Karylle torn between Jericho and Christian

Author: Mario E. Bautista
Column: Freehand

Karylle used to be with Universal Records but she now launches a new album for PolyEast. "No problem," says PolyEast boss Ramon Chuaying. "We're sister companies anyway and we both believe in Karylle's talent. "

Karylle's album is titled "Time for Letting Go" and it sounds like it's dedicated to ex-BF Dingdong Dantes. Truth is, most of the songs in the album can be connected with her breakup with Dingdong. Is this intentional?

"The album aims to help those who've gone through painful experience and want to bounce back," she says. "The retreat I took and the counseling sessions I had with Fr. Ted Gonzales of Center for Family Ministries at the Ateneo helped me a lot and I'm glad I chose to be open about the whole experience and face the problem head on. As a result, I met a lot of good people who inspired so many realizations because they found similar bumps and sparks of light in their own journeys. I learned of the five stages to bouncing back and they're reflected in my songs. First is Denial, when you keep saying you're okay when you're not. This is in the song 'Hulog ng Langit'. Then, it's Anger, and this is in the songs 'Almost Over You' and 'You've Made Me Stronger. ' Third is Depression, which is very tough but thank God, my family and friends helped me through it. This is in the song 'I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me', which is my album's lead single. Next is Bargaining, the longest stage when one bargains whether you should stay or go on. You keep on asking yourself the question 'What else could have I done to save the relationship?' This is in the songs 'Minamahal Kita', 'Touch Me in the Morning', 'Wala Na Ba ang Lahat', 'I Live for Your Love' and my duet with Martin Nievera, 'The Best of Me'. The last stage is Acceptance. In my journal, I wrote: 'I have to let go of the beautiful future I'd imagined with my special someone. Beautiful as it was, it's now just a dream we once shared. I must let go of it to make way for newer, bigger and better dreams. ' And I did. This is reflected in the songs 'Something New in My Life' and 'Leaving Yesterday' (an OPM original by Keno). "

Karylle has definitely moved on. She's prettier now and as her Bench endorsement proclaims: "Single is sexy'. She has projects with ABS-CBN (she's in the new KC Concepcion-Piolo Pascual soap "Lovers in Paris") and she believes this first album with PolyEast will further forward her career as a singer. She's being linked now to Jericho Rosales and Christian Bautista, but she says she'd rather give her heart a rest.

"I'm not ready yet to commit again. So many good opportunities are happening in my career and I'd rather prioritize them muna more than anything else. Ipo-promote ko pa ang album kong 'Time for Letting Go' in various shows so dun muna ang focus ko. "

Does she maintain communication with Dingdong? "We talk naman kasi we're still business associates. But hanggang doon na lang muna. "

KC CLOSEST TO RICHARD
THE victory party for the success of "When I Met U" was held at Gazebo Royale on Visayas Ave. last Thursday night. In the spirit of goodwill, GMA Films prexy Anette Abrogar raffled off P50,000 worth of cash prizes to the invited press people, with stars Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion drawing the names of the winners. What can they say to their loyal KChardee fans who are requesting Star Cinema and GMA Films to pair them together again?

"It really depends on the producers if they'd allow us to be reunited," says KC. "Hopefully, we can work together again sooner rather than later. "

"Ako rin, I pray na sana nga makagawa kami uli ng movie in the near future," adds Richard.

Have they made a commitment to each other to be faithful even if they'd temporarily separate ways?

"We're still too young to make any serious commitment," says KC. "There's a right time naman for everything and siguro, as time goes by, who knows? Basta at this point, I can say that of all my male friends, I'm really closest to Richard. "

"We'll both be busy with our respective new shows ("Zorro" for Richard and "Lovers in Paris" for KC) and I'd surely miss KC," says Richard. "Ngayon pa nga lang, nami-miss ko na siya. I will miss her completely, everything in her. We had a lot of good times and good memories together and I'll miss all that. "

"Ako naman, mami-miss ko 'yung kulitan namin," adds KC.

"When I Met U" is still extended in several theaters and we're told there are many repeat viewers who don't seem to get tired of viewing it all over again.

MIKE REVEALS AFFAIR WITH LJ
Mike Tan was the big winner in Starstruck Batch 2 but Batch 4 winner, Aljur Abrenica, is now the lead actor in "Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin" and he just plays a supporting role in it. Even the late Marky Cielo, Batch 3 winner, had more assignments than him before he passed away. Writers at the presscon of "Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin?" are all wondering why Mike's career is lagging behind when he has the advantage of height, is equally good-looking and can also act.

