Queen Santos from Fukuoka, Japan, garnered the FIRST PLACE in UTAWIT 2008 held in Meguro, Tokyo

Queen Reigns The Champion
of UTAWIT Grand Finals 2008!

- by Dennis Sun

Sometimes, it's great to have a good name. And Queen Santos should thank her mom for giving her a name that best fit her, a queen! And a queen she was last October 12, 2008 as various Filipino groups from different parts of Japan came to Tokyo to witness and celebrate Filipino and Japanese music, international and cultural friendship, and an event for a charitable cause. Queen reigned supreme besting the other 10 contestants representing their respective regions from all around Japan and were already champions in their own right.

Asked about the regional qualifying round she won in Fukuoka, Queen said she wasn't really planning to join the contest. It was only after they went to a karaoke party that people asked her to join UTAWIT. She really wasn't aware of the competition then. She confessed she wasn't even prepared to compete that time but friends gave their moral support until she finally decided to join the UTAWIT qualifying round in Kyushu.

See how destiny works? Sometimes, you prepare so much for something pero at the end, hindi pala para sa iyo. In Queen's case, when fate works for you, everything comes into the right places at the right time. You see, kararating lang ni Queen sa Fukuoka from the Philippines. Wala pang three months sa Japan and then see what happens?

Actually, si Queen po ay isang Japinoy. Father po niya ay Hapon and mother niya ay Pinay. And although she was born in Japan, she grew up in the Philippines kaya Pinoy-na-Pinoy po siya. Mala-Regine din po ang buhay niya. Lumaki po si Queen sa Bulacan. At tulad ng kanyang idol, maliit pa lamang si Queen, present lagi sa mga contest sa school and community. She has won also in the inter-school competitions not only in singing pero pati na rin sa beauty contests. Kasi po, hindi lang siya talented sa larangan ng pag-awit, maganda rin po si Queen.

Queen sang her winning piece, SHINE, a song originally sung by Ima Castro and recently popularized by her idol, Regine. A few weeks before the grand finals, she was really at a loss because she didn't know what song to sing. Somebody suggested this song. When she heard it, she said she would go for it even with a few weeks left and though it meant less practice before the competition.

Queen is lucky to have a professional singer for a mother. It proves only that singing already runs in her blood and written in her DNA. Her mother was there from beginning to end to support her royal daughter. Like sisters, they would agree and disagree in so many things. But at the end, Queen would always look for the mother to support her.

Maganda raw ang Fukuoka, ang bagong home city ni Queen. Puro buildings at tahimik daw sa place nila. Since wala pa siyang isang taon dito sa Japan, miss-na-miss pa niya ang mga friends sa Pinas. Pero enjoy siya sa Fukuoka. Together with her mother, they go around riding their bicycles getting all their basic needs. Malapit daw sa lahat kaya very convenient.

Next year, Queen is preparing to go to school. For now, nasa adjustment period pa lamang siya. Pero swerte talaga ng batang ito. At a mere age of 17, she has amassed a bevy of awards and prizes already. Wala pang 3 months sa Japan, she already became the UTAWIT champion. Ano pa kaya ang susunod sa buhay niya? Abangan natin! Payo ko, huwag munang hanapin si "king" at career muna ni Queen ang i-prioritize!

Her dream is to become a star someday. Queen, you are already a star! And hopefully, your star would shine brightly not only in Japan and the Philippines, but the whole world!