Sharon Gamboa Cuneta-Pangilinan (born January 6, 1966) is a Filipina actress, singer, television host, and socialite. Regarded as one of the most successful and highest-earning individuals in the Philippine entertainment industry, she has grown into a household name and has been referred to as the "Megastar". Cuneta has starred in over 60 films, hosted over 10 television shows, and recorded over 40 albums. She has held numerous accolades as an actress, host, and recording artist, including multiple FAMAS, MMFF, and Awit Awards.
Cuneta has judged several televised singing competitions, including Star Power: Sharon's Search for the Next Female Pop Superstar, Your Face Sounds Familiar, Your Face Sounds Familiar: Kids and as a coach in ABS-CBN's The Voice Kids Philippines and The Voice Teens Philippines.
Sharon Gamboa Cuneta was born on January 6, 1966, at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Santa Mesa, Manila, to Pablo Cuneta (1910–2000), a former Mayor of Pasay who was the longest-serving mayor in the Philippines from 1951 to 1998, and Elaine Gamboa (1934–2014), the sister of actress and singer Helen Gamboa. Her early years were spent in San Lorenzo Village, Makati and then in their family home in Paraiso Street Dasmariñas Village, Makati.
Cuneta grew up listening to her dad's record collection. Her mother, Elaine Gamboa, was a Piano Major at the UST's Conservatory of Music in her youth, the young Sha-Sha would take up piano, guitar, flute and piano lessons to broaden her musical training and exposure at a young age. At the age of three, Cuneta would accompany her famous Aunt Helen Gamboa during tapings of her television shows.
Another of her first proper TV appearances was on Ike Lozada's show, for the "Bulilit" portion, where she mimicked the songs of her aunt, Helen Gamboa. Cuneta was just as young when she appeared in her first movie, the Rosanna Ortiz – George Estregan starrer Lovers for Hire where she played one of Roderick Paulate's playmates.
Cuneta attended St. Paul College, Pasig and International School Manila for her primary to secondary education.
In January 1978, 12-year old Sharon Gamboa Cuneta made her first visit to 782 Aurora Boulevard, which was the address of Vicor Records. Her Uncle and Vice-President of Vicor, Tito Sotto, asked her to record “Tawag Ng Pag-Ibig” which he produced for her at Vicor and shortly after, she was on television promoting her own song for the first time and on the TV show Discorama hosted by TVJ.
The young Sharon was being interviewed live on Discorama, where she stated: "This is the show I watch every week. This is the show that I don’t know how many hundreds of thousands or millions of people watch in the whole country. When it hit me, I couldn’t talk."
In May 1978, Sharon Cuneta followed up with a song by Rey Valera entitled "Mr. DJ". Her producer in Vicor, Tito Sotto, wanted Valera to make a song that would appeal to the Radio DJ's and convince them to play her record on the air. ...
Source: Article "Sharon Cuneta" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
