About Ima
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Ima Castro 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 in 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 Theater was her very first theatre work before she auditioned for the Manila Production of “Miss Saigon” and got in. She was offered to play the lead role “Kim” after Lea Salonga finished her contract. She was offered again, this time by IMG Australia for the Asian Tour in Hongkong 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. In 2005-2006 tour of Miss Saigon she had the chance to perform in Lisbon, Belfast, Cardiff and other cities in the UK. 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. She also did concerts in Manila and Tokyo with Russell Watson: The Voice in May 2005.
Ima started training for the London Women's Challenge 5k run on the 7th of September 2008 at Hyde Park for the benefit of the British Heart Foundation.for more info, visit:
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Personal
Ima’s full name is Fatima Melody de Castro. Born in Lucena City, Philippines on the 2nd of November 1975. Her parents are Leopoldo and Teresita who are her number one fans. She started singing at the age of 5 with the help of her father Leo who trained her patiently and encouraged her to join in amateur singing contests. Ima has four gorgeous brothers namely: Ramon, Warren, Jeffrey and Marc who were very protective of her when growing up and still are in some ways. She has beautiful nephews and nieces who are her bundles of joy and she is fondly called by them as “nangnang” which is a baby way of saying
“ninang” or “godmother” in English. |
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Highlights in Ima’s Career
1991- Panasonic “Quest for the Best” Nationwide Singing Competition “Grand Champion”, Philippines.
1991 Panasonic “Laser Karaoke Contest” – “Best Interpreter”, Osaka, Japan. 1993- Launching of the album/CD “Mamahalin Kita, Ima” under the label Polycosmic Records, Philippines.
1993- Gold Record Award for her album/CD. 1996- Winner in the “Metropop Song Festival” for the song “Shine”, Philippines.
1996- “Asia Song Festival” – “Best Interpreter”, Bali, Indonesia.
1997- Launching of the album/CD “Ima Castro” under the label Polygram Records, Philippines. 1998- Recorded a duet with David Pomeranz entitled “In Our Hands”.
1999- Musical Theatre debut in the play “Paglayang Minamahal” opposite Albert Martinez. Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Manila.
1999- Recorded a duet with Enrique Iglesias entitled “ You’re My Number One” under the label MCA/Universal, Philippines.
2000- “Mike Francis and Fra Lippo Lippi- Live!” at the Araneta, Coliseum, “ Special Guest Singer”, Manila, Philippines.
2000- Recorded the song “ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with David Pomeranz for his Christmas album under MCA/Universal,Philippines.
2000 to 2001- “Kim” in the Mega Musical “Miss Saigon” at the Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Manila.
2001- “Kim” in the IMG Productions of “Miss Saigon” Asian Tour, HongKong and Singapore.
2001 to 2003- “Kim” In “Miss Saigon” UK Tour. Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Bristol, Birmingham and Southampton.
2005- The Voice: Russell Watson- “Special Guest Singer”- Manila, Philippines and Tokyo, Japan.
2005 to 2006- “Kim” in “Miss Saigon” 2nd UK Tour, Cardiff, Woking, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton, Aberdeen, Bristol, Belfast and Lisbon, Portugal.
2006- “Encore” Madinat Jumeirah, concert with four other West End Stars, Dubai, UAE.
2007- Broadway Legend: Barbara Cook- at the Broward Centre for the Performing Arts- “Special Guest Singer”- Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
July 27,2008- Filipino Festival - Bracknell Leisure Centre, Bracknell, England
Ima has a role in the movie called "Caregiver" which is nominated at the Paris
November 24-29, 2008- Encore! Madinat Jumeirah Theatre, Dubai, UAE
January 11, 2009- Encore! Buxton Opera House, Buxton, Derbyshire, England
February 1, 2009- Encore! Cliveden House, Taplow, Berckshire, England
"Broadway to West End" by special arrangement at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London 4th October 2009, Sunday, 7:30pm.
"Encore" at the Madinat Theatre, Dubai UAE 18th-21st November 2009, Wednesday-Saturday, 8pm.
"Magic Mic's Karaoke" a Christmas Concert, presented by Pinoy Theatre The Lost Theatre, Wandsworth Road, SW8 London. 5th and 6th December 2009, 5pm and 8pm.
7th February 2010, - A Touch of West End -Sunday, 7:30pm at The Poole Lighthouse, UK
28th March 2010, - A Touch of West End -Sunday, 7:30pm at The Jersey Opera House, UK
11th April 2010,- A Touch of West End - Sunday, 7:30pm at The Medina Theatre, Isle of Wight, UK
16th May 2010, - A Touch of West End -Sunday, 7:30pm at The Priory Bay Hotel, Isle of Wight, UK
11th July 2010, - A Touch of West End -Sunday, 7:30pm at The King's Theatre, Portsmouth, UK
19th-20 June 2010- Philippine Festival - The Pavilion, Stormont Estate, Belfast, Northern Ireland
3rd-4th July 2010- Philippine Festival - Abbey Park, Leicester, UK
10th-11th July 2010- Philippine Festival - Town Hall, Denbigh, Wales
17th July 2010- A Touch of West End - Kings Hall, illkley, UK
17th July 2010- A Touch of West End - Kings Hall, illkley, UK
7th-8th August 2010- Philippine Festival - Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, Scotland
4th September 2010 - A Touch of West End - Kings Hall, illkley, UK
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