A ‘nice’ surprise for Nadine Lustre in Indonesia

Nadine Lustre performs in Indonesia.

JAKARTA—The day before she and Sam Concepcion took the stage at Lazada’s “Super Par7y” anniversary show, Nadine Lustre went for a quick stroll at a mall to buy some things.

It was her first time in the country and, much to her surprise, not a few locals recognized her as she walked around.

“There were also a bunch of people who knew me at the Changi Airport (during a flight stopover)… It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ It’s always nice to have supporters abroad who are non-Filipinos,” Nadine told a group of reporters after rehearsals for her and Sam’s number at the said musical event at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition.

The Indonesians’ familiarity with Nadine is most likely an offshoot of “On the Wings Love”—a past soap starring her and James Reid—aired here by the television network MNCTV from 2016 to 2017.

According to a story by the Department of Trade and Industry, the series was particularly popular among female teens and high school students.

“It’s great that our shows are being appreciated here, even if they’re not in their language,” Nadine said.

A handful of Filipino celebrities, like Christian Bautista and Teejay Marquez, have achieved considerable success here. Asked by the Inquirer if she would be willing to expand her audience and pursue projects in Indonesia, Nadine said: “Of course. I want to be able to share our culture with them, and I hope they end up loving it … [as] we do.”

“It’s something to be proud of,” she pointed out, adding that some of the artists her boyfriend, James, had signed for his own record label—Careless Music Manila—have been getting attention and streams from Indonesian listeners. “It would be nice to have supporters all over the world.”

Lustre (left) and James Reid

The 25-year-old star is still on a high, after the success of her latest movie, “Ulan,” which blends romance and magical realism.

“I like the fact that people still supported the project, even though James wasn’t in it. And I’m very happy because I wanted to please my director (Irene Villamor). We talk almost every day, and I keep on thanking her because this movie is a big break for me,” she related.

In the coming weeks, Nadine will continue shooting scenes for “Indak,” a dance-themed film that she and Sam will topbill. She will then start working on a new project with James.

“It’s coming soon, but I don’t think I’m allowed to say anything about it yet,” she giddily said.

Nadine is also looking forward to being in the studio again to record her new album. “I want to do something different—maybe house music? I’m looking for producers to work with,” said the actress, who draws inspiration from the different  pop-culture media she consumes.

“I love browsing Pinterest. I love watching creative videos and fashion shows,” she related. “And of course I love listening to music, which puts you in a place where you’re constantly imagining things.”

Meanwhile, Nadine said it was an honor to be selected by Lazada—a Southeast Asian e-commerce company—as one of the performers for its seventh anniversary show. She uses the online shop, she added, to buy supplies for her nail salon franchise. “It’s where I get nail art tools, like rhinestones and brushes,” she said.