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Ima Castro’s first break in the music industry came when she won the Grand Prize in the 1991 Panasonic nationwide Quest for the Best singing competition. Since then, she has won several local and international awards including Best Singer Award in Osaka, Japan and Best Interpreter in the First Asia Song Festival in Bali, Indonesia.
Her album MAMAHALIN KITA-IMA, became a gold record thanks to her popular duet with Lloyd Umali entitled ‘Nanliligaw, Naliligaw’. Soon after that, Polygram Records decided to make her second album, a self-titled one which was released in 1997. It includes ‘Shine’, her winning song in the 1996 Metropop Song Festival. She has guested on the albums of other well-known male performers including Martin Nievera, Nonoy Zuniga and international artists David Pomeranz and Mike Francis. She also recorded a duet with popular Latin singer, Enrique Iglesias entitled ‘You’re My Number One.
Aside from being a recording artist, Ima also appeared in the pop-zarzuela, PAGLAYANG MINAMAHAL where she played the lead role opposite Albert Martinez. The successful play which was staged at the CCP Little Theatre was her very first theatre work before she successfully auditioned for the Manila production of MISS SAIGON. She was offered the lead role of Kim after Lea Salonga finished her contract. She was offered it again, this time by IMG Australia for the Asian tour in Hong Kong and Singapore. Impressed with her talent and professionalism, Sir Cameron Mackintosh asked her to join the UK tour of the show for two years where she got the chance to travel and live in beautiful places like Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and Southampton. The composer of the show, Claude-Michel Schonberg calls Ima “a miracle from Manila” which for her is the greatest compliment she has ever received.
Ima has also just finished touring Asia as guest artist to Russell Watson.
Visit Ima’s website at: www.imacastro.com.
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