Kuh Ledesma


Maria Socorro Ledesma, better known as Kuh Ledesma, is a Filipino pop and jazz singer.
She has been performing for 35 years in the music industry which encompasses more than 1,000 concerts all over the world, numerous awards in the Philippines, and 20 albums in the Philippine recording industry.
Ledesma is the first Filipino singer to become a recipient of the Salem Music Awards in London in March 1989. In 1997, she released her international debut album Precious in collaboration with American and Filipino songwriters, arrangers and musicians.

Early life

Kuh Ledesma was born in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Philippines with a Lebanese lineage.

Career

Philippine and international music industry

Ledesma's career in music began when she joined the Lastiko band in Bacolod while she was still a nursing student at Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod. Ledesma finished the course and successfully passed the Philippine National Nursing Board Exam and became a registered nurse. Ledesma and her bandmates Toto Gentica and Jet Montelibano later went to Manila to form the Music & Magic band which became pivotal for her career. She later received the lead role in the pop ballet Rama Hari by Alice Reyes. She eventually went solo with "Dito Ba?", Ledesma's first hit song.

1980s

During the 1980s, Ledesma performed solo concerts at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Araneta Coliseum, PICC and the Philippine Folk Arts Theater.
In 1982, Ledesma launched an all-Filipino concert, 'Ako ay Pilipino' at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which featured a repertoire of ethnic sounds, classic kundimans and pop songs, tapping into the rich node of indigenous art and contemporary pop music to produce alternative approaches to songs. Her show eventually became a television special followed by two albums. This was immediately followed by another production at the CCP, 'Inspired Madness' in 1983, which was created in collaboration with Philippine film director Peque Gallaga and musical director Ryan Cayabyab.
During the political ambience of the 1980s, Ledesma paid tribute to Ninoy Aquino at the end of one of her shows at the Cultural Center of the Philippines by singing an a cappella rendition of "Impossible Dream" and "You'll Never Walk Alone ". From 1984 to 1986, Ledesma joined the APO Hiking Society in 'Ang Pinoy Nga Naman ' at the Folk Arts Theater.
On June 3, 1988, Ledesma performed in the musical KUH of the Year at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York.
In March 1989, Ledesma was chosen as the first Philippine singer to be the recipient of the Salem Music Awards after competing against other top singers from Asia at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

1990s

In the 1990s, Ledesma had a series of concerts with foreign artists such as Noel Pointer, Jack Jones, Kenny Rankin, The Platters and Michel Legrand followed by other concerts with popular Philippine artists such as Regine Velasquez, Pops Fernandez and Jaya. After Ledesma's four-night concert with the jazz violinist Noel Pointer, she released the album, The Voice, The Violin. Ledesma was also one of the judges in the coronation night of Miss Universe 1991. In February 1994, Ledesma had the 'Two of Hearts' concert with balladeer Jack Jones. During 1995's Valentine's season, she performed with Kenny Rankin. Ledesma started the new millennium in a Valentine show with The Platters. In 2002, Ledesma had Valentine presentation with Michel Legrand.
Ledesma has her own production company Headline Concepts and built concert venues such as the Music Museum and the Republic of Malate. The Republic of Malate is a facility located along Mabini Street in Manila, which houses a restaurant, a bar, a watering hole, a game room, a tobacco area, a dance club and a theater. However, The Republic of Malate was destroyed by a fire in November 2001. Ledesma has plans of rebuilding the facility.
Ledesma had a regular monthly television special called Akuhstic Café which is a musical travelogue that presented viewers the urban night life of Metro Manila by visiting clubs, lounges and concerts. Akuhstic Café was a grand finalist in the Asian Television Awards in Singapore for best musical program.
In April 1997, Ledesma became the featured artist of the 'Muling Aawit ang Pasig', a benefit concert of former Philippine First Lady Ming Ramos for the restoration of the Pasig River.
In 1998, the centennial year of Philippine Independence, after producing a Valentine concert at Fort Santiago, Manila, Ledesma was commissioned by the National Centennial Commission to stage a three-night centennial concert of the year, 'Lahi...Kami ang Pilipino' which was held at the Expo Center in the former Clark Airforce Base.

