Flash Report!

HEY GUYS! Just a quick update. Please watch the MYX Daily Top Ten Countdown tomorrow, December 18, at any of the following times: 1 am, 7 am, 1 pm, or 7 pm. I will be the featured guest in tomorrow's episode with VJ Igi. (Hey Igi! Just showin' some love!) Also, keep it locked here for the schedule of my Star Myx episode. (I finally get to be on Star Myx and I wasn't prepared with my top five favorite videos!!! Arrgghh! So I picked the top five faves that I could remember...) Kudos to MYX for having me over. I had a blast! You all are still so loveable and makulit! And I LOVE that new game with the ball! Hahaha! Happy holidays to you guys! :D

If you want to catch me live this week, you can drop by any of these venues: Aruba Bar & Restaurant at Metrowalk on Monday, Gloria Jean's Coffee at Glorietta on Wednesday and Thursday. Take a breather from the holiday rush and just chill with me. :)

PEACE OUT!

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"

It's December again and we are nearing the end of 2007. So many things went down this year, and not just for me, but for the whole world. I, for one, have a memory span of a goldfish so I won't even try to recollect this year's headlines. But it's not even Christmas yet, so perhaps it's too early for the Top Ten lists and countdowns. Instead, allow me to share with you the current events of my realm.

Last Thursday, Mossimo launched a very special CD entitled "The Christmas Project." It features artists such as Barbie Almalbis, Arnee & Jeffrey Hidalgo, Luke Mijares, Rocksteddy, Urbanation, and 3rd Avenue. I contributed two tracks as well and you can expect a variety of your favorite Christmas tunes arranged in each artist's unique styles. The CD costs only P250. But here is the best part...100% of the CD sales will go to the Cancer Warriors Foundation. Every time someone buys Mossimo's "Christmas Project", they are helping in the treatment of kids with cancer. Please log on to www.c-warriors.org to learn more about this cause.

In other news, Kris Aquino's sophomore album "Love & Inspiration" is sure to follow, if not, surpass the success of her first album. In this compilation, I performed the songs "That's What Love is For," "Dreaming of You," "Weekend In New England," and my favorite among the four, "It's Just Another New Year's Eve. This Sunday, I will be at Robinsons Ermita to promote this album, so I'll see you guys there!

Don't forget to keep it posted on Wave 89.1 every Wednesday at 8:15 PM. I still have my radio show, Vintage Soul, right after Duets with Thor. And if you want to catch me live, Aruba Bar & Restaurant is the place to be at Metrowalk every Monday. Thanks again to all my supporters for showing me so much love! :) And to my family and friends who just keep on believing in me. You guys are my light when others show me darkness. Infinite thanks.

After much prodding, I've finally created a Friendster account for everyone and anyone. If you don't live in the Philippines, you're probably saying, "Friendster is so 2002." But over here in my beautiful country, we still live in 2002. Kidding aside (...people might decide to boycott my blog...), I want to invite you to be my "friend" on the networking site if you have an account of your own.

Live in 2002 with me! :)

In other news, Kris Aquino's second album "Love & Inspiration" is out in stores now! It features Jed Madela and Gail Blanco, among many other artists including yours truly. I contributed four tracks to the CD, but the one I love most is "It's Just Another New Year's Eve". I can totally relate to the song right now...but, oh, that is a different story altogether. You just gotta check out the CD. To the non-believers out there, I have to tell you it is a great compilation.

Last but not least, I will finally get to see the other islands of the Philippines next month! I am so excited! On November 16, I will have a mall show at SM Davao. On the 23rd, I'll be at SM Cebu, on the 24th at SM Bacolod, and on the 25th at SM Iloilo. I don't know just how far my music is reaching, but if you live in those regions and you like my stuff, I hope to see you there! Just don't forget to greet me on the 26th...'cause that's my birthday! Hahaha...

But before I go...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!

