Perhaps best known as a singer, this Filipina artist recorded such Gold and Platinum albums as, respectively, Unchanging Love and Sentiments. Also an actress, she delivered acclaimed performances in the 1997 film Batang PX and in the 2005 picture Mano Po 4: Ako Legal Wife.

Before Fame

At the start of her entertainment career, she belonged to a 1970s Filipino band called Hotdog. In the late 1980s, she made her television debut in the series Lovingly Yours, Helen.

Trivia

Her popular singles include covers of the Elton John hit "Skyline Pigeon" and the Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel classic "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Family Life

Born Esperanza Padilla, she grew up in Manila as the child of the famous boxing referee Carlos Padilla, Jr. Her older daughter, Karylle, had a career as an actress, and her younger child, Zia Quizon, became a singer.

Associated With

After the end of her relationship with Modesto Tatlonghari (the father of her daughter Karylle), she became the long-term partner of the Filipino comedian Dolphy.