Didith Reyes
Encyclopedia
Maria Helen Bella Avenila Santamaria (17 September 1949 - 10 December 2008), better known as Didith Reyes, was a Filipino
actress and singer best known for recording a string of hit love ballads in the 1970s. Many music enthusiasts regard her as one of the Philippines' "Jukebox
Queens", along with other singers popular during her time such as Claire dela Fuente
, Amapola (Amapola Cabase), Eva Eugenio, Leah Navarro, and Imelda Papin
. She was notorious for accidentally exposing her breast
, while singing Bakit Ako Mahihiya? during the 1977 FAMAS Awards Night.
as a solo recording artist. This was after she was found by lifelong friend, Normita Japitana, found her in Ermita
. She would soon score her first hit single with the eponymous theme song to the 1975 film Araw Araw Gabi Gabi, written by Willy Cruz. Her other hits included Nananabik, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw, Bakit Ako Mahihiya?, Hatiin Natin Ang Gabi, and Aliw. Her hits earned her the title Jukebox Queen, which also is shared with her best friends, Claire dela Fuente
, Leah Navarro, Eva Eugenio,
and Imelda Papin
. Reyes gained further acclaim when she won a Gold Prize and the Best performer at the 1977 Tokyo Music Festival
. Her self-titled debut album, Didith, was a platinum bestseller. She also held international concerts, particularly, in Japan
ese cities such as Kyoto
and Tokyo
.
Aside from singing, Reyes also tried acting through a role in the film Mabango ang Bawat Bulalaklak. Her songs, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw and Nananabik, were also turned into a films starring her, as well as Bakit Ako Mahihiya?, which earned her notoriety during duet with Rico J. Puno
in a televised presentation of the song at the 1977 FAMAS Awards Night, when she accidentally exposed her breast while wearing a flimsy gown.
Her showbiz career is marred with controversy, as she had relationships with many men, particularly prominent businessmen, club owners, politician
s and those from the military
.
Reyes later worked as a receptionist and stylist at a hair salon. In 2002, she returned to show business with a featured role in the GMA Network
drama anthology Magpakailanman
. She was supposed to revive her singing career in 2008.
, Reyes claimed to have sustained injuries after having been sideswiped by a vehicle. She died in her sleep at the home of a friend. The cause of her death was not immediately clear. Some sources attributed her death to a recurrent stomach problem, while her friend, the singer Claire de la Fuente, said that Reyes died of an apparent heart attack as her pancreas ruptured. A police investigation has been initiated to establish the cause of her death. An autopsy revealed that Reyes had suffered from an enlarged heart and clogged arteries, lending further credence to the belief that the singer had suffered a fatal heart attack. Her wake
was held in Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Church in Quezon City
. She was survived by her son Arvi, from her previous marriage to Victor Reyes.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
actress and singer best known for recording a string of hit love ballads in the 1970s. Many music enthusiasts regard her as one of the Philippines' "Jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
Queens", along with other singers popular during her time such as Claire dela Fuente
Claire dela Fuente
Claire de la Fuente is a Filipino singer in the 1970s who achieved celebrity status with the jukebox hit "Sayang". She was dubbed "the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines" as her voice has a striking resemblance to that of the late singer. Her first album in 1977 was then the Philippines'...
, Amapola (Amapola Cabase), Eva Eugenio, Leah Navarro, and Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin is a Filipino singer and one of the bigger names in the Philippine music industry. Dubbed the "Sentimental Songstress", Imelda Papin is responsible for songs such as "Bakit " and "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig"....
. She was notorious for accidentally exposing her breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
, while singing Bakit Ako Mahihiya? during the 1977 FAMAS Awards Night.
Early life
Born Maria Helen Bella Avenila Santamaria on September 17, 1949, Reyes was the elder of two children. Her early years were difficult. At age fifteen, she ran away from her home and was known to skip school to join singing contests while in high school at Santa Isabel College. After studying Fine Arts at St. Scholastica College, she joined the Circus band, which would lead her to overnight success.Success
After her stint with Circus band and Time Machine, Reyes signed up with Vicor Music CorporationVicor Music Corporation
Vicor Music Corporation is one of the major record labels in the Philippines with a tag-line as "The Home of Original Pilipino Music". Its office is located at 782 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City, Philippines. Established in 1965 by Vic Del Rosario and Orly Ilacad to produce record albums featuring...
as a solo recording artist. This was after she was found by lifelong friend, Normita Japitana, found her in Ermita
Ermita
Ermita may refer to the following:*Ermita, Manila, a place in the Philippines.*Ermita: A Filipino Novel, a novel by F. Sionil José.*Ermita "Ermi" Rojo, the protagonist in F. Sionil José's novel Ermita: A Filipino Novel....
. She would soon score her first hit single with the eponymous theme song to the 1975 film Araw Araw Gabi Gabi, written by Willy Cruz. Her other hits included Nananabik, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw, Bakit Ako Mahihiya?, Hatiin Natin Ang Gabi, and Aliw. Her hits earned her the title Jukebox Queen, which also is shared with her best friends, Claire dela Fuente
Claire dela Fuente
Claire de la Fuente is a Filipino singer in the 1970s who achieved celebrity status with the jukebox hit "Sayang". She was dubbed "the Karen Carpenter of the Philippines" as her voice has a striking resemblance to that of the late singer. Her first album in 1977 was then the Philippines'...
