cover story
PAMELA WILDHEART:
The Journey not the destination by Gavin Bagares
P
amela Wildheart dons many hats. Her description reads like a converging pool of talent upon talent: Recording Artiste, Songwriter and Music Composer, Celebrity Show host, Radio and Voice personality (in English and Japanese), Academic Lecturer, Course Trainer, Writer, Marketing Communication Management expert, former Radio Programme Head, Theatre Actress, Rock Diva, and former Senior Manager for Singapore Zoo - Night Safari & Jurong Bird Park. Add soon to this formidable list “Book Author,” as she is busily penning two DIYs of sorts. Wildheart conducts personal workshops and training on vocal-hosting and hospitality-training in between shows, recordings, lectures, and leads the rockstar way of life. She’s not the kind to stop now after hitting the mid-century mark; she contributes to publications like OFW Pinoy Star and Bagong Bayani here in Singapore. That Pamela was born in Cebu, Philippines is no accident. Cebu has been dubbed “the Singapore of the Philippines” at one point or the other. The Queen City of the South certainly does not have the Lion State’s spicand-span systems but it does boasts of similar energy in commerce and industry. Arguably, what Cebu has always had is the creative force that has brought forth world-class talents. There, for example, was Pilita Corrales for music and Gloria Sevilla for film. More current crop includes Kenneth Cobunpue for furniture design and Monique Lhuillier for fashion. A true-blue Cebuana, Pamela possesses this creative force in no mean measure. Born Pamela Pilapil to the socially-prominent and close-knit clan of Liloan, Cebu, Pamela counts among her talented kin the award-winning Philippine actor and erstwhile beauty queen Pilar Pilapil. Before coming to Singapore, Pamela was already juggling her Mass Communication studies at the University of the Philippines - Cebu with nightly gigs and solo concerts at the city’s most exciting watering holes like Shakey’s and Cebu Plaza Hotel (now The Marco Polo Plaza). Her doctor father and culinary entrepreneur mother were well-positioned to see her through the Philippines’ topmost university where she was a bona fide campus figure. But Pamela’s early sense of independence prevailed. During the early stage of her career she travelled extensively to Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, and Indonesia for guest performances armed only with a guitar and an indomitable spirit. Wherever she went she made news for her electrifying performances.
The Turning-poinT Cebu’s Metro Pop Music Festival, where she penned Kabataang Paglaum, 22 Bagong Bayani SEPTEMBER 2011
with other Cebuano songwriters, proved a watershed. As finalist, Pam worked with Homer Flores as arranger and other accomplished musicians. The songwriting became unstoppable. The music became not just a passion but a way of life. Theatre was the natural evolution, but the goal to further her education was never forgotten. And in between university life and the work-related travels were her regular columns in newspapers and journals. After a highly successful stint at Petaling Jaya Hilton - Malaysia during a Singapore stop-over, Pamela was recruited by an agent who booked her at a small pub, Bier Keller, owned by the popular Jumaboy family where she performed back-to-back with Douglas Oliveiro who would become another big Singapore name. As the trite phrase goes - the rest is history! She was offered to perform again with her band. It was shows, concerts, gigs…in-between the hubbub, a deepening relationship with the Singaporean man of her dreams – Clifford Kho, the businessman she met in Malaysia and became her biggest fan, Singapore tour guide, and later her husband and best friend. Having decided to stay in Singapore - which she felt right at the start to be connected to her psychically as both she and the city state celebrate the leonine August 9 as their special day – birthday for Pamela and National Day for Singapore - Pamela examined her options with then supportive boyfriend Clifford. “My performances spiraled into bigger contracts with bands and finally ended with Bill Bailey’s Bar at the Dynasty Hotel, now the Marriott