After a long wait, first "Pinoy Idol" finally gets her break

After a very long absence after being declared as the grand prize winner of first “Pinoy Idol,” Gretchen Espina is making a comeback in the music scene. This time, she’s more determined and more excited to make a go of her singing career.

In an interview at the taping of “Master Showman” last Saturday, Gretchen explained to The Freeman the reason behind her long absence. The Pinoy Idol contest started on June 28 last year and nothing has been heard of Gretchen since then.

According to Gretchen, she developed nodules in her throat and thus was advised by her doctor to rest to preserve her voice. She already had the nodules during the time of the contest but she couldn’t quit because she was in the middle of a competition. So even if it was against her doctor’s orders, Gretchen went on to finish and win the contest and miraculously survived her sickness. Then she laid low from the showbiz scene.

“I had to heed the advice of my doctor and the GMA 7 management who told me to take a rest first. But I wasn’t really idle. I was still singing in various corporate shows although those engagements were not being publicized,” Gretchen explained.

“Besides, GMA 7 said they wanted me to be well prepared if and when I embark on a singing career. They (GMA) said they wanted to experiment on me. Usually the trend is to give a new talent several projects but after six months, there’s nothing much that the talent could do. What GMA 7 wanted to do with me is prepare me for the rigors of showbiz and when I’m ready, then that’s the time they’d launch me, just like what they did during the 59th anniversary presentation of the network,” she added.

“Once I go out to perform, it’s all systems go. They’d see a big difference in me once I make my presence felt in the music scene,” said Gretchen who just finished recording her debut album for BMG Records.

While she was out of the limelight, she continued her studies. She’s set to graduate next semester from UP Diliman with a degree in European Languages, Major in Spanish. As far as her career is concerned, Gretchen said GMA is set to start her build-up program. She’s set to do her pictorial for her album which might be released late this month. Her carrier single titled “Kasalanan Nga Ba” has been released over the airwaves.

Didn’t she feel bad that even if she won, it took a year before GMA 7 decided to push her career? “I have firm belief in what GMA wants with regards to my career. They have their own plans for me since I am under contract with them and I guess there’s truth in the saying that patience is a virtue. Maybe it’s for my own good that my launch will only happen this year. At least, I had time to prepare and also get treatment for my ailment,” she said.

Had not the GMA management explained to her why she needed to wait for a year to be launched, she would have felt really bad and slighted. Now, Gretchen’s hopeful that the long wait would redound in success as she ventures into a new beginning for her career as the first Pinoy Idol, no matter if it took quite a while for her time to come to shine.

* * *

To all those interested to dress up as anime characters, TV5, in partnership with Cosplaymania, is inviting all anime and cosplay enthusiasts to join TV5 Animega's CosTube video contest. Aspirants are asked to wear costume as an anime character, record it on video, upload it online and send to the Cosplaymania link for a chance to fame and win the cash prize up to P70,000.

CosTube video contest is open to all cosplayers and amateur film-makers of all ages. For those interested, he or she has to register at www.tv5.com.ph and www.cosplay.ph. He or she has to dress up as his or her favorite anime character, prepare a skit and do a video portraying his or her desired anime character and send to www.cosmania.com

The top five finalists will win P10, 000 each and from among the Top 5 finalists, TV5 would chose a winner who’d win an additional P10,000. The grand prize winner will receive P50,000.

Submission of entries is ongoing from June 1 until August 8, 2009. For more information, just log on to www.tv5.com.ph or www.cosplaymania.com. Also, don’t fail to watch the endearing anime shows on ANIMEGA, only on TV5.

* * *

Marian Rivera had a blast playing at Hole in the Wall yesterday together with Paolo Ballesteros and Sheena Halili in the Jai Team. They competed against the Whole Team composed of Marky Lopez, Matteo Guidicelli and Arci Munoz.

Today, the Tambuk2 Team of Wendell Ramos, Nikki Daculio, and Mosang go up against the BUQTU team composed of Dennis Trillo, John Feir and Beverly Salviejo.

Hosted by Ogie Alcasid as Angelina and Michael V as yaya, “Hole in the Wall,” has a new timeslot at 5:30 p.m.

* * *

We joined the visit of GMA Artist Center talent Chynna Ortaleza to Pagbilao, Quezon, where she took part in the first anniversary celebration of La Suerte Mega Warehouse last Thursday.

It was Sisters Sanitary Napkins who brought Chynna there, spearheaded by Ailenne Go, the vice-president of Megasoft, the makers of Sisters. Also in the group that came to Pagbilao, Quezon were Sarina Jamera, the owner of Prince Maya Bus which took the group there and their friend Janet Lopez.

The La Suerte Mega Warehouse is owned by Julian and Violeta Ong and is being managed by their siblings, Robbie and Rachel Ong.

Chynna hosted the show and sang Million Miles Away by Vanessa Carlton before a sizable crowd. She also gave away gift items to outstanding female students of Talipan National High School.

She came from the shooting of the indie horror movie produced by Viva Films titled “Ukau-Hukay” so she just slept on the ride to Pagbilao. Upon her return to Manila, she proceeded to the taping of a Dear Friend episode that will air on July 12. She’s joined in the cast by Sunshine Dizon, whom she worked in “Obra,” as well as Polo Ravales and Princess Violago.

Now that GMA 7 is doing another version of Darna, with Marian Rivera in the title role, Chynna expressed interest to play the role of Valentina. She would be willing to audition if needed. If she won’t get the role of Valentina, she would also like to play any of the villains that would make life miserable for Darna. But she would really love to get the role of Valentina since all actresses who portrayed the said role were noticed for their performance.