AFTER 11 YEARS IN THE BIZ, Tootsie Guevara feels her career is just starting

WHEN singer Tootsie Guevara was 15 years old, she got a tempting offer to do a bold movie, but she turned it down. "No regrets," she says now, five years later. "E, ‘di wala sanang ‘Pasulyap-sulyap,’" she adds, referring to one of her hit songs in her platinum album, "Kaba."

Needless to say, Tootsie has found her niche in singing. It’s always been her first love, she points out. She started singing at age four in Cebu, where her dad worked. She had her first formal singing lessons there two years later.

In one of the singing contests that Tootsie joined, she was discovered by Raul Laurente, who brought her to Manila. Soon after, the young singer found her way to German Moreno’s "That’s Entertainment" teen program on GMA Channel 7. That was in 1990 and she was only nine years old then.

"’That’s Entertainment’ was a good training ground," she maintains. "Being in the show helped me hone my talents and develop my confidence." Tootsie felt sad when it went off the air, but she took the cancellation as a chance to explore the biz further.

With the help of Star Records, Tootsie has been successful in finding her voice in the recording business. Her "Kaba" album features sweet, adolescent love songs that strike a chord in many teenagers, who comprise a big percentage of tape and CD buyers in the country.

Though Tootsie still dishes out love songs in her latest recording, she’s making a statement that she’s now a young lady, ready to tackle adult themes and to inject mature insights into her music.

Thus in her new album "Sa Puso Ko," Tootsie, with the help of seasoned songwriters like Vehnee Saturno, Ben Escasa and Larry Hermosa, is able to give different interpretations to the otherwise standard views on love.

The carrier single, "Nang Dahil Sa Pag-ibig," is about the pain of unrequited love, and although we don’t agree with the song’s message, we find Tootsie’s depiction of longing effective. It may not help advance the causes of women’s groups but a lot of women can be really helpless when they’re in love.

Tootsie’s take on Ed Formoso’s "You’ll Always Be My Number One" is not quite like its original singer’s (Verni Varga, after all, is incomparable). Good thing, though, Tootsie has a youthful exuberance that matches the song’s funky arrangement.

Tootsie goes personal in "Do You?," whose lyrics she wrote, and in "More Than Love," which Martin Nievera penned (with music by Ben Escasa) after a heart-to-heart talk with the young singer. You forget to snoop into Tootsie’s private life, though, when you’re listening to these songs, since the theme applies to most people.

"Ba’t Di Mo Sabihin," "Dating Tagpuan," "Don’t Say It’s Over," "Ayaw Kong Mawalay Ka," "Minsan Pa," "Bakit Ngayon Lang," "I’m In Love" and the title track, "Sa Puso Ko," complete Tootsie’s new album. Don’t try to decode double meanings in those titles, because Tootsie has not joined the bandwagon of "naughty" tunes.

"It’s not the direction we’d like to take in the album," she avers, making it clear that she has nothing against Mystica and company. But to promote the album, Tootsie has decided to go a bit sexy. Donning tight, flirty clothes, for instance. And she’s learned to pout more, and giggle less.

Tootsie admits to having difficulty in changing her image. She’s therefore grateful to her manager, her ex-manager, her parents and her friends for helping her achieve her new look. But those are just physical changes, she reminds us.

Love of music remains Tootsie’s motivation to sing. In fact, she’s still taking lessons to improve her craft. (She initially enrolled in a music course in college but later shifted to Hotel and Restaurant Management.)

She also knows how to take care of her voice. "I try to go to bed before midnight. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink liquor. I don’t take cold drinks at hindi ako nagtetelebabad," she declares.

Most of all, she knows that stardom can’t be attained overnight. After 11 years in the biz, with two successful albums and a couple of hit songs, Tootsie feels her career is just starting--this time, on a more clearly upward trajectory.



	AFTER 11 YEARS IN THE BIZ Tootsie Guevara feels her career is just starting WHEN singer Tootsie Guevara was 15 years old, she got a tempting offer to do a bold movie, but she turned it down. "No regrets," she says now, five years later. "E, ‘di wala sanang ‘Pasulyap-sulyap,’" she adds, referring to one of her hit songs in her platinum album, "Kaba." Niche Needless to say, Tootsie has found her niche in singing. It’s always been her first love, she points out. She started singing at age four in Cebu, where her dad worked. She had her first formal singing lessons there two years later. In one of the singing contests that Tootsie joined, she was discovered by Raul Laurente, who brought her to Manila. Soon after, the young singer found her way to German Moreno’s "That’s Entertainment" teen program on GMA Channel 7. That was in 1990 and she was only nine years old then. "’That’s Entertainment’ was a good training ground," she maintains. "Being in the show helped me hone my talents and develop my confidence." Tootsie felt sad when it went off the air, but she took the cancellation as a chance to explore the biz further. With the help of Star Records, Tootsie has been successful in finding her voice in the recording business. Her "Kaba" album features sweet, adolescent love songs that strike a chord in many teenagers, who comprise a big percentage of tape and CD buyers in the country. Statement Though Tootsie still dishes out love songs in her latest recording, she’s making a statement that she’s now a young lady, ready to tackle adult themes and to inject mature insights into her music. Thus in her new album "Sa Puso Ko," Tootsie, with the help of seasoned songwriters like Vehnee Saturno, Ben Escasa and Larry Hermosa, is able to give different interpretations to the otherwise standard views on love. The carrier single, "Nang Dahil Sa Pag-ibig," is about the pain of unrequited love, and although we don’t agree with the song’s message, we find Tootsie’s depiction of longing effective. It may not help advance the causes of women’s groups but a lot of women can be really helpless when they’re in love. Tootsie’s take on Ed Formoso’s "You’ll Always Be My Number One" is not quite like its original singer’s (Verni Varga, after all, is incomparable). Good thing, though, Tootsie has a youthful exuberance that matches the song’s funky arrangement. Theme Tootsie goes personal in "Do You?," whose lyrics she wrote, and in "More Than Love," which Martin Nievera penned (with music by Ben Escasa) after a heart-to-heart talk with the young singer. You forget to snoop into Tootsie’s private life, though, when you’re listening to these songs, since the theme applies to most people. "Ba’t Di Mo Sabihin," "Dating Tagpuan," "Don’t Say It’s Over," "Ayaw Kong Mawalay Ka," "Minsan Pa," "Bakit Ngayon Lang," "I’m In Love" and the title track, "Sa Puso Ko," complete Tootsie’s new album. Don’t try to decode double meanings in those titles, because Tootsie has not joined the bandwagon of "naughty" tunes. "It’s not the direction we’d like to take in the album," she avers, making it clear that she has nothing against Mystica and company. But to promote the album, Tootsie has decided to go a bit sexy. Donning tight, flirty clothes, for instance. And she’s learned to pout more, and giggle less. Tootsie admits to having difficulty in changing her image. She’s therefore grateful to her manager, her ex-manager, her parents and her friends for helping her achieve her new look. But those are just physical changes, she reminds us. Love of music remains Tootsie’s motivation to sing. In fact, she’s still taking lessons to improve her craft. (She initially enrolled in a music course in college but later shifted to Hotel and Restaurant Management.) She also knows how to take care of her voice. "I try to go to bed before midnight. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink liquor. I don’t take cold drinks at hindi ako nagtetelebabad," she declares. Most of all, she knows that stardom can’t be attained overnight. After 11 years in the biz, with two successful albums and a couple of hit songs, Tootsie feels her career is just starting--this time, on a more clearly upward trajectory.