Carren (fifth from left) with “E.A.T.” Dabarkads —CARREN EISTRUP/FACEBOOK
Just three months after Carren Eistrup won the “Eat Bulaga!” talent search “Bida Next,” the longest-running noontime show’s original hosts, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon (TVJ), bade a shocking farewell to their former producer TAPE Inc.
It was nerve-wracking. How could all of this be happening so soon after joining the “Dabarkads?” “It was heartbreaking … I was worried because I had just won, but it seemed like everything was going downhill. I was stressed,” Carren said at the recent trade launch of the entertainment and talent management company Merlion Entertainment.
Should she stay with TAPE for the revamped “Eat Bulaga!”? Or should she stick with TVJ? She chose the latter.
“I asked permission from my management, my parents. We had a discussion about what to do next. We chose to stay,” said Carren, who’s now part of TVJ’s new show on TV5, “E.A.T.”
Carren couldn’t be happier with her decision. “It was the right decision to stay with them because I have already gotten used to working with the team. I’m so happy because they treat me like family. They’re so kind to me, on- and off-camera,” she told the Inquirer. “Sobrang bait nila lahat … I know they will treat me right. ”
Being with the original cast is reassuring. She knows she has people behind her on her journey in the biz.
“I’m still improving every day. The Dabarkads give me advice with everything, especially hosting. I still get a little bit nervous if I have to interview people. But I think that’s normal. I do feel more confident now than I was when I started in February … But I’m just 14. I still have a lot of time to improve,” she said. “And I know they will help me become a better artist.”
Carren Eistrup —CARREN EISTRUP/FACEBOOK
‘Food buddy’
Of her more experienced cohosts, it’s Wally Bayola and Ryzza Mae Dizon she feels closest to. The show’s newest member Atasha Muhlach, on the other hand, quickly became Carren’s “food buddy.” “We eat together during commercial breaks. She loves pancit. And I eat just about anything served to us,” she said, laughing. “I’m always hungry.”
Seeing Atasha for the first time, Carren said, left her starstruck. “I didn’t know we were welcoming a new member. So when she got out, I was so shocked because I know her as Aga Muhlach’s daughter and I see her all the time online,” she related. “But she was so sweet, kind and everything.”
The said trade launch was also attended by other Merlion artists like 2022 Binibining Pilipinas International Nicole Borromeo, GMA 7 talent Caitlyn Stave, P-pop girl group Calista and various other newbie singers, actors and influencers. It was apparent, however, that Carren is currently the fledgling company’s prime artist.
“I didn’t want to sign with an agency at first, because I wanted to focus on my studies. But I’m so happy with how things turned out,” she said, adding that it’s normal to feel pressure now that she’s being groomed as the company’s top name. “But everyone is talented, especially our singers and actresses. We all get fair opportunities.”
Call center The precocious Filipino-Danish celebrity’s first love is singing. An experienced “kontesera,” Carren has joined them all: singing contests like “Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids,” international tilts like the World Championship of the Performing Arts, and even beauty pageants.
Now she wants to put out an album. “It has been music for me ever since. I usually perform pop and ballads, but now that I’m an ‘E.A.T.’ host, I have to be versatile and be able to do different types of production numbers. I hope to explore more styles as I work on new songs,” she said.
Acting, however, isn’t in her immediate plans. “Some people have been saying that I’m already good at singing and hosting, so I should try acting. I love watching local TV shows, but I would like to focus on my singing first,” she said.
Besides, Carren still has to juggle her show biz career with her studies. “I attend Starlight International School and I go to classes after our live show—from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. ‘Oh ’di ba, parang call center?” she said, laughing. “But I don’t feel any pressure. I love to multitask and I’m able to handle things well.”