Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha celebrates her 40th year in show business as she recalls memorable encounters with musical icons.

At a media conference for her upcoming major concert "Still Lani" at The Theater at Solaire in Paranaque City on Aug. 21, Lani expressed her dream of collaborating with pop divas Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand.

"One time, I was rehearsing and the usherettes told me Celine Dion was watching the rehearsals. Celine, who was incognito, stood at the corner of the theater with her friends," Lani said.

Lani recalled her encounter with Gladys Knight, who is part of the popular musical group Gladys Knight and the Pips.

"In one of my shows, my group, The Society of Seven, performed 'That's What Friends Are For.' We all know that Gladys is one of the singers on that song. Medyo hindi pa namin sineryoso yung song. (We didn't perform the song seriously). After the show, my Mexican hairdresser informed me that Gladys watched the show. Then she went backstage. Wow!" she said.

Gladys became Lani's agent in the US for a while, although they never had a chance to perform together on stage.

In another show, Lani said Joseph Jackson, the father of the King of Pop Michael Jackson, came to watch her shows for several weeks.

"So he would visit me backstage. Once, he told me, I will take Michael (Jackson) here. I was excited. But weeks later, Michael passed away," she said.

Lani also said she was thrilled to share a duet with Josh Groban.

"We were in the U.S., and I had to fly back to Manila for the Josh Groban concert. We performed 'The Prayer.' It was a memorable experience because I had only seen him in videos. But now, he was right before me," she also said.

Lani, 55, stated she would never forget the other foreign acts she performed with in various shows, including Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Loggins, Brian McKnight, James Ingram, and Sergio Mendes.

Lani shared her experience with bacterial meningitis, which she and her husband, Noli, contracted in 2020.

"It was a struggle in 2021. It affected my singing. But now I have improved. We can now recognize the voice of the people. But we're partially deaf in the right ear," she admitted. "It was difficult for me because I am a singer and nahihirapan ako makinig."

Lani added: "I don't know kung depression ba ang naramdaman ko noon for having bacterial meningitis. Mahirap i-describe. Parang ayaw ko na kumilos noon because the moment I move, nahihilo ka talaga. And then we don't want to socialize because ang hearing namin noon is painful. We could only hear high-frequency voices. Lahat ng napapakinggan namin na boses ay matinis, matalas at mataas. (I don't know if it was depression that I felt then, for having bacterial meningitis. It's hard to describe. It was like I didn't want to move because the moment I moved, you're dizzy. And then we don't want to socialize because our hearing was painful. We could only hear high-frequency voices. All the voices we heard were shrill, sharp, and high.)"

Despite her health concerns, Lani feels that the quality of her voice has remained unchanged over the past 20 years.

"Last April, I had several shows and realized my voice is still quite high. It has not changed for the past 20 years," she said.

Lani and her husband are based in the US. They have two children. But she travels to the Philippines for singing engagements and television shows. She confessed that life is easier in Manila than in the US.

From the moment she first graced a church choir in Manila to her triumph on global stages, Lani has become synonymous with vocal excellence. 

Her breakout came in 1997 with the critically acclaimed debut album "More Than I Should," which set the foundation for an illustrious career. She continued to impress with genre-defying albums such as "Tunay Na Mahal" (1998), "All Heart" (2000), and the gospel-infused "The Promise," solidifying her reputation as a vocal chameleon. Who could forget her moving renditions of songs like "Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin," "Tila," "You Don’t Own Me," "Malaya Ka Na," and "Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin"? These songs have become anthems for countless fans around the world.

Produced by Backstage Entertainment, a division of Backstage Manila, this concert is led by producers Nate Quijano and Cris Mananquil, with visionary director Calvin Neria at the helm.

The musical direction is under the guidance of Toma Cayabyab, son of National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab. A magnificent 40-piece orchestra will bring new life to the music of a living legend.