After politics, Roselle Nava can now focus on singing again

MANILA, Philippines — Singer Roselle Nava has apparently more time to perform now that she is no longer engaged in politics. For three terms or nine years, she served as councilor of Parañaque District 1.

She didn’t run for higher public office and opted to focus on her family. Instead, her husband, Allen Ford Tan, tried his luck in politics and is now on his second term as councilor in Parañaque.

Tagged as the “Sentimental Diva,” Roselle took a break from showbiz when she ventured into politics. “Councilor was a position perfect for me because I could still be with my family and I could still serve in our city,” Roselle explained.

“If it’s higher public office, the demands of the position will surely be different. The stress will be different. The expectations of the public will be different. You have to be around your constituents all the time.

“At this point in time, I want to be there for my boys — Andre Rafael (Rafa), 11 and Alejandro Ramon (Ram), eight — because they are growing up.”

Not surprisingly, Roselle is being groomed to run for a higher public office, like Vice Mayor, in Parañaque City.

“The one who is serving as vice mayor now in Parañaque (Joan Villafuerte) is also a friend,” Roselle shared. “She also ran for councilor before and now, she is our vice mayor. She’s doing a great job.”

Roselle is content to help her husband do his duties as councilor. “Now it’s November, so it’s children’s month,” she said. “So we have projects for the kids because that is really my advocacy, for children, for women, for seniors.

“My husband simply continued what I started even if I’m no longer a councilor. He continued the programs. He enhanced them and added other projects.”

Last June, Roselle performed for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) when she joined her fellow OPM hitmakers Randy Santiago, Raymond Lauchengco, Gino Padilla and Geneva Cruz in Axel (Accelerate) PAF (Philippine Air Force), a concert at The Theatre at Solaire for the 76th anniversary of the PAF.

At the helm was Calvin Murphy Neria, who will likewise direct OPM artists anew in YuleStars on Dec. 1 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Roselle will share the stage with singer-composer Jose Mari Chan and Asia’s romantic balladeer Christian Bautista.

On other dates, Joey Generoso and Angeline Quinto will mount the stage on Nov. 30, while Ogie Alcasid and Nina will perform on Dec. 2. Ice Seguerra will be the special guests in both shows.

Proceeds of all three concerts will benefit the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. (PMAAAI).

Roselle is not just performing for the soldiers, she volunteered to bring her children, two boys, to participate in the storytelling sessions to interact with other kids. “They also do charitable works and that’s really admirable,” she commented.

She revisited the other arrangements of her songs to line up what she can render for her forthcoming YuleStars concert. “I saw this arrangement I did with Christian before,” she shared. “Our duet was Broken Vow.

“Christian was still very new at that time. That was the very first show I did with him. The song was from Meteor Garden and it was very new at that time. It was like a sign. Because we will perform again.

“We can do a revisit of our songs and sing them for the new generation. That’s something to think about. Singing is something I really love to do.”

The first Christmas concert that Roselle did was Ang TV Christmas, when she was merely 16. She honed her singing talent when she enrolled at Trumpets Playshop classes.

At that time, she had yet to finish college at De La Salle University (DLSU) and had yet to get married and have a family. She graduated with a Marketing degree.

Roselle never got to use her marketing degree professionally. “In a sense (I did) because marketing is how you present products, yourself,” she explained. “We are the products. It’s like branding, how people perceive you. Your advocacy. I still got to use my marketing degree, but not in the corporate world.

“Usually, the shows I did every December were corporate shows and I usually performed in solo gigs,” shared Roselle, who is now 47. “This one, I’ll be performing with Tito Joe and Christian that’s why I’m really quite excited.

“Tito Joe is special to me because he was the first one I shared the stage with when I did an international show in the US, so I have so many good memories at that time.”

Roselle is totally surprised that even today’s generation knows who Jose Mari Chan is. Her 11-year-old son is simply amazed that his mom knows the veteran singer-composer.

“My son, he was telling me, ‘Really, Mommy, you know Jose Mari Chan?’ I told him, ‘Yes.’ Then he said, in their classroom, when the Ber-months come, they already see the picture of Jose Mari Chan and his song, Christmas In Our Hearts, is being played often.

“People really wait to see Tito Joe every Christmas season. I’m really excited for this YuleStars concert,” added Roselle, who is looking forward to the production numbers she will render with Jose Mari and Christian.

Expectedly, she will also do her solo spots, her hits like Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita and some revivals which she was given a chance to record like Somewhere Down the Road.