Dianne Elise's rockin' band :)

hey everyone...let me introduce to you all the wonder that is my band. they don't have an actual band name; they're just awesome sessionists that i have been blessed to be teamed up with. if their faces are familiar to you, it's because you've already seen them play with the country's best musicians. here are some shots taken by keo saulog, a supporter i met last monday at my aruba gig. thanks, keo, for the pics! :)

below is our ultimate idol, marc santos, together with our liver idol, gigi arcay. they are otherwise known as the keyboardist and guitarist. :)

and here we have our true idol, oman peradilla. but you can't really see his face here...sorry oman! di ka kasi tumitingin...

last but certainly not least...if you strain your eyes, you can see our philippine idol in the back. that's franklin benitez on drums. :)

and there you go, guys. my AWESOME bandmates. the people responsible for making me sound good every monday night at aruba metrowalk. KUDOS TO MY IDOLS!!! :P

just an excerpt

i stumbled upon this the other day and just wanted to post it here for sheer fun. i would translate for our non-filipino readers, but i'm sorry, this stuff is only funny as is. so here it is...an excerpt from a conversation between two people bashing just about everybody in show business. paano ako nasama dyan i don't know...hahaha. ENJOY! :)

bebs: My gawd. jodi sta.maria a jung da bin hrslf! jus a difrent maner
me: oh i'm stil sad for dat cat nw. She jumpd frm da attic bcos her karir going up in smoke.
bebs: i thnk wendy shud pakamatay 2
me: i think so too. If wendy wil not pakamatay i wil push her frm da ELJ bldg nlng
bebs: oh,both of us wil. lets tali a cloth n her leeg den lets 2lak her.
me: U knw i saw wendy in person n. bebs,u r a diyos tlga compared 2 hr. D naman mganda balat or fez or hair. Just da boobs
bebs: Rily? my gawd! im flaterd,alrdy a tunaw. dat wendy am sur was a cockroach n d past lyf.
me: nt evn cockroach, a maggot maybe. Oh i hate her. dnt undrstand y da VPs of ABS love her so. S'why she has her own show
bebs: Oh cmownst,wendy s dyogi's bata. dyogi s malakas 2 d mgt. instead of wastng money n wendy, y nt taas nlang d swldo of abs employees.
me: ohyes plz..taas our sweldo nlng..Dat stupid wendy. see,we shud tulak her frm da ELJ rooftop for the benefit of ABS employees
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thank God this next part was not as brutal as the previous...
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bebs: btw da new myx vjs vry taaaaaaae
me: wahaha i dnt evn knw who won da VJ search am jst glad it's nt [tooooot insert name here]
bebs: argh. evry1 horble.
me: what abt dat diane elise. ruining Chicago's 'You're The Inspiratn' nw
bebs: My gawd! dat diane elise balandra-ing her bilboard in edsa! ebak she is.
me: i knw ryt! i hope a bagyo comes and makes bgsak her billboard!
bebs: wyl she's walkng and it bgsaks on her

i wouldn't have a sense of humor if i didn't find that funny! :D till next time again. peace out everybody.

GOOD AND BAD NEWS

i don't know if you guys have heard of kris aquino's album, songs of love & healing. when i first saw her poster at music one, the first thing that came to mind was..."kris aquino is a recording artist now?" well, apparently a lot of people have this misconception about the album. it's actually a compilation of some of her favorite songs performed by misty blue and one by jed madela. ofcourse, with kris aquino's name, it's no surprise that this album has already reached platinum status.
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you can imagine how i felt when i heard that the big boss from universal records wanted to feature ME in the next kris aquino album. as in...the big boss himself actually thought of me?! that's probably the best compliment ever.

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they've asked me to do four songs for the album, and ofcourse i'm not going to say which songs, because IT'S A SECRET! :) i just got a copy of the songs last night and i learned them just this afternoon before i had to go in the studio to record them. (time is a luxury i don't have...just listen to my composition WHERE IS THE TIME from my album now & then! i'm sure you guys can relate.) tomorrow i'm going back to the studio to do some final polishing on the tracks. i don't know yet who the other featured artists are, but you can anticipate the release of this album very soon.

