Only on OMG! - Charice: Finally, no more pressure
After she took a deep breath and came out on national television, Charice has had hardly any time to look back at what-might-have-beens.
The international artist couldn’t be in a better place.
Her faithful fans, or Chasters, are still very much around. Offers to perform here and abroad have not stopped coming. In fact, she and Aiza Seguerra are poised to hold a back-to-back concert called “The Power of Two” on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
And Charice can smile more easily, laugh more heartily.
“Naging mas confident ako,” she told Yahoo Philippines OMG! “Mas nagkaron ako ng say sa trabaho ko. Before, I had so many people around me telling me what to do, what to wear. Nung ginagawa ko ang album ko, natatakot ako. Feel ko pressured ako pagpunta sa recording studio. Although magaganda ang songs, hindi ko totally gusto yon.”
Thankfully, those feelings were so yesterday.
“Ngayon, nagigising ako na may hope. Nagpupunta ako sa studio na co-produce ko lahat ng songs. Ako ang pumili. Finally, I made something na galing talaga sa puso ko, 'yung pinag-hirapan kong bigyan ng emotion, literally. Habang nag-re-record ako ng kanta, iyak ako, tawa ako. Lahat na ng emosyon. Siguro yon ang nakatulong sa aking maging mas blessed.”
One of the things Charice is looking forward to is Christmas, her first with girlfriend of one year Alyssa Quijano.
Alyssa told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! it would be a simple, traditional one. But Charice is keeping her cards close to her chest. The reason has something to do with family.
“May plano pero hindi ko pwede sabihin. Dati, kahit hindi kami nag-uusap ng family ko, sobrang tense. Sobrang feel mo yung galit.”
But Charice has not lost hope that her mom, Raquel Pempengco, will finally get over the hurt she feels over her only daughter’s change of image.
“At least ngayon, kalma na ang discussion. It gives me hope na magiging okay ang lahat. Ayaw ko madaliin ang lahat. Pinaka-wish ko naman ang magkaayos (kami). Kung hindi, marami namang Pasko.”
Charice is now letting God and letting go.
Accepting the challenge
“Hinahayaan ko na lang si God na i-surprise ako. Good or bad, I have to accept the challenge.”
Accepting the challenge has made Charice discover quite a few things about life. She realized that it was love that pushed her to finally let her guard down and tell the world who she really is.
“Love makes me happy. Parang I never thought this feeling exists. Simula nung ginawa ko ito, I feel very blessed.”
Charice is not afraid to admit she longs for the day when she and Alyssa can go out on a foursome with Aiza and her special someone, after “The Power of Two.”
“Gusto kong magkaroon ng private dinner or something with Aiza. Ngayon lang, sobrang busy. Hopefully after the concert, gusto ko pa rin makipahang out sa kanya, get advice from her.”
Charice is excited over the concert with Aiza because she thinks it is “sobrang epic.” Both of them will have their moments on stage because they will bring something different to the table.
“Magkaiba kami ng genre. Ang mga kakantahin niya mostly acoustic, ako may OPM, may pop, may soul. May part siya, may part ako, may duet.”
Abra and Gloc 9 are also part of the show as guests.
Whatever the outcome of the concert is, one thing’s sure. Charice’s wish that other young people remember her as someone who stood her ground despite the risk of rejection, remains.
Greatest legacy
“Kung kikilalanin ako ng tao, aside from being a singer, gusto ko i-admire nila ako dahil tumatayo ako, ipaglalaban ko ang sarili ko. I know ang daming kabataan, ang daming tao na ganito. Natatakot sila sa sasabihin ng ibang tao.”
This, she thinks, is her greatest legacy, as great as the fact that she made the likes of Oprah, David Foster and Ellen Degeneres stop whatever they were doing and listen to her break into song.