"Honestly, I myself am asking the same question," he says. "Iniisip ko na lang na I'm still waiting for my own break kasi sabi, pana-panahon daw 'yan. In the meantime, I just do my best to whatever they assign to me and hopefully, darating din ang time ko. But there are times when I get discouraged at iniisip ko nga, kapag matumal pa rin ang jobs for me this year, I'll just go back to college. "

His last soap was "Maging Akin Ka Lamang" more than half a year ago. "Ang tagal ko ngang walang trabaho but I'm glad kasi maganda naman ang role ko in 'Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin' as Kris Bernal's elder brother. Our dad is a cop, Juan Rodrigo, and he was so happy when I passed the PMA exams at akala niya, susunod ako sa yapak niya. But then, nabuntis ko si Maybelyn de la Cruz kaya maaga akong nag-asawa. He's disappointed in me and this gets worse when Kris elopes with Aljur at maaga ring nag-asawa. Ako, naging pabigat sa family namin as I'm jobless. "

Come to think of it, no one in their batch really made it big. His runnerup, CJ Muere, has gone back to school while the girls, Ryza Cenon and LJ Reyes, also have lukewarm careers. Mike admits he and LJ went steady for 10 months. "After we broke up, hindi muna kami nagpapansinan kasi pareho kaming nabigla sa breakup namin. But now, we're good friends again. Wala ng ila-ngan and we now talk. "

Mike is very serious in improving his craft as an actor and took acting lessons with CCPs' Nanding Josef who then cast him as Elias in a staging of "Noli Me Tangere. " "I enjoyed the experience so much and I really learned a lot. It made me realize how serious the job of acting is. I'd really like to do theatre again kasi ibang-ibang mundo 'yun. Right now also, I'm shooting an indie film, 'Marino,' where I play the younger brother of Allen Dizon who's a seaman married to Ara Mina na kasama ko rin sa 'Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin'. Ako rin, I want to be a seaman like my brother in the story. "

MEGAN WILLING TO GO SEXY
Megan Young is part of Starstruck Batch 2 but she has since moved to ABS-CBN under Star Magic. Her role as Marcella, the younger sister of Ruffa Gutierrez, in "Betty La Fea" made her a familiar face on primetime. "When people see me in public now, they call me Marcella, even in school," she says. "It makes me feel good as it means nagmamarka naman pala sa viewers ang role ko. "

Some writers tell her at the party organized by Star Magic's Rikka Dylim that she now has a better career than the winners in StarStruck 2 as she's in a hit primetime show. "Hoy, friends ko sila. But I'm glad I moved to ABS kasi wala naman akong ginagawa noon sa kabila. "

She's also told that she should join the Bb. Pilipinas as her tall dusky beauty will surely be a hit there. "Maybe next year. I've just turned 19 lang naman on February 27 so puwede pa ako sumali. But I have to work out muna to make sure I'm in tiptop shape before I join. "

What did she do on her birthday? "I was taping so this weekend, I will just go to my lola who's based in Subic and host a party there for my friends. "

Her younger sister, Lauren, has a ka-love team, AJ Perez, and they're now paired in "Underage". "Oo nga, buti pa siya, may ka-love team. " Does she approve of Lauren and AJ being paired together? "Oo naman. Sabi ko nga sa sister ko, dapat, may kissing scene na sila in 'Underage'. "

Would she be willing to go sexy in a movie? "Why not? Basta artistic. Nag-two piece bikini na nga ako in 'Betty La Fea' a few nights ago. " Who'd she like to do a love scene with? "Jericho Rosales and Sam Milby. Basta sila, puwedeng-puwede. "

CHAD PREFERS BEA OR MAJA
CHAD Peralta is one of the top finalists in Pinoy Dream Academy 1. Born and raised by Pinoy parents in Sydney, Australia, he is a good rock singer but he can also sing other genres. He also wants to try acting after guesting in an episode of "Your Song. " "I took acting workshops to prepare for this," says Chad who can now also speak fluent Tagalog.

How come he was missing in action after he launched his album with Star Records? "I left in November to visit my folks in Sydney then I went to my brother in Connecticut, U. S. A. so January na ako nakabalik. But now I'm doing lots of provincial shows and bar gigs again. I'll be doing a big show in Bacolod on March 18 and I'm also training for a new boxing show, 'Warriors,' to be shown on RPN 9 starting April, hosted by Carlos Morales. I joined the celebrity boxing in ABS before and I won over Blakdyak then. I now run six kilometers every morning then do boxing at the Elorde Gym in Katipunan. "

Chad turned 24 on Feb. 4 and he celebrated it with Rikka and other writers at World Music in Greenhills recently. If he'd be given a teleserye, he's dreaming of being paired with Bea Alonzo or Maja Salvador. "They're the standouts for me," he says.

Source: People's Journal