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The Next Megastar?
by Eduardo M. Enriquez
www.planetphilippines.com March 4 2004
People love rags-to-riches stories. This would partly explain Sarah Geronimo’s phenomenal rise to fame.
Anybody who has followed accounts of the young singer’s life prior to her pre-popularity days is familiar with the 15-year old’s financially impoverished beginnings in Santa Cruz, Manila. Living in a one-window house in Sta. Cruz, Manila, Delfin and Divina Geronimo borrowed money left and right to raise and school their four children.
There were times when meals consisted of soy sauce and rice. There was also one embarrassing incident when several people came to the Geronimo house to ask for the money that Sarah’s parents owed them.
At the tender age of three, Sarah began to exhibit a talent at singing. Her parents immediately noticed this and saw to it that their daughter developed her gift to the fullest. When she was four, Sarah was part of a children’s television show called “Pen-pen de Sarapen.” She joined her first singing contest when she was five years old. At six she, she had a mini-concert in a shopping mall. Guest appearances on TV shows and several live performances followed. The youngster also appeared as an extra in the movie “Sarah, Ang Munting Princesa.” Delfin, who was a PLDT employee, entered little Sarah in the company’s annual singing contest when she was seven years old.
She would win the competition so many times that she would eventually be declared as a Hall Of Famer. Sarah’s father had a lot of confidence in his little girl’s talent and encouraged her to join numerous singing contests. Having performed at events ranging from barangay and town fiestas, numerous school competitions and Little Miss Philippines, Sarah can easily claim to be a contest veteran. The biggest cash prize Sarah won from these competitions was P4,000.
Sarah’s parents, her father in particular, continued to encourage their daughter to perform. They would enroll her in acting workshops, where she had to endure snide comments made in reference to her shoddy clothes. (On the other hand, when her parents did manage to get her a new set of clothes, her siblings would resent the seeming preferential treatment.) Children from wealthy families, as well as the progeny of actors, would inevitably be chosen for acting jobs. It was a painful, discouraging time in the young girl’s life.
It would take some time before Sarah got her proverbial big break. It came in the form of a TV singing competition on IBC 13 called Star for a Night. Sarah had seen an ad for auditions to the show (produced by IBC and Viva Television) in a newspaper but was initially hesitant to participate. After much prodding by family members, she decided to give it a try. (She was also encouraged by the fact that the show was hosted by her singing idol, Regine Velasquez.) Although she flunked on her first try, she came back for another shot. Once more, she didn’t get in. Despite her desire to throw in the towel, Sarah tried one more time and finally qualified for a chance to compete. With P50,000 awarded to weekly Star for a Night winners and P100,000 to semifinalists, it wasn’t difficult to imagine how important winning was to Sarah and her family.
On March 1, 2002, Sarah was declared the grand prize winner in the year-long first season of Star for a Night, besting co-finalists Musica Cristobal, Jason Velasquez, Angeli Mae Flores, Mark Bautista and Florie Mae Lucido. She had escaped elimination in numerous episodes by amazing the audience and judges with sensational vocal performances, primarily power ballads popularized by Celine Dion. After numerous bouts spent competing against contestants from all over the country, 14-year old Sarah won P1 million pesos, as well as a 10-year managing contract with Viva Artists Agency and a 10-year recording contract from Viva Records. (After the success of the premiere season of Star for a Night, GMA7 bought the rights to the program. Regine Velasquez still hosts the show, which is now known as “Search for a Star”.)
At an unguarded moment, ask Sarah about her life today and her weary reply could be, “Laging wala sa bahay.” The floodgates of success have opened, and the teenager is busy making hay. Her schedule is as ridiculously packed as it is unpredictable. She misses time spent at home and rarely sees her sisters Johna (18), Sunshine (16) and brother Gabriel (7). Having dropped out of high school (the former junior at the University of Santo Tomas is presently enrolled in a home study program), Sarah is now officially the family’s bread-winner, and both her parents have increased their support. Her list of daily appointments has gotten so hectic that her father quit his job of several years at PLDT so that he can accompany his daughter to far-off singing appointments. Divina, who has been chaperoning Sarah even longer, worries about her daughter’s lack of sleep and its effects on her health.
Although Sarah’s humble beginnings may be partly responsible for her success (her life story thus far has been featured in an episode of the GMA bio-drama series, “Magpakailanman”), it is her down-to-earth humility and vocal prowess that keep her fans clamoring for more.
Her debut album, “Popstar: A Dream Come True” (which includes her winning piece from “Star for a Night” - Celine Dion’s vocally demanding “To Love You More”) has already passed the double platinum mark. Viva is making the most of Sarah’s popularity by giving her silver screen opportunities, as well. Out of nine entries in the 29th annual Metro Manila Film Festival, Sarah appears in the drama “Filipinas” (where she plays the sickly, abandoned daughter of Richard Gomez’s character) and in the fantasy flick “Captain Barbell” (as the sister of Ogie Alcasid’s character). The roles she plays may not be considerable, but they are an indication of her indubitable popularity.
In early 2004, Geronimo is also expected to appear in the Viva musical comedy “Annie B”, which will star another young celebrity who is wildly popular with the masses, Jolina Magdangal. Vic del Rosario, Viva’s top honcho, predicts that Sarah will be the next Sharon Cuneta.
Despite the local showbiz machine’s desire to package her in a love team with fellow “Star for a Night” finalist Mark Bautista (who is six years her senior), Sarah claims that she has no crushes in the local entertainment industry. She does admit to a fondness for Daniel Radcliffe, however, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio and the members of the Taiwanese boyband, F4.
Without a doubt, life has been an amazing roller coaster ride for Sarah Geronimo. In spite of her numerous concerts, fans, hit songs, et al, it’s nice to know that the teenager is well aware of the good turn her life is presently taking and that she hasn’t forgotten the dark days of her past. She’s always ready to express her appreciation for her parents’ support and apologize to her siblings for the seeming neglect they have to endure as they encourage and guide Sarah in her professional career.
People may love a rags-to-riches story, but young Sarah is working hard to make sure that she and her family will never have to relive theirs.
