Hear Nikki heart

Still looking as pretty as she was in that famous Coke commercial some years ago, but now very grown up Nikki Gil maintains a breathless lifestyle that would terrify other girls her age. She is certainly moving around with a very full plate right now. She VJs regularly on MYX, the top music channel in the country today. She has the weekly variety program ASAP on Sundays on ABS-CBN. She also acts in soap operas. Among her recent stints were Florinda, Rounin and Pangarap Na Bituin. She has another new series coming up soon. So that means more late night tapings.

She also sings. Nikki was recently in Hong Kong to do vocals for a very special assignment. She was tapped to sing Kay Liit Lang ng Mundo. This is the Tagalog translation of the Disneyland tune It’s A Small World After All which is one of the most popular draws in the LA Disneyland. Pop stars from various Asian countries were invited to inaugurate the It’s a Small World ride at Hong Kong Disneyland and shoot the corresponding video. Nikki was chosen to represent the Philippines because of the success she had with her recording of two songs from Disney’s High School Musical, Breaking Free and Gotta Go My Own Way.

Nikki goes to college and makes it a point to attend all her classes, sleep or no sleep, with makeup or without at the Ateneo de Manila University. She has to because of a promise she made to her dad that she would never sacrifice her studies in favor of showbusiness. The slightest decline in her grades would mean, goodbye showbiz and she does not want to do that. Nikki’s efforts are now paying off big time. She is now a senior Lit major and getting ready for her thesis. Her topic of choice is a reading program for elementary school children.

Nikki loves to read. Her interest in books is a big help in juggling her busy schedule. It is very difficult to give up something you like and Nikki likes books. She also dabbles in writing and this now includes a new exciting phase, songwriting. In fact, her new album has Nikki making her debut as a composer. She wrote the melody while her younger sister Danela, provided the lyrics for Hear My Heart. The results were so good that the song became the title track and the carrier single of the CD. Nikki admits that as of now, Danela is the better writer. In fact another one of her originals, Friday, made the final cut in the album.

Nikki’s singing is now more soul than pop and it is nice to hear her put her own spin on some old favorites. Particularly good is her take on the Joey Albert hit Million Miles, and this one should make an effective second single. Nikki was able to make it her own and that is what counts when you are recording covers.

Also included are her version of When Did You Fall in Love with Me by Chris Rice; I Just Want to be Your Everything by Andy Gibb; If You’re Not the One by Daniel Bedingfield; Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight by James Taylor; So Much in Love by Sheena Easton; Let Me Be the One by The Carpenters; Buses and Trains by Bachelor Girl; and On My Knees by Jackie Velasquez. And not to forget Gotta Go My Own Way from High School Musical.

Pinoy MYX’s top videos

From Nikki’s turf, MYX, your choice, your music, here is the Pinoy MYX Countdown of the leading videos for the week of May 10 to 16. Ang Sarap Dito by Project 1; Honestly by Rachelle Ann Go; Susundan by Callalily; Eargasmic by Dice & K9; Migraine by Moonstar88; Here I Am by Erik Santos; Pitong Araw by Hale; One Day in Your Life by Kyla; How Do I Live by Jennylyn Mercado and Janno Gibbs; Love Song by Nancy Jane;

Aaminin by 6Cyclemind; Pasubali by Sponge Cola; Eto Na ang Summer by Callalily; Summer Song by Silent Sanctuary; Maskara by Rivermaya; Betamax by Sandwich; The Last Time by Richard Poon; Unsaid by Lala and Christian Bautista; Sinungaling by Mayonnaise; and Sulyap by Manibela.