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in other news, i auditioned for this show tfc connect which airs on all tfc territories across the globe. they're looking for new hosts and i thought i would be perfect for the job. but as soon as i got there, i realized that speaking filipino was a prerequisite. i thought i could go in there, bust out my english, and win them over. but nooo...silly (overconfident) me! filipinos across the globe would want to be reminded of home, therefore they would want a FILIPINO-SPEAKING host! not another english-speaking fil-am! aarrgghh!!! i mean, yeah, i can speak filipino alriiiiight, but it is no where near fluent. so when i realized this, my confidence level came crashing down along with my energy level. as i was doing my vtr, all i kept hearing from the crew was "more energy! more energy!" ahhhhhhhhhh! i SOOO did not get that job.
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you win some, you lose some. i try not to make too much of a big deal out of anything, whether it's good or bad, because i think it's the only way to stay sane. oh! like the other day, i read my first negative comment about myself. and...i just laughed at it. because it was pretty damn funny! i'll find it again so i can copy and paste it here. you guys gotta read it, it's hilarious. :P (SEE PREVIOUS POST.)

LIGHTBULB 1.0

IT'S MY SECOND DAY AT HOME AND I AM SUPPOSED TO DO NOTHING BUT REST. MY BODY IS REJOICING IN IT BUT MY MIND IS...WELL, RESTLESS. SO LET ME SHARE WITH YOU MY LIGHTBULB MOMENT FOR TODAY.

I think we are all trying to convince ourselves that we are doing something worthwhile in our lives.

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But there are few people to have walked this earth who have actually led lives of purpose.

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And because of a lack of time and willpower to think harder, I will cite only two. They are GANDHI and MOTHER TERESA.

I'd like to think I can follow in their footsteps, but alas, I could never be as genuinely self-sacrificing as they were. They displayed the greatest acts of love and kindness. But it was never an "act" for them. They did it not to promote their name, but to promote a good that was over and above them.

Achieving that would be my greatest dream.

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SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO M APIDES WHO IS CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY TODAY. HAVE A GREAT ONE! :)

DIANNE ELISE'S MALL TOUR

Hey everyone...I guess I've not been taking enough vitamins (or any at all...) because I am stuck at home right now with a terrible cough and cold. I can't even do my radio show for Wave this week because my voice is practically non-existent. I have to get better by Friday because we have a whole slew of shows this weekend for the mall tour. Anyway, I've posted some pics from the show at SM The Block. Thanks to everybody who came out to support me! (That is...everybody from SM Marilao, SM The Block, and SM Sucat...maraming salamat po!)

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Posted below are the remaining dates of the tour. Hope to see you there!

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MALL TOUR:

September 21 - SM Molino

September 22 - SM Manila

September 23 - SM Bicutan

September 29 - SM Baguio

September 30 - The Podium

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October 5 - SM Southmall

October 6 - SM Batangas

October 12 - SM Lucena

October 18 - SM Clark

October 20 - SM Fairview

October 26 - SM Pampanga

October 27 - SM North Edsa

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By the way...I just gotta say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all the demo girls out there who have been promoting my CD. Like my manager said, you guys are the soldiers in the battlefield, fighting to keep ME alive! (I added that last part.) Thanks especially to SARAH from Astrovision Podium, for helping make Now & Then one of the highest-selling CDs at your branch! See you again soon!

3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . ALBUM LAUNCH

WOOOOOOOOOO!!! After a night like last night, I just have to let that out! And I have to elaborate; that "WOO" was more of an exhalation rather than some self-targeted praise. So let me do it again. WOOOOOOOOOO!!! (or more like WHEW!)

