Sarah Geronimo on beauty, fame and falling in love

CEBU, Philippines - She has bloomed right before the public eye.

Sarah Geronimo has grown into a lovely young lady that seemingly has everything going right for her. 

Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo is born to Delfin Geronimo (brother of TV host Adolfo “Ka Gerry” Geronimo), a retired PLDT employee, and Divina, who used to run a beauty parlor in their house at Sta. Cruz, Manila. Sarah is the third of four children with siblings Jonnah Rizzie, Sunshine Grace, and Ezekiel Gabriel.

She was already singing at a very young age (including singing before the late Pope John Paul II when he came to the Philippines in 1995); but it was in the singing search Star of the Night hosted by Regine Velasquez that ushered her breakthrough into the music industry in 2003. She was 14.

Six years after, she enjoys a career that people her age could only dreamed of—sold-out concerts, best-selling albums, numerous endorsements, steady TV stints, box-office movies, and more. Her awards run like a litany: from awards citing her merits as a performer to distinctions recognizing her being a good role model to youngsters.

And she just turned 21. The promise of more success in the years to come is so enormous that showbiz watchers are hailing her as the next Regine Velasquez, Sharon Cuneta and Nora Aunor combined.

“Sobra naman po yun. Ayoko pong marinig ang mga labels na ‘yan. Mas gusto ko na ina-api ako kasi na-tsa-challenge ako, dun ko kinukuha ang drive,” she said in a recently-held presscon hosted by Belo Essentials at the Maxwell Hotel in Escario. 

While she has Viva, her talent agency, as well as the guidance of her parents to thank for charting well her career, she is very aware of the downside of her work.

“We all know that fame is fleeting. Maybe six months from now, hindi niyo na ako kilala. Basta ako I put my best effort in all the things that I do now. Dapat binibigay mo ang lahat, may mali ka man, basta dapat hindi ka naging kampante,” she said.

Still and all, along with the ascending direction of career, Sarah emanates the kind of glow that only self-assuredness could only bring. 

Bright and bubbly, and noticeably candid and chatty but still in a very wholesome kind of way, she’s a far cry, personality-wise, from the Sarah who was still newly introduced by Viva.   

She’s all grown up now, and even the boys are starting to get notice. “No boyfriend yet. It will come. There’s no rush,” the 21-year-old singer said, but like any girl, she does get thrilled at all the feelers being sent.

Ask for her beauty tips, she said: just maintain good hygiene, keep a healthy diet and choose the trusted, beauty products. Sarah is an endorser of Belo Essentials, along with Bea Alonzo. “Tingnan niyo naman pumuputi na ako,” she giggled.

But beauty to her is more than skin-deep. “You feel good about yourself if you develop your spiritual life…if you are good to others, and you don’t speak or think of ill of other people.” 

Sarah is seen Sundays on ASAP, she is reportedly eyed to do the lead female of the Filipino version of the Asian TV drama “Meteor Garden” .