Carol Banawa makes a comeback in the local music scene

Star Diva Carol Banawa is back.

She is the voice in the theme song of the family-oriented movie "Tanging Yaman" (Only Treasure). She lulled the hopelessly romantic listeners with "Stay," which she composed, among other ballads rendered in her clear angelic voice that the local music industry knew to be pure talent.

Some of her popular songs are "Iingatan Ka" (Will Take Care Of You, composed by Marizen Yaneza), "Muntik na Kitang Minahal" (I Have Almost Loved You, by Babsie Molina) "Sana ay Ikaw na Nga" (I Wish It was Already You) and her rendition of  "Ocean Deep" and "Get Here."

Her very first album Carol garnered a Gold. Her three succeeding albums- Carol Repackaged, Transition and Follow your Heart—are all Platinum holders.

Now the Star Diva—as she was called in her heyday—is back, if only for a limited time. Last Friday, September 24, at the 14th Floor of the ELJ Bldg in the ABS-CBN complex in Quezon City, she signed a contract with Star Records.

Present were Malou Santos, ABS-CBN Senior Vice President and Head of Star Cinema and Star Records; Annabelle Regalado Borja, Vice President and Managing Director of Star Records; and Biboy Arboleda, Carol's manager.

Carol is set to record an album of songs that "would somehow connect to (her) experiences," as she puts it, two of which are original songs.

Her career was at its peak in the early years of this decade. But she left the music scene in 2003 to accompany her father, formerly an engineer in Saudi Arabia, for his medical treatment.

Tragically, he had met an accident while on vacation here in the Philippines and suffered disabling injuries. Her elder only brother died in that accident.

She returned to the country for a two-month visit with her ailing father, and simply thought of doing an album during her stay here.

"Tinawagan ko lang si Ate Annabelle [Regalado], ako yung nag-suggest. Na-miss ko kasi na kumanta, mag-record, ganyan. (I only called Ate [a sign of politeness for women] Annabele [Regalado], and I was the one who suggested it. I already miss singing, recording, and so).

"Yung reason kasi ng pag-uwi ko, nag-visit ako, yung papa ko kasi nandito pa din sila ng mama ko, and you know he is not really well. Matagal din siyang may sakit. (My reason for returning back is to visit because my dad and mom is still here and you know he is not really well. He has been sick for so long.)
"So gusto ko ma-meet niya yung apo niya. Yung anak ko, hindi pa kasi niya name-meet. Si mama kasi, you know, she's flying back and forth. (So I want him to meet his grandchild. My child because he have never met her. My mom, you know, she's flying back and forth.)

"Kaya gusto kong iuwi para ma-meet niya, tapos nung nandito na ako, naisip ko, kasi puwede naman ako mag-stay ng one or two months, bakit hindi gumawa ng album para makapagsaya. Tinawagan ko si Ate Annabelle, natuwa naman sila sa idea."  (So I really want to go home so he could meet her, then when I was already here, I thought I could stay for one or two months so why not create an album to enjoy. I called Ate Annabelle, and they were happy for my idea.")

CAROL'S FAMILY. She told PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) and other  press people that afternoon that her comeback has her husband's blessing. His only request was that she and their daughter return to the U.S. in time for his birthday.

Carol is married to Ryan Crisostomo who is in the U.S. military. They were wed last January 25, 2006 at St. Francis of Assisi Church here in the Philippines. They have one child, Chelsea, who is three years old.

Carol says, "Request lang niya na makabalik kami dun for his birthday, kasi two years in a row na hindi namin siya nakasama for his birthday. (He requests us to go back there for his birthday, because it has been two years in a row that we weren't there for his birthday.)

"Two years ago, he was in Iraq. A year before that, nasa Arizona ako kasi dun ako nag-school. So this year, yun lang."  (Two years ago, he was in Iraq. A year before that, I was in Arizona because I study there. So this year, it's like that.)

Carol lit up when asked about her daughter's first experience here in Manila. The moment they got out of the plane, "Comedy 'yung anak ko, mapapaaway ako sa mga comments ng anak ko, kasi pagbaba na pagbaba niya sa eroplano, 'Mom, what's that smell?'" (My child is comedic. I get into fight with her comments, because the same moment we went down the airplane, 'Mom, what's that smell?")