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As people started coming into Aruba on the night of my album launch, my energy level increased by the second. And by energy level, I mean pure terror. I had been anticipating the event for weeks with excitement and fear. Everyone kept telling me to treat it like it was a normal gig, to just be myself, and to relax. But oh how that was much easier said than done. It would not be a normal gig for many reasons. It would be much shorter than a regular gig, being only one set of about 45 minutes. So the impression I make on the audience would be based on a mere 10 songs that should encapsulate the essence of my album and at the same time showcase my capacity as a singer. For a lot of people, it would be the first time they would hear me. And a lot of those people...would be from the media. That was the most nerve-wracking factor.
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I was getting my makeup done when Jonna (one of our road managers) told me that some media people were already there. The makeup artist finished in a hurry and I was off to do my initial round of interviews. First it was ABS-CBN with Mario Dumaual (!!!) together with another TV station who didn't bother introducing themselves (probably because I was already supposed to know who they were...), then I talked to the correspondent of Cinema One, and then Mario Dumaual again for some follow-up questions! I was so scared I'd end up sounding stupid on-cam, but SOMEHOW I was able to talk coherently, and the news reporters actually responded positively to me. After that first round, I made it to the bar to have some semblance of a dinner. But after my first bite, I was asked to do another interview. This time it was with the lovely people of ETC. (I joined them last summer in Boracay to do a show, so I was already familiar with them, not to mention more relaxed.) The interviews came and went, mostly repeating answers to the same questions, and I was able to appear calm and collected. My parents were amazed at how unruffled I was the whole night, but I assured them it was only on the surface. Inside, my body parts separated from one another and ran for their lives!
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I was able to take a few more bites of "dinner" before Shooli (our other road manager) told me we were starting in five minutes. Panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic, panic. When I get nervous before a show, it usually lasts a few moments and then I'd take control again and be cool. So I was waiting for that moment to arrive...But it just never came! I quickly changed into my dress, which I had picked out two months ago just for the event. And when I came out of the restroom, Lhar Santiago from GMA was waiting in front of the stage to interview me. At this point, my panic level was at an extreme high since I was about to go on stage already. I don't even know anymore what he asked me or how I answered. But I went through it with all the poise I could muster. Finally, FINALLY...I went on the stage and said a little prayer before the lights went on.
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And...ACTION! "A Song For You" played on the piano and when I started to sing, The Moment finally came. The panic disappeared. I realized then that Aruba was packed that night, and that was exactly what I had hoped for. They were all there to see me! So when I had forgotten the entire second verse of the song, I knew I couldn't let anybody know. The band had no idea where I was when I started singing the chorus instead of the verse, so they cleverly faded away for me to go a capella until we could all come together again at some point in the song. THAT should have made me fall to pieces. But somehow it didn't! And my manager didn't pull his hair out as I imagined he would, so I THINK we got away with it!

The rest of the set went more smoothly with the exception of a recurring wardrobe malfunction. The tube dress that I had bought for this momentous occasion kept slipping down! And every camera from every major TV network was on me as I almost flashed the whole audience (every so often). But what could I do but pull it up every time it slipped down. I had a show to deliver and I couldn't be worried about my dress! Or so this is what I told myself as I kept worrying about it. I sang the standards from my album, my two compositions (which I was most excited to do), and finished it off with Dianne Reeves' "Better Days." Applause and then dimmed lights. I got through the set.

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When I came down from the stage, the people from MYX waited for their interview. I was at the VJ Search all over again. "Introduce the event, talk about your album, and ask them to vote for your video." Just a few weeks ago, their instructions were: "Tell us how you felt about the activity, say something about yourself, and tell the viewers to vote for you as the next VJ." Hahaha! It was great to see them again, although many of them couldn't come because of other events they had to attend. The MYX interview was the last. So I changed into some Mossimo clothes that WOULDN'T malfunction and finally got to sit down with my guests. (THANK YOU TO MOSSIMO!!!)

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The buzz of the album launch lasted for a good while as I looked back on what had happened. I had some major bloopers, e.g. wardrobe disaster, forgotten lyrics, etc., but the audience didn't seem to mind or notice. The part I hated most was forgetting to thank some people for coming to the event. Although my nervousness went away at some point, my head was stuck in spin cycle the whole time. I remember how Hilary Swank forgot to thank her then-husband when she won an Oscar in 1999, and that makes me feel less guilty. But still...I'm really sorry. I'm sure she felt just as awful.

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My journey has OFFICIALLY begun. Starting next month I am going to be busy with a mall tour all over the Philippines. I'm going to be in need of multivitamins so I shall stock up on them! This rocket has been launched and I am reaching for the sky.

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P.S. Thank you to Universal Records for the HUGE support you have been giving me. Also to the radio stations who were able to make it to the launch and show me your love! RX 93.1, 101.1 Yes FM, Energy 91.5, and 102.7 Star FM, I obviously wouldn't be anywhere without you guys! Maraming salamat po!

When One Door Closes...

I am taking this so much better than my parents. Ofcourse they're allowed to feel bad because their daughter didn't make it to the Final Four in the MYX VJ Search. And yeah...I was disappointed too...but life, as it tends to do, goes on. I don't regret joining the competition. I had the time of my life! I got to be silly without anyone shooting me a weird look. (Well, maybe a few weird looks.) I made some very interesting friends. I got to work with the unbelievably down-to-earth MYX crew. And the experiences that the whole thing offered me were all so worthwhile. So, Mom and Dad...Thanks for wanting only the best for me. But I know you can agree with me when I say...the best is still yet to come.

