Stars’ kids set to prove themselves in concert

I know what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of a famous parent. It’s tough yet rewarding.

You are thrust into the limelight whether you like it or not. You are given little leeway to make mistakes and you suffer by comparison.

Be that as it may, I must say that being the daughter of Inday Badiday remains to be my best credential.

That’s why I can totally relate with the concept of “The Next Attraction,” a concert mounted by my good friend, Pops Fernandez, through DSL Productions.

The show features second-generation artists Robin Nievera, Paolo Valenciano, Isabella Gonzalez and Karylle. It will be staged on July 4, 8 p.m. at the Music Museum in Greenhills.

(For tickets, call 0918-5633781 or 6593474).

The four performers are out to prove that there is more to them than being the children of OPM icons, Pops Fernandez and Martin Nievera (Robin), Gary Valenciano (Paolo), Kuh Ledesma (Isabella) and Zsa Zsa Padilla (Karylle).

I remember attending Robin’s kiddie birth anniversary parties. How he has grown into a talented young man! Pops and Martin have gone their separate ways, but Robin and his brother Ram will keep them eternally linked.

Here’s my tête-à-tête with Robin:

ROBIN Nievera says he has yet to write songs for his parents.

What’s the best advice that your parents gave you about love and singing?

The best advice my parents ever gave me about love is to be honest. The best advice they gave me about singing is to be yourself.

In what ways are you different from your father?

My dad and I have a lot of similarities onstage. We both want to be the “loudest.” But we also love sharing the stage with friends and other musicians.

The only time we are different is in the way we perform. My dad and mom are full-on concert legends.

I am trying to make this singer-songwriter vibe happen for me. My humor is also very different from my dad’s. He is flamboyantly funny. My humor is sarcastic.

How has their separation molded you as a person?

I am currently 28 years old. I have been through dozens of ups and downs, not just their separation.

There are too many ways to explain how all my experiences have molded me into who I am today, so I’ll just say that, like any other human being, I have fallen and gotten back up again.

What’s the toughest part of being the son of Martin and Pops?

The toughest part about being their son is trying to be physically fit. I know how harsh people can be to artistas on their physical appearances. But I think the kids have it worse. I am barely on TV, but I still get a lot of flak for not being “male model” thin.

What’s the best part of being the son of Martin and Pops?

The best part about being the son of Martin and Pops is seeing how much the fans love them.

For as long as I could remember, random people would come up to me and tell me how much they love my parents, how much my folks’ music and talents have touched their lives. This has happened all over the world! It’s always amazing to hear that.

What are your songs for them?

When asked that question, I always have a different answer. I don’t really associate a song with a person; I usually try to write one for them. And as of today, I still do not have songs for my parents.

French connection

Since I’m a Frenchwoman trapped in a Filipino woman’s body, I immensely enjoyed the 20th French Film Festival mounted by the French Embassy in Manila.

Kudos to mon ami from the French Embassy, Martin Macalintal, audio-visual attaché, for the astounding success of the fest.

Watching the films made me recall my school days in Paris. For Francophiles comme moi, I recommend that you search for these movies online or on DVDs: “La Famille Bélier,” “Yves Saint Laurent,” “Lulu femme nue,” and my fave “Les garçons et Guillaume, à table!”

“La Famille Bélier” is such an endearing film about a deaf couple with a similarly handicapped son   and a daughter who can speak and hear. It’s a reminder that our family is the best gift that we were born with.

“Yves Saint Laurent” revolves around the iconic French designer known simply as YSL. Compelling and heart wrenching, the biopic shows that

Laurent was a prisoner of his own genius. It reminds us that fame is not everything that it’s cracked up to be. Just like

Laurent, we all have a price to pay for the life we choose to live.

“Lulu femme nue” is a celebration of the kindness of strangers. It also made me realize that, sometimes, we must break free from our daily grind, step out of our comfort zone and venture into the danger zone.

I fell in love with “Les garçons et Guillaume, à table!” Piercing and funny in equal parts, it tells us that the heart knows no gender.

One love fits all!