CEBU, Philippines - Despite initial warning from well-meaning friends who thought their polar opposite personas made them a romantic mismatch, showbiz couple Billy Crawford and Nikki Gil’s relationship which blossomed when they co-hosted the second season of “Pinoy Dream” Academy is still stronger than ever.
The sweethearts recently treated their Cebuano fans to a free sing-fest at the Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu, where The FREEMAN got to briefly chat with them backstage.
When he first met her on the set of the ABS-CBN reality singing contest, Billy was immediately struck by Nikki’s Latina features. Noticing his interest, he revealed that his buddies, who knew too well his party-guy-and-switching-girlfriends-often lifestyle, told him point-blank that he was bad news for the goody-goody singer-actress. But knowing now what he would have missed, the R&B star is glad he didn’t heed their advice and followed his heart instead.
“At first, everybody was telling me to stay away from her because they said she was too good for me. Mga kaibigan ko, sabi, ‘huwag yan, huwag yan kasi mabait yan.’ Hindi siya katulad nang ibang babae daw. But then, you know, your heart just plays tricks on you,” Billy professed, with his lady love sitting just right beside him. “You’ll never know until you try. And I’m really thankful that I did try and pursued her.”
As for Nikki, whose first boyfriend was another music artist Gab Valenciano, her first impression was that Billy was too hip-hop for her taste.
“Until I got to know the person under the baggy clothes, and I learned he wasn’t really as tough inside as how he looked outside,” she in turn said.
Nikki added that before they closely worked together, she has been always a fan of his music. As a MYX VJ she would introduce videos, and that’s what lead her to find out he was Filipino and used to be this child actor. “So it really wasn’t that hard to fall in love with him,” she said.
How has she since tamed him?
Billy answered: “Hindi naman tame. Baka naman akala ng tao I was really this monster before. It’s just that everyone goes through phases in their lives. But with Nikki kasi, she comes from a very good family, like her parents put God as the center of their lives. She actually got me closer to God. She got me to learn more about God until now. And in fairness to her, she never forced me to change. I just decided on it on my own.”
While he was born and raised here in the country, he not only lived in New York City and Los Angeles, but also in Paris for five years and for one year in London. Naturally, he has adapted to those cities’ liberal ways, so how do they compromise, knowing Nikki’s conservative upbringing?
“Pinoy pa rin naman ako sa puso, no matter the time I spent abroad. So we have the best of both worlds. I was born and raised here and my parents taught me well. Nikki, same thing. She’s very smart, educated, sweet and she’s very lovable. But honestly, what I really liked about her was how she was so Pinay. My choices kasi before were always Latina-looking, very morena and not too skinny. So she really fit my taste when I first saw her. And then I got to know her even more, and she became even more beautiful for me.”
For her, she thinks their contrasting backgrounds are what cast the magic because she finds it exciting that he’s like that, while he finds it interesting that she is how she is.
Billy is currently occupied hosting the second season of ABS-CBN’s “Pilipinas Got Talent” with Luis Manzano, and had joined Vhong Navarro and Anne Curtis in “Showtime” when it moved back to its original morning timeslot. The international artist has also finished his latest album which he recorded in France. As for the lovely Nikki, she still holds her reign as resident Myx VJ, and is one of the regular hosts of “ASAP Rocks” and “Entertainment Live!” (FREEMAN)