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Angeline Quinto recalls her ‘kontesera’ days

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Liezel dela Cruz

<p>In an interview with Isko Moreno on YouTube, the Queen of Teleserye Theme Songs Angeline Quinto mused on her colorful beginnings. Before she won ABS-CBN’s reality singing competition <strong>Star Power</strong> in 2010, what happened first is that Angeline went through hardships.</p><p>It was her adoptive mother Mama Bob who first discovered her potential at 6 years old. At the time, Mama Bob noticed that Angeline, or Angge, can pick up melodies even before she learned to memorize song lyrics. An aunt enrolled Angeline in a singing class, which she didn’t finish due to lack of income.</p><div style="text-align:center"><img alt="Angeline will inspire you with her life story" src="https://aa1a-dctp-s3-entertainment.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/updates/entertainment/2023/01/29/Entertainment-Angeline-Quinto-recalls-her-kontesera-days.jpg"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><em><small>Photo credit to Isko Moreno Domagoso FB</small></em></div><p>She started to join amateur singing contests at age 9 despite Mama Bob’s restrictions. “Ang Mama ko po, ayaw niyang sumasali ako sa singing contests kasi hindi ako nakakapasok sa school. Lagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Nagbabayad ako ng tuition fee tapos hindi ka mag-aaral?’ So ako ‘yung tumatakas.” There was a time when Angeline – whose musical influences were Regine Velasquez, Jaya, and Roselle Nava – won three different contests in neighboring streets in just a night. She took home a total of 7, 000 pesos.</p><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/00YYZx1Fnnk" title="ISKOVERY NIGHT S01E03 with ANGELINE QUINTO" width="1280"></iframe></div><p>These fiesta competitions became her training ground until she auditioned for <strong>Star Power,</strong> which was the final contest she intended to join. Had she lost, Angeline would’ve pursued a career in culinary.</p><p>“Sabi ko sarili ko, ’20 years old na ako pero hindi pa ako nagiging champion.’ So, ‘yun ‘yung sinabi ko sarili ko, ‘Siguro kung hindi talaga ako para dito, mag-iiba na rin ako ng trabaho, hindi na ako kakanta.”</p><p>Angeline’s <strong>Star Power</strong> journey was a hard road in itself. Amid the contest, her Mama Bob had to undergo heart surgery, forcing them to pawn their house in Sampaloc, Manila. So, when she won, Angeline used her prize money to redeem Mama Bob’s house. And life drastically changed since.</p><p>She got her first accolade, awarded by the PMPC Star Awards for Music, just a year after winning <strong>Star Power</strong>. From singing, she tested her skills in drama and comedy. She had acting workshops and starred in several mainstream movies. Angeline considers acting as a welcome bonus, “Hindi ko naman pinangarap na maging artista. Gusto ko lang talaga na magkaroon ng regular na trabaho sa pagkanta.”</p><p>She went on to share her memorable experiences on set. She admitted that she&#x27;s easily intimidated by her directors that’s why “Sila ‘yung nilalambing ko.” There is one co-actor she’d rather not work again with, “Nabastos kasi ako. Nabastos ‘yung mga katrabaho ko. Ayoko nang ganu’n.” If given the chance, she’d like to be paired with John Lloyd Cruz and Daniel Padilla.</p><p>Though nothing will ever take away the pain of losing her Mama Bob, who passed away in November 2020, Angeline found a new blessing during times of uncertainty – her son Sylvio, who is turning 1 in a few months.</p><p>“Ganu’n po pala ‘yung pagiging nanay, magbabago ang buhay mo. Ang dami kong bagong pangarap para sa anak ko,” she smiled, thinking of Sylvio and fiancé Nonrev Daquina, whom she’s been in a relationship with for three years now.</p>