Velasquez was brilliant in "dramatic moments", in a performance he described as a "crowd pleaser", though he found her comedic delivery superfluous. That year, Velasquez starred alongside Bong Revilla in the superhero film Captain Barbell. Although Velasquez did not make any film appearances in 2004, she made her prime time television debut in the drama series Forever in My Heart, in which she played a wedding planner caught in a love triangle with Gomez's and Ariel Rivera's characters. the latter earned her FAMAS and Luna Award nominations for Best Actress. In 2008, she played the titular character in the comedy series remake Ako si Kim Samsoon, based on the original South Korean television show. The show featured her as a chef hired by a restaurant owner (played by Mark Anthony Fernandez) to pretend to be his lover as a ruse for his overbearing mother. The Philippine Stars Arnel Ramos praised her pairing with Fernandez, commending their "crackling rapport that will no doubt send viewers in a romantic frenzy". In the same year, she provided her voice to the eponymous heroine in the animated film Urduja. Velasquez made cameo appearances in three comedies of 2009—Kimmy Dora, OMG (Oh, My Girl! ), and Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie. She initially turned down an offer to star in the drama series Totoy Bato (2009) in favor of a musical themed television project, but agreed after the latter production faced significant delays. The role required her to perform action scenes, and in preparation, undertook boxing training. After the project was greenlit, a loosely adapted version of the 2006 film 200 Pounds Beauty. To look the part, she wore prosthetic makeup which took three hours to apply. The series featured numerous song covers sung onscreen by the characters. According to Velasquez, the song choices were integral to script development, and featured one to two production numbers per week. A journalist for The Philippine Star favored the show's tone and quality, highlighting Velasquez's musical numbers. Andoy Ranay's I Heart You, Pare! was Velasquez's television project of 2011, which she described as a "flashy and colorful world" of the LGBT community. The series follows a woman who is on the run and disguises as a gay man after being wrongly accused of a crime. To play the dual roles of Tonya and Tonette, she created a backstory for her female character; and to get into the drag alter ego's physical and mental space during filming, modelled nuances and mannerisms on Ranay, who is openly gay. The romantic comedy Of All the Things (2012), in which she played a document forger, was Velasquez's third collaboration with Bernal and Muhlach. Philbert Dy of ClickTheCity termed the film a "tedious, unfocused mess that forces chemistry where none really exists". Despite this, she earned a Golden Screen Award for Best Actress for her performance. She next starred in the independent film Mrs. Recto, a comedy drama set principally on Recto Avenue. The director Dante Nico Garcia wanted Velasquez to play the part of a single mother by deglamorizing—aspects that he felt were missing from performances she had done in the past—and thus asked her to dissociate from her "well coifed" persona. The film only received a limited digital release on December 25, 2015. In the series Poor Señorita (2016), Velasquez starred as a powerful and demanding business magnate, a character inspired by Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly. In preparation, she kept her distance from the cast to maintain an uneasy chemistry in their scenes. In his review for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Nestor Torre Jr. found her to be "perfectly cast" as the anti hero, praising Velasquez for "opting to set her own pace, vocal placement, and tempo" in her portrayal. In 2017, she played the supporting part of an earth goddess in Mulawin vs. Ravena, a sequel to the 2004 fantasy series Mulawin, featuring Dennis Trillo and Miguel Tanfelix. She then portrayed the titular character in Yours Truly, Shirley (2019), an independent drama directed by Nigel Santos. It tells the story of a woman who believes her late husband is reincarnated in a pop star. Velasquez was reluctant to take the role, worried of being unprepared after a seven year break from acting in a film. She ultimately agreed to the project after Santos convinced her to take the part. Oggs Cruz of Rappler was critical of Velasquez's "middling" delivery, writing that she lacked "the extent of absurdism" required of the role. Jocelyn Valle of the Philippine Entertainment Portal, however, took note of her earnest and mature characterization. She received a nomination for Best Actress at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival. In January 2020, Velasquez briefly appeared in the iWant comedy series My Single Lady.

As a child, Velasquez enjoyed listening to her father singing classic songs to lull her to sleep; she was drawn to traditional songs rather than nursery rhymes because of this routine. Velasquez's music is influenced by artists such as Sheena Easton, Angela Bofill, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey in her early years. She admires Houston for her "style and R&B influence" and Carey's songwriting. Streisand's music has frequently featured in Velasquez's repertoire throughout her career, including a series of concerts paying homage to Streisand, which Velasquez described as "a pleasure" to perform. Velasquez has also been influenced by many Filipino artists; early in her career, she cited Kuh Ledesma, Joey Albert, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, and Pops Fernandez as her role models.

