Aiza is enjoying a second wind

Lately, it seems that Aiza Seguerra is enjoying a second wind. The former child star marked her 25th year with a major concert and is now seen regularly in the daytime smash hit series, Be Careful With My Heart, where her onscreen partnership — some actually refer to it as a “love team”— with Tom Rodriguez is gaining more and more supporters by the day.

Aiza’s current success extends to the stage. She recently appeared in Rock of Ages where she played an offbeat role. She is so busy that she has had to temporarily set aside her music which is one of the things she misses. She’s happy over the opportunities she’s getting but admits that she longs for the days when she was just a singer.

She was supposed to work on an album this year but preparations for her 25th anniversary concert, the taping schedule of her daily show and the occasional forays into theater left her little no time to attend her music again. “Kating-kati na ako mag-gig,” admits Aiza, who plays the Genie in the forthcoming Atlantis Productions’ staging of Aladdin, with K-La Rivera and Tom Rodriguez in the lead roles.

Aiza was originally supposed to do all the nights of the show but because of her schedule, Calvin Millado will alternate with her in the role of the Genie. Aiza doesn’t mind sharing the stage, though. More than anything, she misses having time for her music. “Masaya ako sa mga opportunities, pero ‘yun nga, na-mi-miss ko yung panahon na singer lang ako.”

People will remember how Aiza kick started the interest in acoustic music when she recorded Pagdating ng Panahon in 2001. The song became a big hit and inspired a movie. But the biggest beneficiary was Aiza herself — she was signed to a new recording contract, did an album that was released internationally and found her way back to television.

Speaking of television, she is very surprised by the public’s reaction to her role in Be Careful With My Heart. She is also happy over how the audience has taken to the character of Kute. “Happy ako na di ko need mag-pa-girl,” says Aiza. “At saka maganda na (through the show), nabibigyan ng mas malaking pang-unawa ang audience and that we’re able to show that you don’t have to be together to be a family.”

Her role as the Genie in Aladdin is another “gender-bender.” She is alternating in that part with Calvin. People are curious as to how the two of them will play the role because no two people could be more different: Calvin is straight and a married father of two; Aiza is the opposite. And yet, she doesn’t let this bother her.

In fact, it’s pretty much the other way around. It’s Calvin who has tremendous respect for Aiza’s talent. He wonders if — even with his considerable stage experience — he’ll be able to hold a candle to her come opening night. “Pressure sa akin ito,” admits Calvin during the press conference for the show. “Everyone knows Aiza and I have to work harder to impress people but I also know that there are certain nuances that I can bring to the role, and she has her own. We will do our best para maging markado ang role.”

Aiza, on the other hand, knows that comparisons are inevitable. “Usually naman ganoon talaga, kino-compare kayo if you’re playing the same role. Pero dahil magkaiba kami ni Calvin, when we’re onstage, iba-ibang character ang lumalabas. That will be exciting to watch.”

Because the role of the Genie has touches of comedy, Aiza — who grew up on Eat, Bulaga! and honed her comic timing alongside Joey de Leon, Tito and Vic Sotto — feels it is one that she will be at home with. She showed that sense of humor when she was asked during the same press conference what three wishes she would grant herself if she could. Aiza’s answer: “Yung una, tumangkad. Yung pangalawa, ‘yung puwede sana kumain ng lahat ng gusto kong kainin na hindi ako tataba. Pangatlo, maging kamag-anak ko si Zobel de Ayala.”

Well, wishes do come true. Aiza’s success — and her second wind — are proof of that. With the powers and the talent that she has, anything is possible.