THE STORY ACCORDING TO SARAH GERONIMO
Strong, independent and scarred, the Popstar Princess, Sarah Geronimo, grows into a full-fledged beacon of unparalleled Pinoy Pride
Take this as a gospel. After all, Sarah Geronimo as a household name has never once failed to bless our television sets and big screens with her phenomenal talent. Bow down for the 27-year-old Popstar Princess (and romcom diva) who has officially grown into a full-fledged queen, a much-deserved title we bestow upon her after 13 years of blood, sweat, tears and a handful of ear candies.
Even yours truly could not fathom the immensity of her aural glow in that white dress we shot. I looked back fondly on the tanned and sheepish but equally gutsy Sarah Geronimo who won that singing contest on IBC-13. She was the Sarah who came from nothing and had nothing to lose.
This is the story of Sarah Geronimo, according to Sarah Geronimo—a showbiz stalwart, and whom we can peacefully consider the patron saint of (millennial) Filipina hopes and dreams.
HERSTORY
We’ve seen Sarah Geronimo grow up from her teenage years in front of the cameras and radio microphones. If she were to leave a legacy decades from now, it will be not borne of showbiz pedigree but one of sheer talent. It’s the kind of talent which has been honed through piety, countless hours of training and getting by with a little help from her family and friends. “Unang una sa lahat, kung hindi ako iniluwal ng nanay ko sa mundong ito, hindi magkakaroon na ma-experience lahat ng ibinigay sa aking talento ng Panginoon,” shares the pop idol with a smile. It was actually she who broke the ice with her sincere yet godlike fire, thawing the cold fingers clutching my recording device; her fire against my icy demeanor. “Sa hard work naming lahat, buong pamilya ko, kahit na kapos sila sa financial [sic] noon, talagang pinursige nila na, ‘Eto, may talent itong anak ko.’ Yung tiwala nila sa akin, grabe, hanggang umabot nga ako ng 13 years old na na-discover ako sa singing contest hosted by Ms. Regine Velasquez, yung Star For A Night.”
A princess as she is viewed by many, it is still not by a fairy tale that Sarah achieved her seminal triumph. “Marami po kaming pinagdaanan—mga singing contest sa barangay, TV talent shows sa ABS-CBN at GMA.”
I notice her fixing her freshly manicured nails. It is beyond obvious that she has been accustomed to a relatively comfortable lifestyle. Of course, it has only piqued my curiosity about the other side of Sarah G who remains elusive to blinding lights, airbrush makeup and intrusive camera lenses. Wash the hairspray off her tresses, unzip the opulently beaded and draped gown, and throw the kilometric Jimmy Choo heels beyond her reach. Underneath it all
“KAILANGANG MAG-STICK TAYO SA KUNG ANONG VALUES ANG MAYROON TAYO AS FILIPINOS”
emerges a simple woman who has an immense talent. “Normal [akong] taong mababaw ang kaligayahan; lumaki sa simpleng buhay at meron lang simpleng pangarap—yun lang ang makakanta siya at makapagbigay ng kaligayahan sa mga tao.”
POPPING OUT OF THE BOX
There will come a time when Sarah will no longer need your permission. The hour is nigh and it has been written by the gods of pop.
“As an artist, of course nandidiyan pa rin yung guidance ng management, but I really feel na kailangan mo talagang i-push kung ano ba talaga yung kailangan at identity mo. Hanapin mo yun for yourself.”
What your parents warned about, she has struggled with; what you have given upon, she has already managed to serve us. How do we even grapple with the idea of how a female artist can potentially affect the way we see culture (and pop culture in general)? “Nandidiyan yung pressure to be consistently relevant as an artist. Mahirap to find a balance kung papaano ka magiging in, at the same time without losing your identity.”
THE VOICE OF A GENERATION
“NORMAL [AKONG] TAONG MABABAW ANG KALIGAYAHAN; LUMAKI SA SIMPLENG BUHAY AT MERON LANG SIMPLENG PANGARAP”
“Sa isang kumpetisyon, manalo o matalo, basta ang isang Pilipino ay magkaroon ng lakas ng loob— tapang na kalabanin o humarap sa buong mundo— Pinoy pride yun kasi buong buo ang loob niya.”
The fact that her body of work has transcended sexual, political and class boundaries speaks volumes and is a feat rarely has any pop music artist has achieved. Come to think of it, Sarah Geronimo has already won the Pinoy Pride war without any warning or prior announcement. Let’s not kid ourselves with the #PinoyPride world-class uproar. When was the last time we ever felt of
“PANGARAP KO PARA NA MAGCONTINUE PANG MAG-CREATE NG MAGANDANG MUSIKA, ‘YUN TALAGANG TUMATAGOS SA ATING MGA PILIPINO”
our kababayan’s honest-to-goodness merits without placing them at the center of an international arena? “Si Sarah Geronimo lang yung kaya nating ika-proud na sariling atin talaga,” a neighbor opined firmly.
In the sea of feigned concern about our generation, mostly from the millennial middle class, there lies comfort in Sarah Geronimo’s cultural awareness. “Nawawala na yung identity natin dahil sa mga nakikita natin sa Western culture. Saan ba talaga tayo, mga Pilipina? Kailangang mag-stick tayo sa kung anong values ang mayroon tayo as Filipinos. That goes to embracing your own music. It’s not bad to be influenced by what we hear on the radio, pero ang hirap kumapit sa puso ng Pilipino.” She punctuates with much conviction, “Pangarap ko para sa OPM na mag-continue pang mag-create ng magandang musika, yun talagang tumatagos sa ating mga Pilipino.”
Say (or Tweet) anything you want about Sarah Geronimo. She’ll only shake it off of her bronzed shoulder. Bear in mind that Sarah G is not just any other success story; she is the story of the Filipina—strong, independent and scarred.