Dannyka Manangan

EXCLUSIVE: Kolette Madelo looks back on her days in PBB: ‘Naki-cringe ako sa sarili ko!’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>Coming a long way from her stint as a housemate in <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pbbgen112024"><em><strong>Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11</strong></em></a> where she emerged as 3rd runner-up, Kolette Madelo recently shared with <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz"><strong>PUSH ABS-CBN</strong></a> how her life has changed for the past two years since entering showbiz via the country’s longest reality show competition. </p><div><br/></div><p>The housemate known as “Ang Ma-cute-lit na Raketera ng General Santos,” rated herself in terms of her improvement. “Hindi ako perfect, pero feel ko, nag-improve naman ako ng mga 7. 7. Kasi, it’s a lot of improvement pa na kailangan gawin para mapunta ng 10,” she said. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPoXVakD115/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A14781688.9%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/3/16/kolette-madelo-is-proud-to-be-part-of-the-benefit-concert-ikalawang-yugto-buhay-at-pag-ibig-1028"><strong>READ: Kolette Madelo is proud to be part of the benefit concert &#x27;Ikalawang Yugto: Buhay at Pag-Ibig&#x27;</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Looking back on her stay inside the <em>PBB</em> house, Kolette admitted she still feels a little bit embarassed when she watches old episodes of the show. “Anong feeling ko talaga? Cringe. Naki-cringe ako sa sarili ko talaga! Kasi natural lang naman na siguro tumaba ka sa loob ng bahay ni Kuya. Parang hindi balance ‘yung katawan mo. Pwede kang tumaba. Kaya naman sabi ko, cringe. Feel ko ‘yung personality po siguro, sobrang kulit ko talaga nung nasa bahay ni Kuya ako. Compared ngayon, parang medyo alam ko na paano kontrolin ‘yung sarili ko, kung saan ko ilulugar yung kakulitan ko,” she told PUSH ABS-CBN. </p><div><br/></div><p>Kolette also admitted that she wished she had more confidence in herself when she first joined <em>PBB</em>. “Ang gusto kong sabihin sa kanya (my old self in <em>PBB</em>), ‘Sana pinangarap mo na mag-artista. Kasi hindi ko naman talaga pinangarap ‘yun.’ Kumbaga, nag-audition ako sa <em>PBB</em>, wala lang. Gusto ko lang mag-audition kasi ang purpose ko talaga sa pag-audition, gusto kong mag-make friends. Gusto kong ma-try na mag-audition. Kasi hindi pa ako naka-try. At sabi ko sa sarili ko na kung mag-au-audition ako, hindi naman ako matatanggap. Marami namang magaganda diyan. Kasi akala ko mga magaganda lang ang tatanggapin,” she explained. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DNzTDfm5B5_/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A14781717.6%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/10/2/kolette-madelo-on-finding-out-she-was-adopted-at-9-years-old-confident-ako-i-share-yung-story-ko-1322"><strong>READ: Kolette Madelo on finding out she was adopted at 9 years old: ‘Confident ako i-share yung story ko’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>The <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/studios/tv/pbbgen112024"><em><strong>PBB Gen 11</strong></em></a> housemate recalled how much of an unforgettable experience her entire audition process was before being officially accepted as a housemate. </p><div><br/></div><p>“Kasi, nag-audition ako ng 3 am ng madaling araw. Oo, madaling araw. Nakaupo lang ako doon. Wala akong iniisip. Dala ko lang ‘yung sarili ko. ‘Yung parang kung ano ‘yung itatanong sa akin, ‘yun lang din ‘yung sasagutin ko. Parang ganun. So, nagkaroon ako ng kaibigan. May pinatulog ako sa bahay. Oo, kasi kahit hindi ko kakilala, doon ko lang nakilala. Pinatulog ko and then sabi ko sa sarili ko, okay na kung hindi ako matanggap, pwede naman ako i-evict kaagad. Okay na ako. At least na-try ko. Hanggang sa nakaabot ako ng stage four ng competition,” she recalled. </p><p>She continued: “Sabi ko, ‘Lord, kung sa akin to Lord, ibigay mo na. Kung hindi, i-evict mo na ako dito sa linya (queue) na ito. Okay na ako.‘ Parang apat yung stages bago pumasok sa <em>PBB.</em> Kahit for interview na, hindi ka pa talaga final. Kasi may interview pa ulit after mo umabot sa stage area. Pinapunta ko ng Manila. Interview with the big bosses. Tapos, balik sa bahay. Tapos laboratory. And then doon na.”</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DSRXzHzkX7T/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A14781738.999999998%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>Back then, Kolette revealed that she didn’t want to get her hopes up too high about making it into showbiz. “Gusto ko talagang i-try na maging artista. Kaso parang wala akong confidence. Feeling ko, hindi naman din ako mapipili. Parang, ganun. Parang, okay, eto, may audition. Sige, i-try ko. Kung matanggap ako, eh, go. Kung hindi, eh, okay lang. At least, na-try ko naman ‘yung best ko.”<br/><br/>She recalled how she was mentally preparing herself to just accept her fate, deciding to give her all but also be ready in case she didn’t make the cut. “Pero, hindi ako nag-expect nung nakapila ako sa linya. Kasi sabi ko, kung ano lang ibigay sa akin, okay, go. Basta, ibigay ko lang din yung best ko.”</p><p>“Kung hindi para sa akin, tanggapin ko na lang. Pero sabi ko, ‘Lord, kung hindi man ako matanggap, pwede naman akong tanggalin na lang. Tanggalin mo ako sa line. Para hindi na ako umasa.’ So ‘yun, ginawa ko ‘di naman ako umasa. Pero, yun lang, go with the flow kung anong mangyayari. Hindi din ako nag-e-expect na. Kasi kinakabahan ako,” she recalled. </p><p>This year, Kolette looks forward to performing on stage with other OPM performers like IV of Spades and fellow <em>PBB</em> alumni Kai Montinola at the <em>Ikalawang YUGTO: Buhay at Pag-Ibig </em>benefit concert which was originally scheduled for March 27 but was recently postponed to a later date. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUaEsz5gfsa/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A14783406.499999998%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="925" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Given naman siguro na makikita nila ako dito sa pagkanta at pagsayaw. Gusto ko lang makita ng mga tao yung pagiging helpful ko kasi concert for a cause ang <em>Ikalawang Yugto</em>. Thankful po ako lagi sa mga fans ko kasi kahit saan po pumunta, naka-support sila palagi, at always nire-remind nila sa akin na ipagpatuloy ko lang ang pag-aartista,” she said. </p>

<p>Singer and Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11 housemate Kolette Madelo reveals how much she has changed since her stint inside the PBB house in 2024.</p>

Singer and Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11 housemate Kolette Madelo reveals how much she has changed since her stint inside the PBB house in 2024.