Sheryn Regis shares how she dealt with rude audience members during early days as a singer

Sheryn Regis had her fair share of encounters with disrespectful audience members back when she was starting out as a singer.

The Crystal Voice of Asia guested on Wednesday's episode of "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda," where she looked back on her humble beginnings.

Per Sheryn, there was a time in her life when she sang in hotel lounges at the behest of her theater director.

"I was 17 trying to be 18 that time. Kasi parang gusto ng direktor ko sa theater na mag-try ako sa lounge kasi more exposure, maganda exposure sa hotel," the Cebuana songstress said, adding that she sang with a jazz band.

Tito Boy then asked Sheryn how she handled disrespectful members of the audience, especially when they would be drunk or demanding with song requests.

Sheryn shared she experienced this before among international guests and that she would stand up to them.

"'Yung iba may bastos. Sasabihin ko, 'You don't have the right to do that to me. I'm a minor' and then pinapaano ko ng guard, kasi matapang akong bata that time," she said.

She added that when a guest groped her, she slapped him and reported him to the manager.

"Ayoko 'yung hihipuan ako, sinampal ko talaga. Nireklamo ko sa manager doon, sabi ko, 'Ayoko nang ganito,'" she recalled.

The manager at the time tried to reason with Sheryn that guests are still customers, but she was adamant about standing up for herself.

"'They're still customers,' but I am a singer, I am a citizen, I am a person," she said. "I have dignity. You don't have the right to touch me."

In the "Fast Talk" episode, Sheryn also looked back on her time as a contestant in the talent competition show "Star in a Million" in 2003, where she finished as first runner-up while Filipino singer Erik Santos was hailed the champion.

She also shared how she initially felt scared when her daughter, Sweety, came out as bisexual a few years after she did.

Sheryn rose to fame for her rendition of American singer Wendy Moten's "Come In Out of the Rain."

Sheryn and Wendy will perform together at the "Harana: A Troy Laureta East Meets West Live Experience" concert tour beginning this October across North America.

They will be joining other Filipino and international artists in the concert tour, including Martin Nievera, Ruben Studdard, Morissette, Jessica Sanchez, Pia Toscano, Katrina Velarde, Josefina, Jay-R, Dessa, 4th Impact, and The Fat City Horns.

In June this year, Sheryn was honored at the Asia's Golden Icon Awards as "Asia's Exceptional Singer for Outstanding Industry."

— CDC, GMA Integrated News