Her daughter Chelsea, who is turning four in January next year, knows only a little bit of Filipino. "Konti lang kasi tinuturuan ko siya yung basic, 'banyo, opo, hindi po', yung mga basics lang pero hindi talaga siya yung...Natuwa nga siya nung napanood niya yung Dora sa Channel 2. Sabi niya, 'Dora and Spongebob', eh, nag-Tagalog si Dora, sabi niya, 'Mama, what is she saying?' (I taught her a little just the basics such as "comfort room, opo, hindi po [polite expressions], just the basic but she was just... She was happy when she have watched Dora in Channel 2. She said, 'Dora and Spongebob', but they were speaking in Tagalog [Filipino], she said, 'Mama, what is she saying?')

Sabi ko, 'Okay, 'yan anak, mag-aral ka mag-Tagalog', maya-maya, sumasabay na siya, 'Sumagwan, sumagwan'. Mabilis naman yung pick-up, eh. Trina-try niya. (I said, 'That's okay my child, study Tagalog. Then later on, she was catching up 'rowing, rowing'. She picks up easily. She was trying.)

This is the first time that her parents have met Chelsea. "Trina-try ko nga na hindi siya masyado matakot. Kasi si papa, hindi nga siya masyado nakakagalaw, minsan awkward yung mga facial expressions niya. Pero si papa, kahit na alam mo na hindi siya medyo nandun, nakikita mo na, nagre-react siya, na naiiyak siya. (I was trying so she wouldn't be scared. But dad, he cannot move freely, sometimes his facial expression are akward. But dad, even when you know that he wasn't really there, you can see, she was reacting that she is crying.)

"At least nakakapanatag ng loob na alam kong na-meet niya si Chelsea. Okay naman, lagi ko siya pinapa-greet, 'Say, Good morning, lolo,'"  (At least, I am sure that he has met Chelsea. It's okay, I always make her greet, 'Say, Good morning, grandpa") Carol said.

OLD FRIENDS. Carol also said that she and her other showbiz friends Nikki Valdez, Rica Peralejo, Kaye Abad, and Camille Pratts plan to have a reunion.

"Puro text lang. Alam na nila na nandito na ako, si Kaye, si Rica, si Nikki, si Camille, alam na nila na andito na ako. Gusto nga nila mag-reunion kasi siyempre, marami may asawa na, may mga babies na so 'play date, play date,' para may kalaro yung mga bata. We are planning on doing that. Especially yung Ang TV [their ABS-CBN show they were just kids], kami malaki na, tapos may mga bagets na. (Just texting. They know that I am here. Kaye, Rica, Nikki, Camille, they know that I am already here. They even want to have a reunion because most of us have partners, have babies so 'play date, play date' so the children have playmates. We are planning on doing that. Especially the Ang TV [their ABS-CBN show they were just kids], we are already big, and now we have our own kids.)

"Si Rica na lang walang anak sa barkada, pero sabi niya project pa niya yun. School muna siya, sabi ko, 'Okay 'yan, keri mo 'yan,'" (It was only Rica who have no child in the circle of friends, but she said it was her project. She focuses on school, I said 'That's okay, you can carry that'") Carol related.

"We are planning it. Lalo na 'yung mga nanay magkikita-kita, so lola na sila ngayon. Tapos kami na yung mommies, tapos may mga babies na." (We are planning it. Especially when the mothers meet, they are now grandmothers. Then we are now the mommies, we already have babies.)

SHOWBIZ INTRIGUES. Is she ready for the speculations and intrigues that may surface about her comeback?

"Ine-expect ko yun pero alam ko naman kung ano yung totoo. Hindi naman ako na-bored, actually, kasi nag-school ako dun. (I expect that but I know what it true. I am not bored, actually, because I went to school there.)
"Ang pinaka-goal ko talaga is maging nurse, so I'm still going for my school. So pagkatapos ko dito, maghahanap pa ako ng trabaho as a nurse pagbalik ko dun. Kasi fresh grad pa lang ako. (My main goal is to be a nurse, so I'm still going for my school. So after here, I will find a job as a nurse when I go back there. I was still a fresh grad.)
"Yung reason lang talaga kaya ako umuwi is for my dad, kasi nga may sakit siya, para ma-meet niya yung apo niya. And, eto, para makapag-record ulit since love ko naman talaga yung pagkanta," (The reason I went home is really for my dad, because he still has sickness, so he can meet his grandchild. And, so that I could record again since I really love singing) says the singer and former teen actress.

