From left: Eva Eugenio, Imelda Papin and Claire dela Fuente
While Claire dela Fuente, Imelda Papin and Eva Eugenio started out as professional rivals at the peak of their music careers, the three singers, dubbed the “Jukebox Queens” of the ‘70s and ‘80s, grew closer through the years, and formed a bond that they could only describe as “sisterly.”
But with Claire’s “untimely passing,” the trio “will never be the same again.” “The Jukebox Queens are the three of us. Claire is irreplaceable. And we will never be complete without her,” an emotional Eva told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
Claire, 63, suffered a cardiac arrest in her sleep last Tuesday, March 30, just three days after she was diagnosed with COVID-19. She was hypertensive and diabetic. She also had anxiety, which, her family believed, contributed to her death.
Eva had just started her day when she received the “shocking” news about her friend. “When I was told that ‘Claire is no more,’ my reaction was, ‘Ano’ng kalokohan ‘yan?’ Then, I started receiving calls from friends, asking me if it was true,” she related.
“I’m so sad and I feel like crying. And I was shocked because I wasn’t aware of any health issues she had,” Eva added. “She’s my kumare. She’s the godmother of my only daughter.”
Like sisters
Eva said she had known Claire for more than 30 years, noting that their respective signature hits, “Tukso” (1979) and “Sayang” (1978) were released only one year apart.
“We were like sisters,” said Eva, who was always fond of Claire’s rambunctious personality. “She was loud and lively. Whenever she saw me, she would shout at me or tease me, ‘Hoy, Eva U!’ ‘Ano ‘yan, itigil mo ‘yan!’ That’s how close we were,” Eva recalled.
Claire’s sweet and husky alto drew comparisons to the late Karen Carpenter’s tone. That was what made her unique among the Jukebox Queens. “She really did sound a lot like Karen Carpenter. While Imelda and I belted notes, she had this low voice that had the slightest of rasp,” she said. “She sang effortlessly.”
“Sometimes, when I hear her voice, I just want to sit down and listen to her songs,” she added. “One time, I joked that I would rather just listen to her records than see her!”
Times together
The last time the three of them performed together, Eva recalled, was in a church, for a tribute event for Rico J. Puno last 2018. They also spent New Year’s Day in 2019 together. While they were unable to see each other after the pandemic struck, Eva still stayed in touch with Claire, especially when the latter’s son Gigo de Guzman, got implicated in the Christine Dacera case.
“I will miss the kulitan, the stories and the laughter. I will surely miss the shows … how our costumes’ zippers would sometimes suddenly go undone while onstage,” Eva said, laughing.
Claire had herself tested for the coronavirus last March 26 after showing mild symptoms—cough, colds and a low-grade fever. This was “shocking” for Imelda, because she has always believed that Claire was the strongest of the Jukebox Queens.
“I can’t believe that you passed away too soon, Claire, my dearest kumare,” the singer-politician said in a video message posted on her Facebook page. “This is something I could have never imagined, because she’s a strong woman… She’s the strongest of us three. I can’t believe she would succumb to COVID-19.”
Genuine person
Imelda described Claire as a “genuine” person and a close friend who had been true to her “in and outside show biz.” “She was a guest in my 45th anniversary concert at the Philippine Arena (in 2019),” said the Camarines Sur vice governor. “Who knew that that would be one of your last performances for us?”
Claire’s death is a huge loss to the local music scene, Imelda stressed. “It’s so sad to have lost another legend in the industry who gave us happiness. A pillar of Filipino music left. It’s so painful.”
“Kumare, kaibigan, kapatid sa hanapbuhay… I will miss you,” she said. “Wherever you may be, bring our love with you, the love of your fans from the entire Philippines. God bless your soul.”