Life after a reality search

MANILA, Philippines - The Year of the Water Snake is turning out to be a very positive one for 17-year-old singer Michael Pangilinan. Credit goes to Mismo host and concert producer Joebert Sucaldito who succeeded on releasing Michael from a long-term contract (thanks to the help of lawyer Ferdinand Topacio) from a previous management.

A native of Pulilan, Bulacan, he has yet to become a household name like say, the current young heartthrob Daniel Padilla. Nevertheless, his name rings a bell among the crowd at Zirkoh, a comedy club along Morato, where Michael is having his first major concert. Also, he has been associated with the song Dance With My Father, a Luther Vandross original.

Asked why the song is very special to him, Michael recalls, “I was in high school then ng mapagalitan ako ng aking dad for something na hindi ko na po matandaan. Nagtampo ako sa kanya. In a family gathering, I decided to sing and serenade him with Dance With My Father to let him know I was really sorry. The song is about a person missing his father na sobrang nakakaiyak.”

A Scorpio-born (Nov. 26), he is the second child of Tony and Precy Pangilinan. He has two other brothers. His parents love to sing but not professionally.

At 15, Michael was already driving his own car, a gift from his parents who are car dealers. Today, he drives a Mitsubishi, which he bought from his earnings on installment basis.

Michael has since moved on after failing to make it into the finals of the X Factor Philippines reality show in 2011. Presently, Michael has his hands full of activities that his manager has lined up for him. The pop singer who adores Britney Spears is fully booked until October with various provincial engagements. He readies himself with a major concert together with Duncan Ramos (of South Border) and Carlo Aquino to be mounted at Zirkoh on April 16, which happens to be the birthday of his manager Sucaldito.

Also in the making is the completion of a CD Lite which Sucaldito and Duncan as executive producers. Master of hits Vehnee Saturno has been commissioned to compose three original Filipino songs for Michael.

And for those who have no idea how talented a singer Michael is, you can always catch him perform on GMA 7’s Party Pilipinas and every Saturday in German “Kuya Germs” Moreno’s Walang Tulugan.