Eula Valdez, naghahanap ng sariling identity

Eula Valdez made a name sa pagiging artista. Pero ang hindi alam ng karamihan, hindi lang siya magaling umarte - she's a great singer too. In fact, she has an album out: ang 'Schizo'. Text and Photos by Jason John S. Lim, with an Interview by Jillian Q. Gatcheco. "May album ako," Eula Valdez says after siyang tanungin ng iGMA sa other career plans niya bukod sa LaLola. Kwento ni Miss Eula, "Matagal na namin iyang pinlano eh, pero hindi namin ma-release noon. Ang hirap humanap kasi 'yung gusto nila puro covers, dahil yun daw ang uso. E parang iniisip ko, nag-uumpisa pa lang ako kumanta, parang wala akong identity yata nun kung covers ang gagawin ko, 'di ba?" Besides, dagdag ni Miss Eula, hindi lang dapat bira ng bira when it comes to recording covers. May mga singers nga raw na hindi nila alam who sang the original of the song they're covering. Kaya naman she prefers to have her own sound, her own songs. "Yun 'yung gusto kong gawin eh." Halos lahat ng kanta sa album, gustong-gusto ni Miss Eula. Pero ang talagang hindi niya maaalis sa isip niya ay ang mga "'yung Rich, 'yung Minahal Kita, Drivin', gusto ko yun. Gusto ko rin 'yung Niebe." She loves them all dahil no two songs are really alike. The songs in Schizo are written by Vince de Jesus, Viktoria and Ronnie Quizon - "'yung ex-partner ko," she says. And all of them reflect the many genres of music na kilakihan niya. "I grew up na 'yung father ko [listens to] mga Ben Miller, 'yung mga ganoon. 'yung sinundan ko, 'yung pang-anim, Michael Jackson—mga panahon ng Ben." Dagdag niya na pabiro, "Pre-nose job ni Michael Jackson." Miss Eula says wide talaga ang music influences niya, dahil iba-iba ang naririnig niya as she was growing up. Her main contribution to the album though is the concept mismo. The album has a centerfold kung saan iba't-ibang Eula ang makikita ng mga tao: sexy, flirtatious, quiet, brusque and others. "Concept ko yun; kasi nga since iba-ba 'yung kanta ko, so iyan rin iba-iba." She adds na dahil artista nga siya, iba-iba rin dapat ang makita. "Iba-ibang personalidad." Speaking of other personalities, Eula also graced a musical prior sa pag-release niya ng album. And next year, mukhang babalikan na ni Miss Eula ang isa sa kanyang most memorable roles: ang pagiging si Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. "Gagawin yata ulit 'yung Zsa Zsa ng March." Sabi ni Miss Eula, she was hoping na second part na ang gagawin nila. But because Carlo Vergara, the writer of the comic book they're adapting, is yet to finish the actual comic book, they can't do Part 2 yet. "Pero sa Little Theater (CCP) yata ngayon gagawin 'yung [run ng Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal]; bale eighth [run] na." Ang pagbabalik ng original Zaturnnah? Dapat abangan 'yan. Pero if you want to hear her singing voice na? Grab a copy of her album, Schizo, at record bars anywhere. And catch her sa LaLola every weeknight after ng Gagambino.