MANILA, Philippines?Every year, Inquirer Entertainment helps readers pick a show for that special day, by asking the concert artists to talk about their gigs ... and romance.

Charice in Concert with Ryan Cayabyab

Charice Pempengco with musical director Ryan Cayabyab; guests Erik Santos, George Yang, Ryan Cayabyab Singers, and Ogie Alcasid; ; Feb. 14; PICC, Pasay City; Call 911-5555.

How did your family spend Valentine?s Day when you were not famous yet?

Charice: I was always in school then. Or we?d just be at home in Cabuyao, Laguna. Wala kaming pera so ?pag namasyal kami dun lang malapit sa dagat.

Ryan: I can?t remember anymore. I always had shows ... I used to say, ?Ayoko nitong Valentine?s Day because of the traffic, parating ngarag, we always had to be early in the venue.

Charice, did anybody send you flowers or a card when you were still in school?

Schoolmates meron, minsan nag-iiwan ng flowers at food, may kasamang letter. Pero ?di naman sila nagpapakilala.

Ryan, what was your most unique Valentine date?

What is so funny is that I always looked at it as work. Nothing unique.

What would be an ideal Valentine date?

Charice: Dinner, sine, mamasyal sa Samar o sa Baguio. Or yung ?di ko pa nararating, Boracay. Nung nanalo ako ng 3rd place sa ?Little Big Star? may prize na trip for two to Boracay. Pero hindi namin nagamit kasi gusto ko kasama ang brother ko.

Ryan: I did it last year, for the first time I surprised my wife ... she was wondering where we were going ?cause I didn?t tell her, basta inaya ko lang siya lumabas nang maaga. As I was driving the car she was guessing where I was taking her. We have pedestrian tastes so nagtataka siya ... sa TriNoma ba, Greenhills, Mandaluyong, Makati ... Pero dinaanan lang namin lahat ... Hanggang sa lumampas na kami ng Alabang ... What she didn?t know, the previous night I reserved a table for two in Antonio?s in Tagaytay. We still encountered traffic but no regrets, the place is special.

Who?s your fantasy date?

Charice: Justin Timberlake.

Ryan: Anne Curtis or Bea Alonzo.

Name other artists who could do a perfect Valentine show.

Charice: Sarah Geronimo kasi kahit ano?ng ipakanta sa kanya, bagay.

What?s the most romantic song for you and why?

Charice: Right now it?s an Italian song called ?Adagio? (?Slowly?) which I sang recently as a guest in an Italian singing competition. Originally it was sung by Lara Fabian. It?s a heartbreaking song.

Ryan: It?s still ?When I Fall in Love.? I like the melody and the lyrics, ?It will be forever/or I?ll never fall in love ... ? Sa Tagalog, still one of my favorites is George Canseco and Louie Ocampo?s collaboration in ?Ikaw.?

Why should we watch your concert?

Charice: Maganda yung concept. Actually it was inspired by Beyonce, but I?ll be singing other songs, different from what I usually do, with Ryan Cayabyab as musical director.

Ryan: Ang feeling ko, if you?re star-struck with Charice and want to find out what Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah, David Foster had seen in this girl, you should come! Ang totoo mas marami pang magaling sa kanya, but from the few times I?ve worked with Charice, I can say that she has improved tremendously. She has even trained on the instructions of David Foster, para hindi magasgas ang boses niya. The confidence she has developed, hindi nabibili ?yun.