...the young Swiss diva

Pinay trained by Phil Collins making waves in Switzerland FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo The Philippine Star July 11, 2011

Lica de Guzman (top left, on the cover of her debut album), does a duet of All I Want To Be, the carrier single, with Richard Poon (bottom left). The Switzerland-based Pinay singer (top right, on a Geneva TV show), is a protégé of Phil Collins.  If Charice has David Foster, Lica de Guzman also has her own mentor, Phil Collins no less. While Charice is now a familiar name here and abroad, Lica is only “getting there,” not yet known in her own country but already making waves in Switzerland. Only 14, Lica will soon be recognized outside of Switzerland. She’s touted as the newest Pinay singing child sensation to hit Geneva. She was born in Geneva on March 8, 1997, to Filipino migrant workers Nicanor “Bong” de Guzman and Waonhor “Joy” Pangulima. Grammy award-winning producer-singer Collins has taken Lica under his wings. He handpicked Lica to be part of a select group to join his “Little Dreams Foundation” where she is trained. Because of that, she has been invited to sing before the Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey at the “Les coups de Coeur d’Alain Morisod” in 2007 where she sang Prendre un enfant par la main as well as various UN gatherings like the annual United Nations Women’s Guild bazaar, Filipino events, and even church activities. A Funfare source said that aside from Collins, Lica has likewise performed with global celebrities like Laura Pausini, Bryan Adams, Jermaine Jackson and Mike Rutherford. Her rendition of Everything I Do with Adams and Collins was a hit in Geneva. Lica has released her debut album All I Want To Be (out in the Philippines under MCA Music). Her first single, All I Want To Be, features Richard Poon who flew to Geneva for the recording and to London for the shoot of the music video. She is scheduled to visit the Philippines from mid-July to August to promote the album.