Pops Fernandez happy being single but ‘not closing doors’ on love

Cast of “For the Love”

While being in a romantic relationship “would be nice,” Pops Fernandez is now at a point in her life where she can feel secure and choose to be happy—with or without a partner.

“Wala. Wala talagang [love life] … You’re more needy when you’re younger. You feel unsure of yourself. I’m not saying I don’t need anyone; of course, it would be nice to have a loving and understanding partner. But also, I now enjoy doing my own thing,” she said at a press conference for TV5’s new OPM-inspired romance anthology series, “For the Love.”

For Pops, being single means doing what she wants to do in her own time. “I’m taking advantage of that. Though my children are now all grown up and in the United States, I get to spend a lot of time with them. And if I want to see my boys, I can do it anytime … I don’t need to worry about asking permission from anyone,” she said.

“I get to make my own decisions or schedule,” added the seasoned singer, who has two sons—Robin and Ram—with her ex-husband, Martin Nievera. But that’s not to say she’s closing her doors to love forever. If it comes, it comes. “If someone comes along, someone I can travel with, watch movies and hold hands with, then why not?” she said.

Should that happen, Pops said she will make sure to take her time. “Not having a label at the beginning is OK with me. May slight trauma na ‘ko—actually, hindi lang slight!” she said, laughing. “We could be friends first. That’s how you get to know each other better. If it works, why not? If not, then you can stay friends.”

Giving advice

Pops Fernandez

“For the Love,” which airs Saturdays, 3:20 p.m., starting July 2, will present 13 tales of love and loss. Each episode will be directed by different directors (including JP Laxamana, Rod Marmol and Joel Ferrer) and will feature different promising love teams (Heaven Peralejo and Marco Gallo; Krissha Viaje and Wilbert Ross; and Bea Binene and Gab Lagman, to name a few).As the host, Pops will not only present the stories, but will also talk about her life experiences, give advice and, of course, perform love songs (from Viva Music’s catalog) that best complement the episodes’ themes. It has been a while since Pops hosted or starred in a television show, so she couldn’t be more excited for this project. “I want to work and keep on working as long as I can. As long as I’m enjoying myself and having fun. And show biz is still fun. Once it bites you and you become part of [it], it’s hard to let go,” she said.

“I haven’t really sung on television for so long. It talks about young love and showcases young talents. I hope people can pick up bits and pieces of advice from the stories,” she said, adding that interpreting contemporary pop songs can be challenging.

“Songs today have different phrasings and require different approaches, so that’s the challenge. But they’re fun. And I believe that younger people will be able to enjoy them,” she said.

While she’s admittedly “quite older” than the show’s featured screen tandems, Pops believes that she will still be able to relate to their experiences. “Back then, the guy goes to your home, gives you gifts and puts his best foot forward. But nowadays, we can connect through dating apps. But no matter the basis or how the love started, the feeling is the same: If you’re sad, you’re sad. If you’re happy, you’re happy. And when you’re in love, you’re in love,” she said.

‘Enjoy the team-up’

If she could give a piece of advice for young love teams, it would be this: Don’t let outside pressure affect your relationship off-screen. “Enjoy the team-up. Enjoy your work together. If you’re truly in love, go for it. But if you feel you’re just pressured because people want you to be together, take your time. It has to come from you,” she said.

It’s also important, Pops added, “to love yourself first.” “Love is beautiful and exciting. But you have to remember to love yourself first. Before you can share, give or experience the love you want to experience, you have to learn how to love yourself first,” she said. INQ