I've got so many things to look forward to. My debut album, Now & Then, is currently the third-highest selling CD in Astrovision-Podium. (Thank you to the demo girl over there who plays my CD all the time!) My first single, You're the Inspiration, has made it to the top ten lists on the radio and TV. And my formal album launching hasn't even taken place yet. (BE THERE! August 22 at Aruba Metrowalk, 8 PM.) I realize I'm no where near No. 1 and a lot of people a) don't know me, b) haven't heard of my song, and/or c) don't care about any of the above...but a girl can dream! And that's what I'll do till I make 'em come true! (Oh goodness I did not intend to rhyme...or sound corny.)

With that, let me say congratulations again to the newest MYX VJs: Sanya, Mica, Igi, and Drei...ROCK the Philippines (and play my videos)! To the other finalists: Atom, Nico, Jet, Max, Sandra, and Odessa...What they've been saying to us is so true. We're young and we have so much more ahead of us. So don't throw your hands up yet (unless you're dancing to a command in a song) because we gotta be ready for what they throw at us next. And to the people who dream of auditioning for next year's MYX VJ Search, I say GO FOR IT!!!

P.S. Thank you to Igi for unknowingly letting me post the pictures from your camera onto my blogsite. I'll post more pics from my own cam next time! :) And hey...you were obviously a great partner! The best of luck to ya!

Tune in to my radio show, VINTAGE SOUL, every Wednesday at 8:15 PM on Wave 89.1. This week I'll be singing tunes from Maria Muldaur, The Stylistics, and Anita Baker. For those of you who only know artists from the year 2000 onwards, let me help take you back a little farther. :) Enjoy the music!

The Last Week (dunt-dunt-dunt)

The MYX VJ Search is soon coming to an end. By the end of this week, we will know who the lucky Final Four will be. The last peg of the mall tour is happening later today at Mall of Asia, and it's the last chance we'll get to prove our worth to MYX before the highly anticipated FINALS NIGHT. That big night is going to transpire this Saturday at Hard Rock Cafe. Can't you just smell the tension?!

Just earlier this evening we were at a taping of Game KNB, and yes, the MYX VJ Search finalists were the contestants. (I believe that episode will air on August 7 or something.) It was terrifying! I forgot what the "M" in PGMA stood for! I mean--hello?! President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo??? But I'm actually semi-glad I didn't move on to the succeeding rounds...because there's no way I could've done that "papaya" dance with any dignity! I mean...I cannot dance to save my life! (To my dear friends in the States who have no idea what I'm talking about...In this game show, they make you dance this funny dance after successfully doing two rounds. I'm talking serious choreography.) Oh but I gotta say, Edu Manzano was an awesome host. Refreshingly so. He was funny, witty, and...Mr. Manzano, are you reading this...? Hahaha! No, seriously though. My mom and I agree he's a great host. All in all, I had such a fun time. And now I know how to do the "papaya" dance! Well, no, not really.

Anyway. I seriously have to go to sleep already. We have a guesting at a radio show very early in the morning and it's already past 2 am. My brain cells are being depleted by the minute. The next time I update my blog will probably be after Finals Night. And oooohhhh I do hope I'll be back with good news. But gosh, I just adore all the finalists and we've all become pretty good friends--I wish we could all just win! (And yup, you guessed it. I also wish for world peace.) Till next time, guys. Wish me luck!

I'M BA-ACK...

The cutest, most amusing thing happened to me today. I finally got the WHOLE day to just do whatever I want to do, and ofcourse (being the good girl that I am) I chose to do household chores. It was precisely when I was outside, laboriously cleaning my pet dog's cage, that I heard the neighbor's kids singing along very loudly to the music videos on MYX. It wasn't before long that I realized the show was the Daily Top Ten. I was just drying the cage when the Number 7 music video started playing. I could hear that intro from a mile away so I knew it was my song, You're the Inspiration. I couldn't help myself one bit--I just kept on smiling and laughing softly as I listened to the kids sing along to the chorus of my song. It was such a nice feeling that I continued to dry the cage a little longer even though it was already completely dry. When the song finished, that's when I would go back inside the house.