, Leah Navarro, Eva Eugenio,
and Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin
Imelda Papin is a Filipino singer and one of the bigger names in the Philippine music industry. Dubbed the "Sentimental Songstress", Imelda Papin is responsible for songs such as "Bakit " and "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig"....
. Reyes gained further acclaim when she won a Gold Prize and the Best performer at the 1977 Tokyo Music Festival
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Her self-titled debut album, Didith, was a platinum bestseller. She also held international concerts, particularly, in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese cities such as Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Aside from singing, Reyes also tried acting through a role in the film Mabango ang Bawat Bulalaklak. Her songs, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw and Nananabik, were also turned into a films starring her, as well as Bakit Ako Mahihiya?, which earned her notoriety during duet with Rico J. Puno
Rico J. Puno
Enrico de Jesus Puno , better known as Rico J. Puno, is a popular Filipino pop singing artist and television host who is credited as a pioneer-promoter of original Filipino music. He started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in his rendition of the American song The Way We Were and other...
in a televised presentation of the song at the 1977 FAMAS Awards Night, when she accidentally exposed her breast while wearing a flimsy gown.
Her showbiz career is marred with controversy, as she had relationships with many men, particularly prominent businessmen, club owners, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s and those from the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
.
Later years
Reyes's career stalled in the 1980s as she suffered from a drinking problem and drug addiction In her later years, Reyes reportedly suffered from depression. In 2006, she accused a former live-in partner Eulogio "Mang Ely" Disonglo with domestic abuse, leading to his eventual criminal conviction for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Law.Reyes later worked as a receptionist and stylist at a hair salon. In 2002, she returned to show business with a featured role in the GMA Network
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
drama anthology Magpakailanman
Magpakailanman
Magpakailanman is a weekly anthology of inspiring stories of the GMA Network . Magpakailanman features the life experiences of famous personalities and ordinary people who loved and lost on their way to success. The show is an hour-long dose of hope for today’s problem-weary viewer...
. She was supposed to revive her singing career in 2008.
Death
Three days before she died on 10 December 2008 at Biñan, LagunaBiñan, Laguna
The City of Biñan is a first class component city in the Republic of the Philippines. It is located in the Province of Laguna, in the island of Luzon, and also accessible from Metro Manila via the South Luzon Expressway, Biñan City has become both a suburban residential community of Metro Manila...
, Reyes claimed to have sustained injuries after having been sideswiped by a vehicle. She died in her sleep at the home of a friend. The cause of her death was not immediately clear. Some sources attributed her death to a recurrent stomach problem, while her friend, the singer Claire de la Fuente, said that Reyes died of an apparent heart attack as her pancreas ruptured. A police investigation has been initiated to establish the cause of her death. An autopsy revealed that Reyes had suffered from an enlarged heart and clogged arteries, lending further credence to the belief that the singer had suffered a fatal heart attack. Her wake
Wake (ceremony)
A wake is a ceremony associated with death. Traditionally, a wake takes place in the house of the deceased, with the body present; however, modern wakes are often performed at a funeral home. In the United States and Canada it is synonymous with a viewing...
was held in Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
Church in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
. She was survived by her son Arvi, from her previous marriage to Victor Reyes.
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
| 1979 | "Aliw" | Didith |
| 1977 | "Magbabalik" | Didith |
| 1977 | "Nananabik" | Didith |
| 1976 | "Bakit Ako Mahihiya...?" | Didith |
| 1976 | "Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw" | Didith |
| 1975 | "Araw-araw, Gabi-gabi" | Didith |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2002 | Magpakailanman: Didith Reyes Life Story Magpakailanman Magpakailanman is a weekly anthology of inspiring stories of the GMA Network . Magpakailanman features the life experiences of famous personalities and ordinary people who loved and lost on their way to success. The show is an hour-long dose of hope for today’s problem-weary viewer... |
Herself |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1979 | Mabango ba ang Bawat bulaklak | |
| 1977 | Nananabik | |
| 1976 | Bakit Ako Mahihiya...? | |
| 1976 | Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw |
See also
- Kuh LedesmaKuh LedesmaKuh Ledesma is a popular Filipino pop and jazz singer. She is known in the Philippines as the "Pop Diva". Kuh Ledesma has been performing for 25 years in the music industry which encompasses more than 300 concerts, numerous awards in the Philippines, and 18 albums in the Philippine recording...
- Rico J. PunoRico J. PunoEnrico de Jesus Puno , better known as Rico J. Puno, is a popular Filipino pop singing artist and television host who is credited as a pioneer-promoter of original Filipino music. He started the trend of incorporating Tagalog lyrics in his rendition of the American song The Way We Were and other...
- Imelda PapinImelda PapinImelda Papin is a Filipino singer and one of the bigger names in the Philippine music industry. Dubbed the "Sentimental Songstress", Imelda Papin is responsible for songs such as "Bakit " and "Isang Linggong Pag-ibig"....
- George CansecoGeorge CansecoGeorge Masangkay Canseco was a Filipino song composer.Canseco studied liberal arts at University of the East...
- Pilita CorralesPilita CorralesPilita Garrido Corrales is a Popular Filipina singer. She is tagged "Asia's Queen of Songs."-Biography:Pilita Garrido Corrales was born in Lahug, Cebu to a Spanish mother Maria Garrido and a half Filipino half Spanish father Jose Corrales...
- Amapola (Amapola Cabase)