Maria Socorro "Kuh" Hashim Ledesma (born March 16, 1955) is a Filipino singer and actress.[1] Regarded as “OPM'sPop Chanteuse”,[2] she is noted for her "masterful"[3] and "rich distinct vocal style."[4]
With a career spanning over 40 years, Ledesma is recognized as one of Asia's most successful pop singers.[5] She has already performed in over 1,000 concerts in various parts of the world. She was notably one of the first artists to be called a "diva" in the entertainment industry.[6] She has since been honored with numerous accolades, including the prestigious 'Pilita Corrales Lifetime Achievement Award' at the 12th PMPC Star Awards For Music,[7] 'Singer of the Year' at the 2022 Gawad Banyuhay Awards,[8] the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the 2020 Aliw Awards[9] and 'Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino Award' at the 25th Awit Awards[10] for her significant contribution to the Philippine music industry.
In 1989, Ledesma became the first Filipino artist to win the coveted Salem Music Award.[11] In 1997, she released her US debut album Precious, which contains songs penned by Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald.[12] The album became a Top 20 hit on the US Billboard Jazz charts.[13][14] Renowned American music database, AllMusic, hailed Ledesma as one of the best singers in the Philippines.[15][16] She is the founder of Music Museum, one of the most popular concert venues in the country.[17] It has since hosted concerts by Sarah Geronimo, Lea Salonga and Regine Velasquez.