To watch my video, please click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivtTv_l3auw

Yes, I have to say things have been a little hectic...but for a completely different reason I'd have expected a month ago. The number one music channel in the Philippines, MYX, conducted its very first VJ Search earlier this month and they selected 12 semi-finalists from almost 300 people who tried out. That's right...I actually tried out for this thing and made it! Who says you can't be a singer and a VJ at the same time? Hehehe...That is if I make it to the final four. So far we've had to do photo shoots (fun), interviews (so-so), and tape several MYX shows (fun and a little nerve-wracking) and that's what's been keeping me busy the past few weeks. Tomorrow we will have a Surprise Challenge and I have NO idea what to expect. Please, please, please don't make us eat any bugs!!! After that we'll be having a mall tour which includes the new Trinoma, SM Megamall, and Mall of Asia. Finals night is on August 4 and that's when we'll learn who the FOUR new VJs of MYX will be. You can vote for me by texting MYXMATCH 12 and send it to 2366. The race is on!

I know it's kinda crazy. I have a video playing on MYX and I'm trying out as a VJ on the same channel. But as far as I know, I have two things to be worried about! Everyday I worry if my music video is still in the Top Ten. And if it is, I'm paranoid about whether it is going up the charts or down. (I mean, we really want it to go to Number 1!) Then, I also have to worry about my performance as a "VJ" every time I go to the MYX studio. Am I impressing them or boring them? What are they looking for??? Yeah...it is a crazy time indeed. But I'm having so much fun.

Please vote for my music video on MYX. Just text MYX VOTE YOU'RE THE INSPIRATION and send it to 2366. Thank you so much for your support!

In the Mood to Parenthesize!

The few times I get the chance to actually sleep early I always blow it on the Internet. I figure I HAVE to check my mail, or I HAVE to look at that website, or, in this case, I have to update my blog! I guess I'll forever be the insomniac because I just never really try to make it any different. But since I'm already losing sleep, I might as well give everyone an update. (And ofcourse, as I'm typing this I also have the Nokia site and Yahoo! Mail open in other tabs.)

I have a radio guesting on Wave this Tuesday from 2 to 3 PM. I'll be singing some tracks from the album and some of my favorite songs. I suppose there'll be a Q&A type of thing at some point during that hour as well. I hope Pam (the DJ) won't ask too many personal questions. I'm so guarded about my privacy! (Which is so weird because I have this blog.) It'll be my first PUBLIC interview so I hope I'll be able to express myself well. I always thought that I'm a much better writer than I am a speaker. I mean, with writing there's always Wite-Out and backspaces. But with speaking...you say something and it's out there forever. You can't take it back. Ah well. It can't possibly turn out so bad.

Coincidentally, my album will be hitting music stores this week. Merchandising (the big posters, paperboard cutouts, and whatnot) won't be up till August. Meanwhile, my manager will be working out deals for a promotional billboard or two along EDSA. (Me on a billboard? Tha-hat's just crayyy-zee...) As for the music video, the final product might actually be done tomorrow! I'm excited to see how it turns out. (I can't really act to save my life, but hey, I had fun doing that video.) Anyway, I think I need to prepare for a busy July.

Before I go, I just wanna send a special shoutout to my bandmates--Marc Santos, Gigi Arcay, Oman Peredilla, and Franklin Benitez! (MGA IDOL!!!) On Wednesday we'll be playing at Hard Rock Cafe in Makati, so if you're free, do drop by! Hit me up and leave your full name so I can put you on the guestlist. :) This is a limited time offer only so don't wait! Hehehe...Till next time!

This Just In!

My first single, You're the Inspiration, debuted on Wave 89.1 yesterday morning at 7:30. It's just a SHAME that I don't get up that early! I suppose I was in Stage 4 of sleep while my song was being played on the radio for the first time. And now I will never know what it sounded like. Well I mean of course I know how the song sounds...But I'll just never know how it sounded the very first time it was on air. (sigh.) Well I guess it'll be more exciting to just be sitting in my car one day listening to the radio, and then out of no where it'll start playing. That would be crazy! I wonder how I'd react. That'll be something to blog about. Hehehe.

