IT has been a very fruitful and eventful year so far for Suklay Diva Katrina Velarde.
Katrina opened 2017 by scoring another mega viral hit in her standout performance on Wish 107.5 where she gave a powerful and heartfelt rendition of Michael Bolton’s anthemic ballad “Go The Distance.
Katrina’s performance, which she performed on DJ Robin Nievera’s The Roadshow, was uploaded on Wish FM’s official YouTube channel. It already breached the three million mark in terms of views and 5,000 plus online comments and engagements.
Katrina gained popularity as the vocal arranger and choreographer of the all-girl vocal group AKA JAM, which made it to the Top Ten of the first season of “X-Factor Philippines.” She later became famous as Suklay Diva (The Comb Diva) after several videos of her singing covers of popular songs using a purple comb as a makeshift microphone became a worldwide viral phenomenon.
Prior to “X-Factor Philippines”, Katrina was a regular figure in local singing competitions. She uploaded a cover version of Beyonce’s “Dangerously In Love” two years before she joined “X-Factor Philippines.” The video became
prominent when Beyonce’s guitarist Bibi Mc Gil shared it on her social media platforms and after international R&B superstar Chris Brown Tweeted her video to his millions of followers after he picked it up from www.worldhiphop.com where she was named Best Female Artist of the Week in 2013.
As a solo artist, Katrina recently had a back-to-back jam-packed show with fellow belter and diva Dessa at Historia Bar in Quezon City.
Katrina was also part of the amazing ensemble cast of singers that headlined the season finale of Gary Valenciano’s Gary V Presents concertseries.
As a recording artist, Katrina signed with Viva Records. Her first single, composed and arranged by Vehnee Saturno, is the hugely popular “Lason Mong Halik.”
