Karylle: Of a different breed

MANILA, Philippines - One’s staying power in the Philippine tinseltown is almost always dependent on one’s capacity to polish one’s luster. In an industry where many are trapped in the labyrinth of being prosaic and predictable, Karylle proves that she is a cornucopia of reinvention — reason enough why in the local show business, she matters.

Listen to her when she sings and you will hear a melodious voice akin to the music produced by winged-seraphs on their morning worship. Watch her act and you will simply be swayed with her gamut of emotions as she portrays her role with sensitivity. And if you saw Karylle essaying the role of Maria in West Side Story in 2008, you would be amazed as she did not only sing and act in this musical, she also danced gracefully!

“Thanks to my training in ballet,” says Karylle, also a mainstay host of ABS-CBN’s variety show ASAP, as she reveals that ballet was her world from age three to 15.

“I started out in theatre via The Little Mermaid where I played as Princess Sapphire. I was still in second year college when I did the musical and it was through that play that I started in the entertainment industry,” says Karylle who, despite her crazy schedule in showbiz, still managed to become a dean’s lister when she finished her BS Management (Major in Communications Technology Management) degree at the Ateneo de Manila University.

She has made several movies like Mano Po 3, Moments of Love and Litsonero. She also lent her stellar power in soaps like Twinhearts and Encantadia. Recently, she made a mark with her first contravida role as Denise in Dahil May Isang Ikaw. Of late, she is seen in a teleserye titled Magkano ang Iyong Dangal?

Karylle feels blessed to have had three successful recording albums: Time to Shine (2001), You Make Me Sing (2005) and Time for Letting Go (2009). Her efforts were noticed with a string of awards accorded her by Awit Awards, MTV Philippines and MYX Music Award.  

With her many blessings, Karylle never fails to give back. She is an active supporter of organizations that champion the welfare of children like White Cross and Childhaus. She is also a crusader for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society.

“I know that a lot of people think that I’m meek because I’m very girly but I’ve known from a young age that I’m a very strong person,” Karylle says. Her parents separated when she was very young. Despite that, she still considers her childhood a happy one.

Her father, dentist Modesto Tatlonghari, taught her “to have a thankful heart.” From her mother, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla, Karylle learned “to focus on a love that is constant.”

“I know that the hardest times pass if you have faith in God. Knowing that God will get you through anything gives you more strength in facing the toughest of battles,” she concludes.

Photography by Jeffrey Sonora • Styling by Kim and Boop Yap • Makeup by Leo Posadas • Hairstyling by Rowena Sunido • Top by Esprit • Jewelry by Miladay