LANI Misalucha will fly back to the United States to be with newborn grandson
Singer Lani Misalucha has been based in the United States since 2004 and spent the last several years headlining shows in Las Vegas and Hawaii. Although she’s not as active in the local scene anymore, Lani said that it was comforting to know that she still gets a warm welcome from fans whenever she returns to the Philippines.
“It feels wonderful that fans still want to hear me sing. That’s something special,” Lani said.
Lani has been doing sundry gigs for ABS-CBN. But perhaps her biggest project yet for the Kapamilya network was recording her first studio album in more than five years.
“The Nightingale Returns” is the 44-year-old performer’s eighth record and first under Star Records. The 12-track album features the carrier single “Muli,” as well as her collaborations with Arnel Pineda (“Maging Sino Ka Man”) and Angeline Quinto, KZ Tandingan and Yeng Constantino (“May Bukas Pa”).
“The album is full of classics. We wanted to do beautiful Tagalog songs first,” she said. “Some were my personal choices.”
Other songs in the album are “Anak,” “Bulag, Pipi at Bingi” and “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan.”
Busy abroad
It took a long time to return to the recording studio because of her busy schedule abroad, related Lani, who had previously scored stints at Las Vegas hotels like Bally’s, the Flamingo and the Hilton.
Though “The Nightingale Returns” is an all-revival album, Lani said she was interested in coming up with more original songs in the future. “Songwriting is something I’ve yet to explore fully,” she said.
Lani described her return to the studio as “daunting.” Singing onstage is not a problem, she added, but singing alone in a booth makes her nervous.
“Singing in a small room is more intimidating,” she confessed. “It’s because these songs are going to be heard forever, so you have to make sure they’re really good!”
If there was one thing she has to get used to again in the local biz, it was having a personal assistant. Lani quipped: “I’m used to doing everything myself in the US. I get embarrassed asking people to carry my things.”
And of course, intrigues can also be jarring.
Not a few show biz observers have noted the apparent changes on Lani’s face. Yes, she admitted, “I’ve had my nose and teeth done.”
Grandmother
While her eagerness to entertain fellow Filipinos remains strong, Lani was a little uncertain about settling back in the Philippines for good—primarily because it would be difficult to part with her two daughters, one of whom had just given birth to a baby boy.
“I’ll be returning to the US soon, but I’ll be going here a bit more often,” the proud new lola said. “As long as I can sing and entertain people, then I’ll continue.”
(Email apolicarpio@inquirer.com.ph.)