Filipino stars Charice and Bamboo lead concert on Friday

Bamboo and Charice lead a host of Filipino celebrities for two ASAP LIVE concerts at Dubai Festival City.

Charice. Brian Kersey / Getty Images / AFP

The Filipino variety television show Asap is bringing its Asap Live event to the UAE for the first time — renamed Asap 19, to commemorate its 19th anniversary, and featuring a multitude of top singers, actors, performance artists, comedians and more. Guests will be treated to two hours of live music, comedy and other entertainment. Here are just a few of the celebrities expected to headline the event, which is part of the Dubai Shopping Festival.

Charice

This pop star was still a teenager when her first self-titled album Charice (2010) debuted in eighth place on the Billboard 200 chart. She didn't have a conventional start to her career. having gone viral in 2007 when she and a fan uploaded videos of her performing onto YouTube. A few television appearances later, including the Ellen Degeneres and Oprah Winfrey shows, Charice had earned herself a record deal. Oprah said of her: "You are a force to be reckoned with. That voice comes from something bigger than yourself."

Bamboo

Bamboo Mañalac, popularly known only by his first name, began his career as the lead vocalist of the group Rivermaya and later started his own band with three other musicians, only to break up in 2011. Bamboo has continued his career, though, and in 2012 released his solo debut album No Water, No Moon, consisting of 12 tracks. This will be Bamboo’s second UAE gig; he last performed here in October last year at a show that also featured his former band Rivermaya bandmates.

Piolo Pascual

The multi-talented 37-year old is an actor, musician, model and producer kicked off his career in 1994, when he was invited to audition for German Moreno's That's Entertainment show. He had to move to the US, but upon his return to Manila he scored a series of television roles — eventually starring in Lagarista (2000), which hit the international film festival circuit, and playing a villain in the soap Esperanza (1998). As his acting career burgeoned, so too did his singing career — with a series of gold and platinum albums. He turned his hand to producing with Manila (2009), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and toured film festivals across the globe.

Zsa Zsa Padilla

The singer and actress Zsa Zsa Padilla began her career at a young age, starring in a Nido milk commercial at the age of 10. However, her true big break was joining the influential Hotdog Band in the 1970s, which proved a powerful launch pad for her solo career a year later.

Following this success, offers for film and television roles poured in. Padilla famously acted alongside her future partner, the comedian Dolphy, in Mga anak ni Facifica Falayfay (1987). Now 49, the "Divine Diva" has more than a million Twitter followers.

Fame runs in her family — not only is she the daughter of the famous actor and boing referee Carlos “Sonny” Padilla Jr, but also mother to the singer-actress Karylle and the singer Zia Quizon.

Aiza Seguerra

Seguerra also found fame at a young age, having taken part in a popular variety show called Eat Bulaga!'s Little Miss Philippines in 1987. She went on to star in a series of television programmes and films, acting in 25 films before the age of 20. She later turned to music and released the hit single Pagdating ng Panahon, alongside a quintuple-platinum album, in 2001. The 30-year-old has released 10 albums to date, including four gold albums, one platinum and another double platinum.

Enrique Gil

The 21-year-old actor, model, rapper and dancer began acting when he was 16, securing roles in television commercials after attending acting workshops. After his first major role in the action-drama Pieta (2008), Gil worked his way through various television shows and films — most recently co-starring in the film She's the One (2013).

• There will be two ASAP 19 shows tomorrow, 4pm and 9pm, at Dubai Festival City this Friday. Tickets range from Dh85 to Dh365. For more information, call 04 390 2180 or visit www.facebook.com/TFCMiddleEast.