Velasquez's early career music includes elements of traditional OPM love songs. She described how she developed her musical style, saying, "I was only 16 and people didn't know what to do with me. When they want me to sing love songs, they had to explain to me what it meant because I didn't know the feeling yet." Her debut album Regine includes ballads and bubblegum pop love songs; Velasquez began working with foreign songwriters while planning her first regional album Listen Without Prejudice, Luciano of CNN Philippines complimented her "trademark and sometimes melismatic vocals"

Velasquez's vocal style and singing ability have significantly impacted Philippine popular and contemporary music. Critics have called her "Asia's Songbird" According to Allan Policarpio of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, "Regine needed only to open her mouth and that celebrated voice would come out. She could sing seated, lying down or hoisted up in the air with a harness—no problem. And even when she was so sick she couldn't speak, she could still sing." Many critics complimented her work, often singling out Velasquez's influence. Luciano, writing for CNN Philippines, described her "legitimacy" as "enough to secure a space in pop culture" and said her musical career "continues to influence generations of OPM patrons and songbird wannabes up to this day",

Velasquez's use of vocal belting has been subject to scrutiny because young singers, including contestants on television talent shows, have imitated her singing technique. According to Nestor Torre Jr. of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, "The popularity of 'birit' [belting] started here with the amateur singing contests  Then came Regine Velasquez, who also launched her own singing career the 'birit' way  Trouble is, Regine's belting became so popular that her successor[s]  imitated her." Manila Bulletin said, "Most of our top selling new female singers are still and mere parrots of [Velasquez] in terms of vocal acrobatics and predilection to show off her high range". Media critic Boy Abunda wrote, "Most of the young female singers currently making waves in the industry are cut from the same biritera [belter] cloth as Regine Velasquez." Filipino pop, hip hop, and R&B artists Aicelle Santos, Charice, Erik Santos, Jona Viray, Kyla, Morissette, and Yeng Constantino—among others—have cited Velasquez as an influence. while Rachelle Ann Go and Angeline Quinto have both said Velasquez inspired them during their early years as aspiring singers. American Idol finalists Ramiele Malubay, Thia Megia, and Jessica Sanchez have expressed a desire to emulate Velasquez. Velasquez has also been credited for her work and performances with international artists, including 98 Degrees, Alicia Keys, Coco Lee, Peabo Bryson, and Stephen Bishop. American singer Brian McKnight who co headlined a concert with Velasquez, has complimented her singing, stating; "I got to sing onstage with Regine and it was one of the best experiences ever because she's one of the best singers I've ever heard."

Velasquez has been involved with several charitable organizations. She became associated with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 2001 and worked on a documentary titled Speak Your Mind, which is about homeless children in Payatas, Quezon City, one of the Philippines' largest open dumpsites. The program was nominated for the UNICEF Child Rights Award. In 2009, Velasquez headlined a benefit television special called After The Rain: A Hopeful Christmas in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy). In October 2010, she became an ambassador for Operation Smile, a nonprofit organization that provides cleft lip and palate repair surgery to children worldwide. She recorded the theme "S. M. I. L. E.", which was written for the project and appears on her studio album Fantasy.

Velasquez has worked on brand marketing initiatives for American fast food restaurant chains Wendy's and KFC. She has signed advertising deals with several other brands, including Digitel, Lux, Nestlé Philippines, Nokia, and Smart Communications. In August 2009, working with the clothing and retail brand Bench, Velasquez promoted her fragrances for women, Reigne and Songbird. Velasquez has worked with fast food restaurant chain Jollibee since 2018, and has appeared in several commercials with her son. They also had deals with Pampers, PLDT, and Nestlé's infant formula products. In February 2020, she partnered with beauty brand BYS and launched a cosmetics line, also named Reigne. She also became a spokesperson for Ariel laundry detergent and Vicks medicines.

Velasquez announced her relationship with singer songwriter Ogie Alcasid in an article published by Yes! magazine in June 2007. On August 8, 2010, the couple announced their engagement, and in December, they married in Nasugbu, Batangas. She gave birth to their son, Nathaniel James, via caesarean section on November 8, 2011. Velasquez is a born again Christian. In March 2016, she revealed she had suffered a miscarriage prior to her marriage to Alcasid and stated it was her reason for converting. and the Aliw Awards' Entertainer of the Year in 2007, 2009, and 2019. She has been the recipient of lifetime achievement awards, including the Awit Awards Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino, the Star Awards for Music's Pilita Corrales Lifetime Achievement and Natatanging Alagad Ng Musika, FAMAS Awards' Golden Artist, and Myx Music's Magna Award. Eight of her albums have each sold over 200,000 copies. and was included in Top 10 Asia magazine's list of "Ten Most Admired Female Singers in Asia". Velasquez has also received recognition for her work in television and film, such as the Box Office Queen award in 2002, 22 Box Office Entertainment Awards, 17 Aliw Awards, and 16 Star Awards for Music. In December 2007, Velasquez was honored with a star on the Philippines' Walk of Fame.