Franco Laurel: I want to be me

Up to now, people still ask him, "Franco, are you related to Cocoy?"

Franco Laurel, co-host of Keep on Dancing, is surprised that he still gets asked that by people. The short answer is that Cocoy is his uncle; his dad and Cocoy are first cousins, which makes Cocoy's mom, Celia Diaz-Laurel, Franco's grandaunt. Cocoy's dad, former Vice-President and National Centennial Commission (NCC) Chairman Salvador "Doy" Laurel is a granduncle. As far as other famous Laurels go, Franco is actually closer in terms of order of birth to designer Rajo Laurel, who is his first cousin.

In case he gets misinterpreted, Franco wants to make it clear that he is not complaining about being related to Cocoy or to any other Laurel. "I'm very proud to be a Laurel, who wouldn't be?" he clarifies. He just wants to be recognized and remembered more for what he has done rather than for the famous members of his family. Even when he entered showbiz (after coming back to the Philippines from a five-year scholarship at Keio University in Japan), he never made a big issue out of whom he was related to.

"I think it was my choice, because in life, people often use other people to get where they want to be," explains Franco. "I want to get there through my own efforts. I want to be known as me."

You could say that the Laurels definitely stick together. Franco's two-night concert comes just over a month after Cocoy's Te Quiero, The Concert also at the Music Museum.

Now that it's his turn to take the spotlight, Franco is a bit nervous. He is used to being noticed, watched and talked about as a TV host and dancer, but not so much a singer. He has always loved singing -- it must be the Laurel in him because the family is famous for that -- but there is a big difference between singing for strictly family gatherings and doing it for the first time live before an audience of nearly 800 people.

"I'm excited about the concert, but I'm also nervous," admits Franco. "It's different from One for the Soul because in that show, I am with very good singers. But this time, it's just me. I"m nervous because I don't know how they (the audience) will respond to me as a singer. My exposure on TV has been dancing and hosting, and very little singing except when I launched my album on the show. But I've really wanted to be a singer, and I'm happy I'm doing this concert. I wish it did, but that doesn't take away my nervousness."

Franco will be joined for Franco Presents Franco by Pops Fernandez, Carol Banawa, Three of a Kind, Shiela Francisco, The Opera, The Whiplash and his younger sister, 11-year old Yan-Yan Laurel. Yan-Yan, who'll be doing a duet of Sunlight by Kevyn Lettau with her brother, is reportedly another Lea Salonga in the making. It will be interesting to listen to that duet and to see who upstages who.

As the date draws nearer, Franco gets even more nervous. It sometimes feels like he has butterflies in his stomach. But that's good because it also means he's excited, and when a performer is excited (and as talented) as Franco, you know that you're in for an enjoyable show.

Yet he is visibly touched when told that Cocoy is very proud of him. During an interview, Cocoy allowed himself to get sidetracked as he remarked on how well Franco was doing. "I have this nephew, Franco -- have you seen him on TV? He's doing very well, He can sing, he can host, and he's very good looking pa. I'm so proud of him."

Franco, on the other hand, has great respect for Cocoy and the other members of the Laurel family in general.

"Again I want to say that I'm very proud to be known as a Laurel. But more than anything, I'm proud to be known as Franco," he says. We assure him that Cocoy would understand, and so, we suppose, would his other relatives. How can one not be proud of this young man? He not only has a flourishing career, but he did what few celebrities have accomplished: finish his studies.

But now, Franco is determined to make good his performing career. After major triumphs in Rama at Sita and in the concert One for the Soul last year, he set to work on his debut album, which was released in August. His song, Lihim na Pagmamahal became a hit -- not a major hit, but did respectably enough for a first single. Now, he is looking forward to a second album to hopefully be released soon.

However, a more major event is on Franco's horizon: the staging of his first major solo concert, Franco Presents Franco at the Music Museum on May 26 and 27. It is called Franco Presents Franco because the whole show will be Franco the TV host and dancer "presenting" Franco the singer to the audience. This is a special occasion; it will be Franco the singer's first major showcase, and the first time the spotlight will be entirely on him as a singer.

Franco Presents Franco is sponsored by Angel's Breath, YKK Zipper Philippines Inc., Toyota Motors Philippines Inc., Sweet Inspirations, Geoffs Simpson Salon Greenhills, Ariba Personal Skin Care Salon, Sayuri Japanese Restaurant, PNB Beneficial Life, Absolute Mineral Water, and Wendy's. Crossover 105.1, Love Radio 90.7, 101.1 Yes FM, DM 95.5, and WRR 101.9 are the official radio stations for Franco Laurel's concert.

For details, call the Music Museum at 721-0635 and 721-6726. Tickets are available at National Bookstore's Ticketworld outlets.