She first burst into the limelight as one of the contestants in the first celebrity edition of Survivor Philippines. Solenn Heussaff's charming ways, not to mention her beauty, has endeared her to fans of the show. Since then, the French-Filipina celeb has appeared on countless other TV programmes and has recently launched her eponymous album, which has two original tracks and eight cover songs.
How does it feel finally launching your album?
It's great. I like this better than acting, because with acting, I grope for Tagalog words. I'm constantly thinking of the next line, what to say. And with music, I am able to put more emotion to it. I am more comfortable with singing for now, but I am also determined to do well as an actress.
Is there anyone special coming to your concert [in Greenhills in San Juan city, Metro Manila] this month?
Ah, yes. My family (laughs). And my new date. Finally, I am dating someone. I've been ready for this for quite some time now, having been preoccupied with my work. He's bald, I like guys who are bald because I find it sexy when I run my fingers over their head.
Other than his being bald, what do you like about your new date? Who is he?
He's not from showbiz so let's keep him out of the limelight. I like him because he is smart and has ambition, while also giving me the freedom to do what I want. Before I wanted somebody I could control, now I've changed. I want somebody my equal, even somebody who can be my mentor in life.
What about rumours linking you to Jericho Rosales?
Not true. But he's a friend, and so are the other guys being maliciously linked to me in several showbiz write-ups, Mark Bautista (singer) and Victor Aliwalas (Film-Am actor who is said to be dating Liz Almoro, ex-wife of TV host Willie Revillame).
What can we look forward to in your album?
It's got a good mix of songs. The carrier single is Fire, a remake of the Bruce Springsteen song that was updated in the '90s by Babyface. We've tweaked it a bit to make it more of a house song, which would sort of synch with my personality.
Another one of my favourites is Chemistry, which I co-wrote with ex-Rivermaya frontman Rico Blanco. He is a genius, by the way. We changed some of the lyrics I wrote and he was the one who put music to it. It's a dancy tune, so anyone who likes dancing will love this song.
Globe trotting
Actor Aga Muhlach celebrated his 42nd birthday last week, and one of the highlights of the fab party he hosted was his reconciliation with megastar Sharon Cuneta, with whom he had fallen out early this year. All's well that ends well between the two powerhouse celebs. Muhlach was cheerful as he spoke to everyone, including the media, about his forthcoming show, Pinoy Explorer, which will take him to different parts of the world. He will soon be seen in the Middle East with the much anticipated launch of TV5 in the region.
Ready for more
It looks like Martin Escudero has finally received his break — he is the lead star of the indie film Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington, which was recently rated ‘A' by the Cinema Evaluation Board. An ‘A' rating means the movie is well done, and it is exempted from having to pay entertainment taxes. As for Escudero, he earned rave reviews for his role in the comedy movie. Nothing much has been heard of Martin since he left GMA two years back, until this movie. He's back with a bang.
Dancing Queen
Pretty young thing Kris Bernal is being dubbed the new Dancing Queen. She stars in the series Time of My Life where she plays the role of a dancing enthusiast, and critics are saying she's portrayed the role well. And if ratings are anything to go by, it looks like people love the actress in her new role as evidenced by the programme's very strong showing during prime time TV. Bernal was never really known as much of a dancer until this show; she says she's happy she was able to discover she's got two dancing feet.
Not choosy
Fast rising pop star Angeline Quinto denied she has become a diva, and quashed insinuations saying she has become choosy with the songs she sings on ASAP, a variety show on ABS CBN. Quinto says it is the show's producers who choose the line-up of songs that she and other singers on the show will perform. She feels she's being unnecessarily compared with another belter on the show, Sarah Geronimo, and has asked people to stop creating rivalry between them.
