STAR DREAM GIRL: Nisha Sanok

Nisha Jacqueline Sanok, who is half-Filipino, half-Polish, has an unusual knack for challenges. She’s a model, artist and sports buff rolled into one.

She was a former member of the Boracay Dragon Boat Team. And if that wasn’t enough to bring shrills to her spine, she also used to dabble into racing, skim boarding, basketball and football.

But this 18-year-old outgoing girl’s natural flair for music can’t just be put aside. After graduating from InterAsia Study College in Makati, she is determined to pursue Music in California. She actually performed in various gigs with her group Haylo until one of the members had to leave. "But my passion for music is still there. I love to sing, dance and basically perform. I feel like I have to continue singing and learn more about music," says Nisha. "I want to concentrate on R&B and soul. I look up to Alicia Keys and Destiny’s Child. Their voices are great and their songs really touch my heart."

Her independence means a lot to her. She lives away from her Los Angeles-based American-Polish dad, Joseph and her Pinay mom, Blossom Nuyda, an entrepreneur in Boracay. Her collection of family photographs serves as a sweet pill if she feels homesick. She explains, "I cant live without them. I like to remember all the good times I’ve had in the past." The neat freak that she is, she hates an unorganized lifestyle – and living space, too. "My friends even tease me for my being obsessive-compulsive about room cleanliness."

Aside from enjoying the constant whooshing of waves in picturesque Bora, she also loves Greece, Hong Kong, Baguio and Palawan. This jetsetter enjoys seeing different places, meeting new people, experiencing various cultures and most importantly, savoring specialties of every place she visits. In fact, Japanese food, specifically sushi, satisfies her discriminating palate. "I also love the misono tables where they cook right in front of you, Tepanyaki style," muses Nisha.

With a charming face and a svelte figure, this 5’5" headturner has appeared in various print and ramp modeling projects for Adidas, Risque Swimwear and Palmolive.

Nisha shares, "I like to experiment with my clothing. I don’t have a certain style of dressing up. I like everything – from corporate attire to urban clothing."

To her, a STAR Dream Girl is "someone with spunk, character and individuality." – Jerni May Camposano