Jonalyn: On life after the win

What's life like after winning big in the GMA 7singing talent search 'Pinoy Pop Superstar'? Youngbelter Jonalyn Viray claims things have changeddramatically - and she's not complaining.

The small girl with an impressive voice, who made the big leap to showbiz this year, surprisingly, only has a humble hope for the coming 2006. And that is to be able to spend more quality time with her family, relatives and close friends.

"Gusto ko rin sanang tumangkad," the morena teenager perkily added, referring to her flat five feet height.

She's the 16-year-old "Pinoy Pop Superstar" Jonalyn Viray, whose life consisted only of two major things before winning the contest. "School and home, that was my everyday routine," she said.

But her life underwent a full 360 degrees swing after she bagged the title of GMA-7's "Pinoy Pop Superstar" last May, and ended up taking home a package of prizes worth P5 Million that included P1M in cash, house and lot, a new car and a one-year talent contract.

Jonalyn told The FREEMAN in a backstage interview at the SM Entertainment Plaza that she has gotten used to being a public property because of the fame that comes with winning the contest.

"Unfortunately, I had to stop schooling so that I could focus on my career," she said with a tinge of regret, adding, "but we're currently opting for a home study program so that I could still continue my studies even if I'm busy."

Jonalyn was on her Junior year when she stopped.

It was not only her life that changed dramatically, but her physical looks improved as well. She modestly admitted that she had a nose job two months after the contest, but acknowledged that there's actually nothing wrong with it, as long as it marked a positive change, not only physically, but also a boost of self-confidence.

A revolution of her album in your CD player would manifest that her superb voice was not a bit altered.

Right now, Jonalyn is busy promoting her album, "On My Own," with the carrier single "Close to Where You Are," to all the more win the admiration of her audience. Other tracks in her album includes "If We Just Hold On," "Kung Di Mo Na Mahal," "Hold Me Now," "Get Here" and "It Might Be You."

She was also the voice behind Darna's theme song, "Di Na Mag-iisa."

According to musical director Danny Tan, one of the judges of "Pinoy Pop Superstar" and composer of "Close To Where You Are," one plus point going for this promising young belter is that despite the absence of critical jurors now identifying what needs to be done, she makes it a point to self-assess her progress. When she was making her debut album, a lot of times you'd find her having her recording redone until she feels satisfied with her work.

Five years from now, Jonalyn dreams of seeing herself achieving what other singers, specifically her idol, Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez has accomplished even in her younger years - more albums and hopefully, major concerts.