Asked if she can stay longer should opportunities for acting come around, Carol says she still has to decide one way or the other.

"Uhm, tingnan na lang natin," (Uhm, we'll see,) Carol answers, smiling. "It's too early pa to decide na ganun, siyempre. Hindi na lang ako mag-isa nagdi-decide, may asawa na ako, siyempre yung anak ko, nandito din. So tingnan natin. We'll see." (It's too early to decide that of course. I am not the only one will decide. I already have a husband, and my daughter is here. So we'll see. We'll see.")

The singer gave in to the request of the press to listen to her voice again. She sang her mellow "Stay."

WORKING WITH AIZA.  Her childhood friend, Aiza Seguerra, will produce her yet untitled album.

"Excited ako kasi huli kong nakasama si Aiza, 2004 pa. Nag-show kami sa Canada. Pero ito yung first time na ganitong klaseng trabaho," Carol recalls. (I am excited because the last time I am with Aiza was way back 2004. We had a show in Canada. But it was our first in this kind of job.)

Carol says teaming up with Aiza was a cynch after she requested her recording company to give her album an acoustic feel.

"Kasi sabi ko kay Ate Annabel, yung concept ng album, gusto ko acoustic yung dating. Kasi I've never done an album na ganun yung dating. Siyempre, sino maiisip mo? Acoustic, di ba? Aiza!"  (I said to Ate Annabel, the concept for the album, I want it to be acoustic. Because, I 've never done that kind of album.)

CHARICE AND SARAH. We asked her opinion on Filipino international singer Charice Pempengco and her performance on the U.S. show Glee. Carol was all praises for the 18-year-old Filipino star. "Ay, bonggang-bongga in a major way. Kanina nga pinapanood namin, kaya napapaganun ako (mimicking Charice's gestures) sa pagkanta niya." (Ay, it was very good in a major way. We just watched it, so I was like [mimicking Charice's gestures] in her singing )

Turning to the cameras, she added, "Charice, kung nanonood ka, we are so proud of you. Sobrang nakakakilabot, nakakaproud lang as a Filipino." (Charice, if you are watching, we are so proud of you. Very terrible, so very proud as a Filipino.)

She also named singer-actress Sarah Geronimo, 22, as someone she sees of herself back when she was at the peak of her career. "Yung nakikita ko na medyo familiar, na the way na nabigyan ng mga projects, the way Sarah is right now. Kasi yung album muna, kanta-kanta, then nag-teleserye, then kantaserye di ba? Parehong-pareho, so parang nakakarelate ako," she said (What I see that's familiar, the way she was given projects, the way Sarah is right now. Because album first, sing-sing, then drama, then musical-drama? Really the same, so I could relate.)

However, Carol stressed, "Pero si Sarah, parang bonggang-bongga na si Sarah ngayon." (But Sarah, she is very good now)

Is she willing to work with Sarah and do a cameo on ABS-CBN's Idol?

Without batting an eyelash, she answered, "Why not?" She paused, then remarked with a laugh, "Pero parang, ano kaya ang role ko dun?" (But... what would be my role there?)

Carol revealed that she is scheduled to guest in ABS-CBN's Sunday noontime show ASAP XV

"Oo nga, nakaka-excite, makikita ko na sina Zsa Zsa [Padilla], si Vina [Morales]. Nami-miss ko yung ASAP days na may number kami nila Kuya Martin [Nievera]. Si Tito Gary [Valenciano], hindi ko nakasama sa ASAP, pero it would be nice kung makasama ko sila Zsa Zsa ulit,"  (Yes, very exciting, I could finally see Zsa Zsa [Padilla], Vina [Morales]. I miss ASAP days where we have a number with Kuya [polite expression for men] Martin [Nievera]. Uncle Gary [Valenciano], we never been in ASAP together, but it would be nice if I could be with Zsa Zsa Again) she ended.

Credits to: PEP
Translated by: - Justin -

- Justin -

About the "Author"

Justin Vawter Greco Buenagua *

An architecture student. A fashion and design blogger. Total sucker for S.H.E.! Wishes to be married to Ella Chen someday (sorry Richard!) I created this blog just to share everything I love about C-Pop. Who would have thought this would become like this? Thank you for reading! Keep the love for Asian music alive! :)

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