Around GMA

Straight from the Expert: Lechon, the star of every Filipino Christmas table (Teaser)
PRO-10 deploys nearly 500 cops to boost holiday security in NorthMin
Water Resilience - Global Compact Network Philippines | Need To Know

Article Inside Page

Showbiz News

Let's take a closer look at Jan Nieto, who never in his wildest dreams thought he’d end up where he is now.
A few weeks ago, SOP added a new talent to its roster of singing greats. This time it’s Jan Nieto, who, like buddy Gian Magdangal, came from another network’s singing competition. Let’s get to know more about this GMA newcomer who never in his wildest dreams thought he’d end up where he is now. Text by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. Photos by Mitch S. Mauricio. It ain’t about winning Philippine Idol was actually the first singing competition that Jan joined, because his fear of losing stopped him before. “[Pero] noong hindi na ako takot matalo, over age na ako sa ibang contest!” he remembers. “I’m [in my mid-twenties]. 'Di ba usually, hanggang 21, 23, etc.? So noong dumating yan, sabi ko sa sarili ko, just to have no ‘what-ifs’ in the future, sasalihan ko lang siya. Sinuwerte naman!” It was only in high school that Jan started getting involved with singing activities. “Noong bata ako, sobrang paos yung voice ko! Pero noong high school, medyo na-develop. So pag mga class caroling, kumakanta ako sa church lang namin--choir na kaming magkakapatid lang.” In Idol, he became part of the “Big Three,” the top three contestants who made it to the finals night in Araneta Coliseum last year. But even though Jan didn’t end up as a winner, he remains optimistic, saying that the high success rate of American Idol finalists gives him hope. “It gives me a bit of hope na parang, even if I did not win the contest, there’s a chance for me to make it in the industry. [After the contest], yun talaga yung start ng buhay namin, yun talaga yung start ng competition. Who’s gonna make it big, who’s not. So magandang isipin na mayroong ibang kahit hindi nanalo, they still succeeded.” Adjusting to changes This Management Engineering graduate from Ateneo de Manila University shares that he never thought he’d choose a career in singing. In fact, prior to Idol, he had a stable, well-paying job at Unilever Philippines! He explains the difference between his life before and after Idol: “Before kasi, I was part of the corporate setup, so parang sobrang organized noon yung buong buhay ko--I go to the office at 8 a.m., I leave in the evening, tapos ganoon ulit yung cycle. Tapos noong dumating yung Idol, medyo nag-iba, nag-leave ako sa office. Napaka-uncertain ng mga schedules. Last minute, magkakaroon ka ng schedule, last minute, maka-cancel. Then after [the contest], finally medyo nakapagpahinga. Six months din yung sobrang pagod.” Now that he has left his “old life,” Jan isn’t complaining about his free time. “I’m enjoying it naman--may freedom na I can wake up a little later, or I can go to the gym more often, mga ganoon.” He likes chinitas! Brace yourselves, girls, because here is Jan’s description of someone who can win his heart! He starts off with a smile, “Unang una, gusto ko, mayroon siya talagang magandang background--yung may sense ba kausap? Yung may ideas, yung pwede kang i-challenge into an intellectual conversation. In terms of itsura, wala naman in particular, pero more inclined ako sa mga medyo mas chinita! Pero not necessarily naman. Sa height, wala namang preference.Yun lang, kailangan syempre, mabait.” He adds, “Tapos kung ako, naguguluhan sa schedules ko, syempre yung ideal girl ko for now, yung maiintindihan schedule ko! [Kasi] most of the time, [may] last minute na ipagagawa sa akin, tapos mayroon nang naka-schedule before that, but I have to cancel.” It’s also interesting to note that Jan is into landscaping as a hobby. “Unang-una, hindi ako marunong mag-drawing talaga–-as in not at all! Pero in terms of kunwari, magde-design ng room, or magde-design ng landscapes, yun, medyo navi-visualize ko siya, pero hindi ko siya ma-put into drawing. Medyo weird yung pagiging artistic [ko]! Pero walang formal training,” he clarifies. Overwhelming support Jan reveals that he kept Idol a secret from his family at first. It wasn’t until he reached the top 24 that he had no choice but to tell them. “Hanggang sa mapunta ako sa top 24, ang may alam lang, parents ko. Tapos sinabi ko, huwag nila sasabihin sa mga kapatid ko, kasi alam kong magre-react [sila]--parang, ‘Okay na trabaho mo, doon ka na lang, don’t venture into something that is very uncertain.’” But despite Jan’s worries, his family chose to support him and helped him throughout the competition. “Ay, grabe! Sobra sobra talaga! Sila yung nagsabi na kumuha ako ng vocal coach, tapos sabi ko, wala akong trabaho ngayon, since naka-leave ako, so wala akong salary talaga. So sinabi nila, ‘Hindi, kami na muna bahala,’ since nagtatrabaho sila, they’d take care of me first. Pag kunwari, sinabihan kami, ‘Kailangan mo ng green na damit bukas.’ E nasa rehearsals kami the whole day. Te-text ko lang kapatid ko. That night, pag uwi ko sa bahay, nandoon na lahat ng kailangan kong damit, parang ganoon!” Now that Idol is over and “real life starts,” as he says, what is his advice to aspiring artists like he once was? “Para sa akin kasi, feeling ko, 80 percent ng Pilipino gustong maging singers, eh. Ganoon tayo kahilig kumanta. Ang maibibigay ko lang na advice for them is they should always go for their dreams, kasi yun lang talaga ginawa ko, kasi I was never into singing contests before, pero yun talaga yung passion ko na kahit na okay na work ko before, yun pa rin hinahanap-hanap ko.” “So I went for it,” he continues, “pero yung journey ko naman in Idol was not smooth at all--binabanatan nila ako, pero since yun talaga yung gusto ko, I worked hard for it – mayroon akong coaches, nagre-rehearse [ako] until one in the morning, gumigising ako ulit ng five…So talagang go for your dreams, tapos kung mayroon mang obstacles, talagang pagtrabahuhan lang nila yun, masu-surpass nila.” Make lunchtime even better by catching Jan on SOP every Sunday! Also, keep tuned in to iGMA for more updates on Jan! Have you seen Jan on SOP? Share your thoughts about him in the iGMA Forum! For SOP galleries and videos