It’s nice to meet you, Chelo!

Their family is so comfortable she need not work this hard for the money. But even if new singer Chelo’s family owns a Jollibee franchise in their native Borbon, Cebu and is part-owner of Ratsky’s Morato and Cebu, the 20-year-old performer doesn’t mind starting from scratch in showbiz.

"It’s hard," she admits. But everything’s worth it.

The Cebuana-born Chelo lives to perform. She knew it since she first mounted the stage in a beauty pageant to dish out a song number. When she moved to Los Angeles, California at eight, Chelo never lost sight of her dream. In-between her studies, she took up voice lessons and started dancing and acting in high school. The dance groups she joined back in Los Angeles had interesting names: Jukuren, Jamila and Way of the Rhythm.

And because she thrilled to the sound of genuine applause, Chelo’s dancing feet brought her face-to-face with the likes of Gary Valenciano, Randy Santiago, Vina Morales, Janno Gibbs, Sharon Cuneta and Joyce Jimenez onstage.

Chelo was in her element as she sung and danced in many California venues such as the Shrine Auditorium, Knotts Berry Farm, Celebrity Theatre, Grand Olympic Auditorium, Anaheim Convention Center, UCLA, Woodbury University, Pomona Fairgrounds, Omni Hotel, Bonaventure Hotel, Otani Hotel, Castaways, Torrance Convention Center and others.

The performing bug never left her, even as she enrolled in architecture at Woodbury University. While drawing up floor plans and wielding her T-square, Chelo dreamt of klieg lights, legs flying in upbeat choreography, the adrenaline rush of performing.

When she couldn’t stand it anymore, Chelo, the eldest of two girls, asked her parents if she can put her studies on hold and answer that urge to perform.

Her parents understood. The result is Chelo’s first album, Nice to Meet You. As if that wasn’t enough, the spunky Chelo was named New Artist of the Year by Reflections XII and Most Promising Female Vocalist by Celebration 2001 in L.A.

Unlike other performers though, Chelo’s talent doesn’t stop at singing and dancing. She writes songs. Among them are The Drug, Nice to Meet You, Can We Be, Stop, He’ll Find Me, The Sun Going Down, Without A Doubt and When it Happens.

All these are included in Chelo’s album under the independent label called Aria Records. In the Philippines, Chelo’s kababayans will get to sample her musicality as Ivory Records has agreed to distribute her debut album.

Chelo is not letting the grass grow under her feet while she’s here. This month, it’s one show after another for her, as she front acts for Ai Ai de las Alas’ concert, Out of This World Na Me, Araneta na Kasi!!! at the Big Dome on Dec. 1.

On Dec. 3, the heavily-guarded Chelo (a cousin is with her wherever she goes) will perform at the A.M.A. Computer College, where she will share the stage with the widely-popular Freestyle band.

On Dec. 14, she hies off to Laguna for a Christmas show; to Island Cove Cavite for another gig with Freestyle on Dec. 22, and to Chatterbox Galleria to mount the stage with the Side A band.

Year 2002 promises to open on a bright note for Chelo as she embarks on a series of campus shows, beginning with one at Manila Central University Caloocan on Jan. 15, and at Letran on Jan. 29. Both year-openers will see Chelo performing with Freestyle again.

Those dancing feet and lilting voice are bringing Chelo closer to her dreams faster than she herself imagined they would.