Her Story
Multiple award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga is renown across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. This summer, Lea will star in the new musical Here Lies Love at the Broadway Theater and, this fall, will headline Old Friends (alongside Bernadette Peters) on London’s West End.
Lea is best known for her Tony Award winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. On Broadway, Lea starred in the 2018 Broadway revival of Once on This Island as the Goddess of Love, Erzulie. The show’s return to the Broadway stage earned a Tony Award for “Best Revival of a Musical” and also garnered Lea and the cast a Grammy nomination for “Best Musical Theater Album.” She has also been seen on Broadway in Allegiance and Flower Drum Song.
Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan for Mulan and Mulan II. For her portrayal of the beloved princesses, the Walt Disney Company bestowed her with the honor of “Disney Legend”.
Lea stars in the first season of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (a reboot of the popular series) now available on MAX, after starring in the critically acclaimed Sony musical-drama Yellow Rose. Lea can also be heard in the Netflix animated series Centaurworld and in FX’s animated series Little Demon. In August 2021, Lea released her single “Dream Again” and in November Lea Salonga: Live with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from Sydney Opera House aired as part of Great Performances on PBS. A live album of the performance was subsequently released by Broadway Records.
Lea’s 2022 Dream Again Tour and her 2019 The Human Heart Tour saw sold-out audiences and record-breaking sales across North America and the United Kingdom. Lea has toured all over the world, performing sold out concerts in such locations as the Sydney Opera House, 02 Arena, Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Singapore’s Esplanade, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Queen Sirikit Convention Center in Bangkok and Carnegie Hall in New York.
In addition to her stage and screen credits, Lea served as a judge on the Philippines hit version of “The Voice” including the ratings juggernaut “The Voice Kids”. She has released multiple solo albums, toured the world with legendary popopera quartet Il Divo, and received rave reviews for her many cabaret engagements, including a record setting run at New York’s 54 Below.
In her 45-year career, Lea has performed for six Philippine presidents (from Ferdinand Marcos to Benigno S. Aquino III), four American Presidents (Joe Biden, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush), and for Diana, Princess of Wales and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was honored by Time Magazine as a Time100 Impact Award Recipient and received the Gold House 2023 Gold Legend Award.
