AIZA Seguerra: “This event will be about the things I really enjoy doing.”
“This is my life. I will live it the way I like,” said singer-actress Aiza Seguerra, who will commemorate her 25th year in show business with a star-studded concert on Sept. 28.
Aiza, 28, said she finally found happiness after having learned to love and accept herself.
“I learned to respect differences in opinions,” she admitted. “I learned to love my job and be happy with the people I work with.”
Aiza joined show biz in 1987 via the “Little Miss Philippines” segment of the noontime show “Eat … Bulaga!”
“I had to grow up fast in this business,” she related. “I was insecure because I didn’t turn out to be the beauty-queen material that people who saw me grow up on TV expected me to be.”
With a string of movies under her belt, she took time off in 1997. She came back as a singer in 2001 with the hit ballad “Pagdating ng Panahon.”
“In the beginning, I didn’t think the song suited me,” she recalled. “I found it to be very commercial.”
She went on: “I was used to singing folk songs before I recorded ‘Pagdating.’ I later realized that the song is about hope—a person hoping to be noticed. It actually reflects my personality.”
Celeb lineup
KRIZZA Neri, one of her guest singers
Aiza never planned for a big concert for her silver anniversary. She just wanted to celebrate it by drinking with some friends.
“I also thought of just doing a gig at a small venue,” she added. “But my coproducers (MediaNation and That’s Ntertainment Productions) gave me the Big Dome (or the Smart Araneta Coliseum). While I find this extremely stressful and nerve-wracking, I’m determined to make it enjoyable for my audience and myself.”
Aiza’s “Bente Singko” anniversary concert will feature the “Bulaga” trio Tito, Vic and Joey; Gary Valenciano; Martin Nievera; The CompanY; “ASAP Sessionistas” Juris, Richard Poon, Princess and Nyoy Volante; Gloc 9, Bayang Barrios and Cooky Chua of Color It Red. Also part of the show is the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, with Gerard Salonga as conductor. Mike Villegas and Ria Osorio will be the musical directors.
Personal connections
“The guests are my personal choices,” Aiza explained. “Each of them has been my mentor or, at some point, my inspiration to make music.”
She said she chose them not because they’re crowd-drawers but because “they all have personal connections to me.”
Aiza will be singing “If I Could” with rumored sweetheart and talent search winner Krizza Neri.
“It’s (the song’s) dedicated to all my mentors, those who taught me music throughout my 25 years in the business,” she explained.
Will she wear gowns similar to what she donned in her Music Museum concert a few years back?
“Sorry to burst your bubble, no more gowns,” Aiza quipped. “This event will be about the things I really enjoy doing—singing, playing guitar, making music and jamming with friends. It’s actually a nonconcert.”
“I’ll be onstage with these amazing artists singing with me, and an orchestra,” she pointed out. “There’ll be no big production numbers; no fireworks. What’s more important to me is to be able to communicate to my audience through my music.”
“I’m happy. I don’t owe anyone an explanation,” Aiza said when asked about the real score between her and Krizza.
Aiza was Krizza’s mentor in the first season of GMA 7’s “Protege: Battle for the Big Break,” where the 17-year-old Cagayan de Oro native was the grand winner. Aiza also produced Krizza’s self-titled album under her own record label, Blackbird Music.
In March, Aiza broke up with Chen Sarte, her partner of seven years. While she admitted that they weren’t “speaking to each other anymore,” Aiza refused to reveal the reason for their split, causing speculations that it was because of Krizza.
“As long as I’m not hurting the people I love and who love me, I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong,” she pointed out.
Krizza denied any romantic involvement with Aiza in previous TV interviews.
Aiza said she has long acknowledged her sexuality. “This has nagged me ever since I was very young, but it was in high school when I finally admitted it to myself. I didn’t want to acknowledge it for a long time. All I knew was that I didn’t feel comfortable wearing girly dresses and I wasn’t interested in dating boys. At that time I realized that I didn’t want to hide it anymore, that I was just fooling myself.”
E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph