“Asia’s Queen of Songs” Pilita Corrales has passed away. She was 87 years old.
Janine Gutierrez, Pilita’s granddaughter, announced the OPM icon’s passing in an Instagram post on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
The full statement read:
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved mami and mamita, Pilita Corrales.
“Pilita touched the lives of many, not only with her songs but also with her kindness and generosity. She will be remembered for her contributions to the entertainment industry, but most of all for her love of life and family.
“Please join us with your prayers and kind thoughts as we celebrate her beautiful life.
The veteran singer’s legacy in OPM (Original Pilipino Music) is defined not just by her remarkable vocal range and trademark “liyad” (backbend) pose, but also by her timeless hits that have become Filipino classics. Her career has spanned over six decades, with notables songs such as “Kapantay ay Langit” and “A Million Thanks to You.”
The renowned Filipina-Spanish singer has recorded over 100 albums in the Philippines. She began her career in the early 1960s singing Spanish songs, later expanding to English, Tagalog, and Cebuano music.
She is also fluent in Visayan (Cebuano), Spanish, Tagalog, and English, and can sing in Japanese and Italian. A self-taught musician, she plays piano and guitar by ear.
Notably, she was the only Filipina to perform at The Beatles’ 1966 concert in Manila.
Pilita is the mother of actors Jackie Lou Blanco and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez.
