Claire de la Fuente

Clare dela Fuente
Birth name	Clarita Crisostomo de la Fuente
Born	December 28, 1958[1]
Origin	Manila, Philippines
Years active	1977-present
Website	http://www.clairedelafuente.com

Claire de la Fuente (Born December 28, 1958^[1] in Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino singer in the 1970s who achieved celebrity status with the jukebox hit "Sayang". She was dubbed "the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines" as her voice has a striking resemblance to that of the late singer. Her first album in 1977 was then the Philippines' biggest-ever seller. She went on to make seven more albums. Besides "Sayang", she is also known for hits like "Minsan-Minsan" and "Nakaw Na Pag-ibig".

She was awarded the title "Queen of Tagalog Songs," alongside Rico J. Puno as her counterpart. She was also named "Jukebox Queen," together with her contemporaries Imelda Papin, Eva Eugenio and the late Didith Reyes. She was also dubbed as "Asia's Sweetest Voice" and won praises from musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Richard Carpenter (of "The Carpenters").

She is a successful business woman. She is the president of the Integrated Metropolitan Bus Operators Association (IMBOA) and is considered as "the most powerful figure in the Public Transportation Industry".

She is in the works to record a new album with a song by Richard Carpenter as its title track entitled "Something In Your Eyes".

Biography

Claire was 15 when she bagged the grand prize in the first singing contest she joined singing The Carpenters' "Love Me For What I Am." By that time, the Accounting freshman at the University of the East knew she loved singing and was aware that she sounded like Karen Carpenter after a high school classmate had pointed it out.

Composer George Cansecoa fellow UE Alumni, the head judge in the contest, gave the singer her first break by having her sing the jingle in a Hope cigarette commercial that became popular for its "imported" sound.

De la Fuente left show business in her mid-20s after reaping its financial rewards. She was married by that time, having tied the knot at 19 to a man 10 years her senior. In 1993, she set up the King of Kings Transport, which had to fold up a few years later. It wasn't the lucrative business she had hoped it would be.

Three years later, de la Fuente was elected president of the "Integrated Metro Bus Operators Association" (IMBOA), whose members make up 70 percent of all bus operators in Metro Manila. In 2003, dela Fuente made headlines when she spearheaded a boycott of the color-coding scheme that the MMDA had imposed for a week on all public utility vehicles as part of a traffic experiment. The move put her at odds with the equally headstrong MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando.^[2]

Besides being the spokesperson of the entire Public Transportation industry, she has become a very successful businesswoman. She dabbled into the cosmetics industry, opening up "The Skin Shop". Alongside this, she showcased her flair for culinary arts and opened "Gracielo's" and "Claire de la fuente Seafood and Grill".

In December 2006, her husband and best friend for more than 28 years, Moises (Boy) de Guzman, died after a five-month struggle with cancer. He left behind Claire together with their two sons, Gregorio (Gigo) and Gracielo (Mickey).

Claire will team up with Richard Carpenter for her international album.^[3]

Awards

• Queen of Tagalog Songs

Double Platinum Record awards:

• "Nakaw na pag-ibig" (single)
• "Minsan-Minsan" (single)
• Sayang (album)
• The Best of Claire (album)
• The Best of Claire (CD)

Gold Record awards:

• Nangigngiti ang puso ko (album)
• "Nanggingiti ang puso ko" (single)
• "Makikita mo" (single)
• Mga bulong ng pag-ibig (album)

Singles^[4]

• "Baliw"
• "'Di Magbabago"
• "Ibulong Mo Sa Hangin"
• "Ikaw Ang Simula"
• "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw"
• "Makikita Mo"
• "Marupok Ka Man"
• "Mga Bulong Ng Pag-Ibig"
• "Mga Nakaw Na Sandali"
• "Minsan Minsan"
• "Nakaw Na Pag-Ibig"
• "Nangingiti Ang Puso Ko"
• "Pag-Ibig Mo...Langit Ko"
• "Sa Dulo Ng Landas"
• "Something in Your Eyes"
• "Sayang"
• "Unang Pag-Ibig"

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Date of birth of Claire Dela Fuente.
2. ^ From songbird to transport leader
3. ^ GMA NEWS.TV, Claire de la Fuente teams up with Richard Carpenter 01/08/2008
4. ^ Songs of Claire Dela Fuente.

External links

• De la Fuente is RP's ‘Karen Carpenter’
• SPECIAL REPORT: Shattering the glass ceiling

Persondata
Name	Dela Fuente, Claire
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 28, 1958
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death