2000s

Ledesma also owns Bravo Records, a music recording studio. She is known for building careers of new talented singers.
Ledesma celebrated her 25th year in the music industry by holding a series of shows at Captain's Bar of the Mandarin Oriental Manila. Ledesma has a goal of publishing a book of photographs to chronicle her career.
Ledesma is also a member of the Artista Para Sa Pagbabago, an organization of artists, environmentalists and businessmen. She was also the president of the Restaurant Owners Association of Malate.
During the 2001 Philippine national elections, Ledesma was chosen by the PINATUBO Party as a first nominee for congress. The PINATUBO Party has the goal of alleviating poverty in the Philippines through grass-roots development.
In 2002, Ledesma teamed up with composer Michel Legrand in a back to back concert at the Philippine International Convention Center. Years prior to that, she teamed up with international artists Noel Pointer, Jack Jones and Kenny Rankin.
In 2009, she went on a tour called 'A Love Affair' with her daughter Isabella to New Zealand where she had a series of concerts in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton.
Apart from performing and producing concerts and special shows, Ledesma also travels widely in the Philippines and abroad to deliver values formation lectures, and inspirational and motivational talks.

2010s

In December 2011, she released her first gospel album entitled Fragrance of Worship.
Ledesma is also famous for putting together top artists in one concert such as the 'Divas 4 Divas' concert tour with Regine Velasquez, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Pops Fernandez.
Ledesma released her album Memories on Universal Records in 2014. She re-recorded her song, "I Think I'm in Love" for the album. American musician Marie Digby has covered the song.

Personal life

Ledesma was married to Luisito "Louie" Gonzalez. Gonzalez's mother Vicky Quirino, daughter of the former President, married shipping magnate Francisco Delgado after the death of his first wife.
Ledesma's former husband Gonzalez voluntarily surrendered to the NBI on July 16, 2008, after an arrest warrant for murder and physical injuries was issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Thelma Medina amid the Court of Appeals' review of the case. Gonzalez was held for the killing of his step brother Federico Delgado on March 10, 2007, who was found dead with multiple stab wounds. Ledesma has a daughter.
Ledesma is a born-again Evangelical Christian.

Television and film

Television

Filmography

Ledesma has appeared in films such as:
Ledesma performed in Rama Hari and Kapinangan.

Philippine television

Ledesma produced several TV specials including the award-winning program, Kuh by Special Arrangement. She was also a co-host on the Sunday variety show ASAP Mania.
She starred in her first TV soap, Bituin on ABS-CBN which premiered in September 2002 and appeared later on in Endless Love on GMA Network in June 2010. In 2013, she appeared on My Husband's Lover playing Elaine Soriano. She also re-recorded "One More Try" for the series.

International performances

In 1982, Ledesma was chosen by international director Peter Weir to play the role of Tiger Lily in the film, The Year of Living Dangerously, to work with actors Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver.
After becoming a model for Lux soap in the Philippines from 1984 to 1990, Ledesma also appeared in a series of print ads and television commercials for Lux in Singapore from 1988 to 1989, and in Indonesia in 1992.
In March 1990, Ledesma appeared as a guest performer in a Gilbert Becaud's television show in Paris where she sang "Bulaklak" in three languages. In July 1990, she was the Philippine's representative-performer at the international television special, Earth 90 in Tokyo, Japan. Earth 90 was a show that celebrated the importance of the environment and was aired simultaneously around 80 countries. Ledesma was then on stage with artists such as Olivia Newton-John and John Denver. In the same year, Ledesma also joined the 'NHK-KAYO' parade in Tokyo.
In 1991, Ledesma accepted the invitation to become a member of the panel of judges during the Miss Universe beauty pageant in Las Vegas, US

Discography

Popular songs or singles in chronological order

Duets
Jingles
Movie Themesongs / TV and Movie Soundtrack
Kuh's Many First"