So young & so determined

Young singer Kim Flores is a butterfly beginning to emerge from its cocoon.

After winning five gold medals and three gold plaques in the World Championships of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) across categories of pop, Broadway, gospel, original and inspirational music, the talented and pretty teener is expanding her horizons by going into theater acting, too.

She’s playing the lead role of Jasmin in the musicale Karim at Jasmin to be staged at the CCP Little Theater on Nov. 4. Barely three weeks after clinching the part, Kim is excited to show off her versatility.

"I’ve been studying the part and the songs at least three times a week after school from 5 to 9 p.m." she says. "I have 20 songs to internalize and memorize so I’m focused on this hundred percent. The time constraint is tough enough but this is work so no excuse is acceptable even by my personal standards."

Karim at Jasmin is a tragic love story set to music. Jasmin is half-fairy, half-human and, in the end, because of love, she has to endure the death of loved ones. Appearing with Kim in the musicale are singer-actors Jeffrey Hidalgo and Calvin Millado. "It was Calvin who told me about the auditions. Being a newcomer, I wasn’t expecting to get the lead part, nor was I assured of it, but I went to audition, anyway," says Kim.

The participation of the 16-year-old singer in the musicale is yet another dream come true for her. She remembers the first musicale she saw, Baby The Musical starring Lea Salonga and Agot Isidro a couple of years back and since then, she had always quietly hoped she’d become part of the world of theater.

"I’m really attracted to theater," she says. "My name ‘Kim’ was picked by my parents after the name of the lead character in Miss Saigon. Once, I saw Lea Salonga and told her about it, she laughed."

Another source of excitement Kim has over Karim at Jasmin is her singing with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) and choral group, Coro Tomasino. Though it’s Kim’s fourth time to be backed up by an orchestra, she says that she still "floats" whenever she sings with an orchestra. "I can’t explain the feeling other than ‘floating,’" she says. "Once the strings and other instruments come in and embrace me, I feel so light as if I’m flying."

Apart from Karim at Jasmin, Kim is promoting Hihintayin Na Lang Kita, the second single from her debut album released early this year. Soon, Kim will be hitting the recording studio again to record a sophomore output which she hopes will contain songs of more diverse genres.

Currently a senior high school student in an international school, Kim looks forward to college where she plans to take up a course in Creative Writing or Business Administration in one of the country’s top universities. Though she could have opted to just go into home studies or even postpone schooling now that she’s on the hot path, Kim says these are not options at all.

"I know that showbiz is not forever and that success in the industry can never be guaranteed," she says. "I want to make sure I have a fall back should things not work out. I will give my best to make it in the business but that doesn’t mean I’ll put all my eggs in one basket. I have to be prepared."

Asked if she still gets to enjoy the kind of life regular teeners do, Kim says yes. Because her parents are just in their 30s, no generation gap exists at all as they perfectly understand that a girl – their girl – wants to have fun, too, sometimes.

"Fun for me is two movies a month in a nearby mall and that’s it," says Kim. "I’m not the gimikera type naman kasi. I’d rather spend my time practising my singing which I do every day."

Which is serving her in good stead in Karim at Jasmin. Though totally open to advice, Kim gets little of it when it comes to her singing. Apparently, the girl is doing it right even at first time. People will get to hear this further in an upcoming solo concert in Parañaque on December with guests Erik Santos and Frenchie Dy.

Are there other dreams the lass holds dear?

"I pray to be a regular in a TV show. I know there are a lot of talents who dream the same given the limited number of variety programs around. But I know that given the chance, I have the talent and determination to offer," she says.

So young yet so determined. This butterfly Kim Flores, she’s going to fly high.