Although she began singing when she was 3, her professional career started at the age of 8 when she appeared on Ang Bagong Kampeon, a nationally televised talent show in the Philippines.
After her success on Ang Bagong Kampeon, she appeared on many other television shows and in 1989, won the International Star Search TV competition to become the Junior Category Champion representing the Philippines.
Star Search led to numerous U.S. television appearances including The Arsenio Hall Show, Into the Night with Rick Dees, The Maury Povich Show, AM Los Angeles, Good Day L.A.. She headlined solo concerts in various musical landmark venues including The Wiltern Theater, Hollywood Palladium, Mark Ettess Arena Trump Taj Mahal, City Center NY, Cow Palace San Francisco, Roxy Theatre Los Angeles, Alex Theatre Glendale CA, Spreckles Theater San Diego, Copley Symphony Hall San Diego and more.
In 2001, Banig and her younger sister Jhoanna Roberto, formed their own record label, Double Play Entertainment.
Under this label, Banig released the album Silent Whispers,[2] along with singles "Boogie On the Dance Floor"[3] and "Walk".
1 on several radio stations across the U.S. Roberto continues to sing, write and produce and is currently working on new music projects while based in the United States.
Josephine Roberto was born on December 25, 1977, in Pasay, Philippines, and showed an interest in music at a very early age.
With songs like "Paper Roses", "Mamang Sorbetero", "Fame" and "Anyone Can See", little Josephine impressed her peers, relatives and townsmen and soon had the opportunity to participate in recognized talent shows.
Josephine grew up listening to some of the greatest singers of her time including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner.
Having just lost her baby teeth, she was often teased by the show's host, the late Bert "Tawa" Marcelo, with jokes about the young contestant still wetting her "Banig" ("mattress" in Tagalog).
At age 11, she released her first album in the Philippines entitled "BANIG" from VIVA Records where she introduced her first composition, Musika.
Following her International Star Search victory, Roberto moved to the United States and signed a management contract with Motown Entertainment headed by Suzanne De Passe and Irene Dreayer (producer of hit T.V sitcom Sister, Sister and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) to manage her U.S. career.
In 1994, she was chosen by Project Reward to headline a series of concerts in middle and junior high schools in San Jose and Los Angeles sponsored by the Educational Support Marketing Network to provide schools with positive reinforcement program and reward students for improved learning achievement.
In 1999, Roberto signed with a record label called Magnetic Entertainment, headed by Kool & the Gang's Amir Bayyan.
The CD includes 17 tracks of soulful pop love songs with a mix of club-hitting upbeat anthems that showcase Banig's vocal range.
In 2010, she released her self-titled CD[5] in her native language, Tagalog, with the intention of reaching out to her fans back home in the Philippines.
Double Play Entertainment tested the waters in the United States by releasing a Tagalog dance song in the U.S. Radio market.
As of 2012, she is performing live once again and releasing material through her label, Double Play Entertainment, using her birth name, Josephine Roberto as well.
Her younger sister Jhoanna Roberto has worked as her manager, business partner, producer, songwriter, and choreographer.
For over 20 years, people who have followed her career, have often praised her powerful vocal range, versatility, energetic moves on stage and her natural ability to thrill audiences with her performance.
There was the welcome presence of non-Filipino American guests, who moaned, rolled, clapped, even whistled and actually initiated the final standing ovation."
In 1990, Roberto headlined at Hollywood's musical landmark, Roxy Theater,[6] in a concert titled "Jam Dancin".
During her visit back in Manila in 1990, she was also invited by Philippine President Corazon Aquino to the Malacanang Palace for a courtesy call.