My album, Now & Then, will be out some time this month or early July. There are a few things that have yet to be finalized but everything seems to be in order. I'm glad my manager tells me what to expect step by step, so I don't get too shocked by anything. I think I will make this my motto: "Hope for the best, be ready for the worst." That way I'm being optimistic, but also practical. If anyone thinks of a better motto, let me know.

By the way, if you live in Metro Manila, I encourage you to request for my single on Wave. :) You can call 632-9283 or text WAVE [space] 891 [space] YOUR NAME and MESSAGE to 2968. If you do, then maybe I could actually hear my song while I'm awake! :D

My First Music Video

what an amazing experience it was to shoot my first music video. we started the day at 5 am to take the two-hour drive to hacienda isabella in tagaytay. it’s a property owned by renowned singer-actress kuh ledesma and i must say it is a beautiful place. even though i was awake for 25 hours straight doing the video, i had so much fun. the production team was composed of the nicest people in the world and they made sure i was comfortable with everything before they shot each scene. the stylist and makeup artist were as equally kind and put up with me as i expressed my sentiments about the criminally short dress or the heavier-than-normal false eyelashes. the guy who played my love interest was quite the gentleman and i bet he’d make a lot of girls smitten when they see the video. and the best part of it all...(thanks to all those people) i actually think this video is going to be awesome.

i’ve got nothing but gratitude to show the people behind this production. omar cervantes, the director, knew exactly what he wanted to do with this video, took that idea, and ran with it the entire time. our cinematographer, jun aves, followed every detail and no doubt made each scene look exquisite. rommel malimban and jj purugganan will be taking care of post-production, and from what i’ve seen in them, they’re gonna turn what we’ve shot into a real work of art.

and, he’s not part of the production team, but i MUST say thank you to my manager, henry onglatco, for financing the whole thing! he believes in me so much it’s scary! hahaha! and ofcourse we wouldn’t even have a venue if it weren’t for jesse and mags david’s hookups (yet again)! they also gave me a whole bunch of mossimo clothes, which you will see in the video. too bad i can’t wear them on a day-to-day basis when the vid comes out. people are gonna be like, “didn’t she wear that in the video?” argh...but still, i’m LOVIN’ the free clothes.

at the end of the shoot, they had me do some spiels for a behind-the-scenes thingamajig for MYX. the director had me explain what the whole thing was about and, looking back on what i said, i think i sounded really stupid! i blame it totally on my sleep deprivation so now i must try to redeem myself here. the video is for one of the covers i did, you’re the inspiration, which was popularized by chicago in the 1980s. i’m one of those people who love irony, so i didn’t hesitate to suggest a tragic ending for this video. while it didn’t turn out to be a greek tragedy, it ended in a kind of unexpected way. the story is really very simple and it’s been told a thousand times. but what will make it different is how we tell it.

well i am so excited to see the final product. and i REALLY need to get cable installed at my place so i can actually watch this thing on TV!

now that i’ve revealed the secret of the location, i want to share its beauty with everyone. log on to http://www.haciendaisabella.com to see more of its jewels and to find out how you can make reservations.

The Where and The Who

We took a look at a possible venue for our shoot last Thursday. And I must say it was PERFECT. Since we are going for something classic, we want to make sure the venue is going to match the theme. I don't want to mention the name of the place yet because I feel like it is my (or our) own hidden treasure for now. It's a beautiful house tucked away in Tagaytay and the whole property is about 4 hectares. But we'll be needing only a fraction of that, ofcourse. The landscape is gorgeous from every angle. The interior has an inviting, rustic feel. And I can only imagine the sunsets there are spectacular. Here are a few pictures:

We have also made our top picks on guys who might play my love interest. It was kind of weird because my real concern was whether or not these guys can act, yet I only had their pictures for reference. It was even more weird for the director and my manager when they were browsing through the photos, because two guys pouring over other guys' pictures (many of which are topless) can never look right. (Unless they swing that way--which I have no problem with whatsoever--but that wasn't the case). Anyway, there will be another meeting on Monday to finalize everything.

The shoot is scheduled to be next week and I am just excited and terrified to do my first music video. I will soon find out if I can act! Although I have an inkling the answer is negative. Oh well...we shall see! I hope I'm not setting myself up!