Toni Gonzaga

Infobox actress
name = Toni Gonzaga


image_size =
birthname = Celestine Cruz Gonzaga
caption =
birthdate = birth date and age|1984|1|20
location = Manila, Philippines
website = http://www.tonigonzaga.com.ph
origin = Taytay,Rizal, Philippines
occupation = TV Host, Singer, Actress
notable role = Pinoy Big Brother "(host)" Sally Malasmas in You Are The One Moe Santander in You Got Me

Celestine Cruz Gonzaga (known for her screen name Toni Gonzaga), is a Filipina actress, television host, and singer. She is widely known as the Philippine's Multimedia Star. [ [http://tonigonzaga.com.ph Toni Gonzaga's Official Website] ]

Biography

Early Years

Toni Gonzaga was born on January 20, 1984, a 6.8 lbs baby girl to Methodist parents Carlito and Crisanta Gonzaga. Her birth name, "Celestine", was given to her father by a boxer. She has a younger sister named Catherine Gonzaga, who stars in the Philippine remake of My Girl . Toni was baptized during her infancy and later confirmed at a United Methodist Church in her hometown of Taytay, Rizal in the Philippines. She would later attend Greenhills Christian Fellowship and the Victory Christian Fellowship.

Gonzaga began to sing at the age of four participating in various singing competitions. She took up mass communications at the Dominican College (San Juan), where she studied for two years. Later, she transferred to the AB English program of the Asian Institute for Distance Education (AIDE).

Aside from her career in show business and the music scene, she was once a Sunday school teacher and a Barangay Kagawad in Taytay.

Acting Career

Gonzaga started as a talent of GMA Artist Center and landed small roles and went freelance after four years. While attending high school, Gonzaga actively participated in auditions, competitions and VTR screenings of advertising agencies. At 17, she struggled as a lounge singer in several Philippine hotels and bars at night while attending school during the day. Her agent later informed her of an audition for a local TV commercial for Sprite.

She received offers for guest appearances in various TV shows and earned her regular stint in the GMA sitcom "Daddy Di Do Du". TAPE Inc., the show's producing company, offered her to be one of the hosts in the noontime show "Eat Bulaga" which undoubtedly launched her career. While hosting Eat Bulaga, she also co-anchored Wazzup Wazzup on Studio 23, "an ABS-CBN UHF Channel".

She transferred to ABS-CBN in 2004 and after signing with the said network, she became a co-host of Most Requested Show (MRS), with hosts Roderick Paulate and Amy Perez. She was also a part of Entertainment Konek (ETK) with Ogie Diaz. She, then, became the lead host of "Pinoy Big Brother", the Philippine franchise of the Endemol reality show, "Big Brother".

Recording Career

2001 to 2005

Toni Gonzaga released her self-titled debut album under Prime Music. "Paano", a remake of a Gary Valenciano-classic, was released as its carrier single. She made rounds to different radio stations apart from a number of mall shows to promote the album. Unfortunately, it garnered little success.

Two years later, Toni Gonzaga was tapped to sing "Doon", the theme song of TAPE Inc's afternoon TV drama, "Ikaw sa Puso Ko" which was topbilled by Starstruck finalist, Nadine Samonte and Oyo Boy Sotto. It was aired in GMA Network.

2006

She released her second album, "You Complete Me" under ABS-CBN's record label, Star Records. Its carrier single, "We Belong" proved to be a big hit, reaching the top spot in several music charts in the Philippines. It also stirred controversy because of its tune being surprisingly identical to Utada Hikaru's "First Love". Nevertheless, after about two months, the 7-track EP has already been a certified gold record with 15,000 units sold. It was later re-released in line with the airing of the television series, "Crazy for You", which also starred Toni Gonzaga. The repackaged version included the theme song of the said TV series which is a remake of Madonna's 80's hit which is of the same title, as well as the movie edit of "You Are the One" featuring Sam Milby. "Kung Kaya Ko", the Gonzaga-penned song and the last single from the album, received moderate radio airplay but was not as commercially successful as "We Belong".

2007

Her third album was released entitled "Falling In Love". The 11-track album proved to be even more successful. "Catch Me I'm Fallin'", the album's carrier single, received massive radio and TV success being in regular rotation in top radio stations and music channels during its release. The single, along with its music video, dominated the pop charts for weeks. It is one of the most successful singles in the Philippines in 2007 and can also be considered as Gonzaga's biggest hit to date. The album itself exceeded 30,000 copies in units sold being awarded the platinum status in two months.

The follow-up single, "Perfect World", was used as the official soundtrack of MPPORG's online game of the same title. It was a moderate success reaching the top ten in music charts. "Kasalanan Ko Ba?", a remake of the 90's Neocolours-hit and the album's final single, was simultaneously released with "I've Fallen for You". The latter was used as the movie theme song of the same title which starred Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu. Both singles failed to crack the top ten and match the success of the first two singles.

2008 to present

The success of her third album helped lobby her first major solo concert. "Catch Me... Toni Gonzaga" was held on February 09, 2008 at the Aliw Theater, Manila. The concert was almost a sold-out that a repeat was held on May 02, 2008 entitled "Catch Me Again...". A pre-selling of her anticipated fourth album was done during the repeat.

Finally, on May 05, 2008, "Love Is..." her fourth solo effort under Star Records was released. The album contained a majority of revivals and only three original cuts. Its carrier single, "One Hello", which was originally done by Randy Crawford was used as the theme song of the Star Cinema-movie, "When Love Begins". The single was a moderate success reaching number one in several radio music charts. The second single, "Incapable", was a commercial failure receiving very limited radio airplay with no accompanying music video. "Take Me, I'll Follow", a Bobby Caldwell original and the album's third single, is now enjoying rotation in several radio stations.

Career

Television

References

External links

* [http://www.tonigonzaga.com.ph Official Website] of Toni Gonzaga
* [http://www.pinayshare.com/category/toni-gonzaga/ Pictures And News about Toni Gonzaga]
*imdb name|1373129