VINA MORALES

Vina Morales (born October 17, 1975 in Bogo, Cebu City, Philippines) is a Filipina singer, actress and model.

At age ten, Morales started singing with her church choir at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, which would lead her to a music career. A priest called Father Fritz D. Malinao, a songwriter in his church community, discovered Morales' talent and asked her to sing one of his compositions as an entry in the Cebu Pop Music Festival. The song, "Paglaum", ("hope" in Cebuano language), won the Grand Prize and earned the "Best Interpreter" award for young talents in the Philippines.

Representatives from Viva Films had seen her performance and offered her a singing and acting contract. She and her family moved to Manilawhere she audition for a film career in the Philippine film industry. She change her birth name from Sharon Garcia Magdayao to Vina Morale

Morales' first film was Nakagapos na Puso, in which she co-starred. In her late teenage years Morales appeared in Utol Kong Hoodlum and a dual role in Anghel Na Walang Langit. She also appeared in The Sarah Balabagan Story.

Morales' recorded albums and performed in live concerts in the Philippines, including 2004's Mamahalin Ka Niya. She co-wrote the lyrics of one song called Paano Kaya Magtatagpo?, along with Filipino model, actor and musician, Piolo Pascual. The music was composed by Arnel de Pano. Later Morales and Pascual recorded the song as a duet. Other songs on the album include "Yakapin Mo Ako", Pangako and Saan Darating ang Umaga. In 2003, she held a multi-city US tour titled Vina Revealedand Vina's Hot.

Morales performed the song Yakapin Mo Ako when portraying singer Joey Albert on the biographical TV series Maalaala Mo Kaya. In 2002, she co-hosted a series of Philippine shows with Martin Nievera in the United States and Canada. She was chosen as being the first Filipino to sing at the New York International Music Festival, which was held at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas in 2003. In 2006, she also did a tour of the United States to promote her celebrity status among the Filipino communities. In 2007, she starred in ABS-CBN's Maria Flordeluna, where she played her role as Elvira. She also represented the Philippines at the 2007 Ikon Asean singing contest and won the competition.

In 2010, she has been cast in the latest soap opera offering of ABS-CBN on the 60th anniversary entitled, Agua Bendita.

VINA MORALES PHOTOS