Maxene Magalona pays tribute to master rapper father Francis M
PHOTO from “Your Face Sounds Familiar” Facebook page
Actress Maxene Magalona left not a dry eye when she impersonated on Saturday her dearly departed father on ABS-CBN’s “Your Face Sounds Familiar.”
Francis Magalona, also known as Francis M, has been regarded in the Philippines as the King of Pinoy Rap and one of the icons of the local music industry. He was 44 when he died on March 6, 2009, seven months after being diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.
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Maxene seemed to resurrect Francis M when she sang his 90’s hit “Mga Kababayan (My Fellow Country Man)” during the sixth week of the celebrity singing and impersonation contest.
“Sobra-sobrang happy ako na nagawa ko to para kay Papa, at para sa lahat ng fans niya. Kasi talaga pong napaka-proud ako hindi lang dahil siya si Francis Magalona, pero napakabuti po niyang tao. At alam po lahat yan ng mga nakakakilala sa kanya (I am very happy for what I did to my father and to his fans. I am so proud not only because he is Francis Magalona but because he is a good person. And all those who know him know that),” Maxene said, teary-eyed.
Wearing an outfit that resembled what his father donned on Gary Valenciano’s “Major Impact” concert in 1990, Maxene reduced the audience and judges to tears after pulling off a genuine performance.
“You did it perfectly,” said one of the judges Gary V. “Medyo emotional for me kasi ‘ung mga videos na pinapalabas nila is the performance kung saan nag-guest siya sa concert ko, ‘yan ang suot niya (that’s what she’s wearing). So talagang parang it’s (really like) déjà vu.”
Another judge Jed Madela said it was the most sincere performance yet of Maxene, saying Francis M would “live on not only through memory but because of her.”
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Meanwhile, judge Sharon Cuneta broke down when she shared that she wrote a letter for Francis M when he was sick. She said she still keeps Francis M’s text message on her old phone.
“I just felt that there are so many people that deserved to go ahead and your dad deserved to stay for a long, long time.”
“I always say gustong-gusto ko ‘yung personality ni Maxene kasi I see your Dad’s humility, his heart and please keep that. Don’t let this business change you,” Sharon told Maxene.
After the show was aired on TV, Maxene posted on her Instagram a photo of herself showing the transformation, which garnered more than 13,000 likes as of posting.
“Para kay papa. #FRANCISMFOREVER #YFSFShine#YourFaceSoundsFamiliar ,” the caption said.
Maxene Magalona. INSTAGRAM PHOTO
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