SHARON CUNETA has visibly lost a lot of weight when she came to the presscon of “Iconic”, her back-to-back concert with Regine Velasquez that happens at the Big Dome on October 18 & 19. “First time namin ito so we’re both really excited,” says the Megastar. “I’m so very happy to work with Regine as I really adore and her husband has long been a good friend of mine.”
What if some folks would compare them with each other to sow intrigue? “Well, I would just want to point out that this is not a showdown between us, huh. Magkaiba kami ni Regine ng styles. I’m an alto while Regine has a wider range at lahat ng notes kaya niya.
"And she’s very generous, not the type na nangangain o nananapaw ng kasama niya on stage. Our concert will be a collaboration between our two different styles. We have so much respect for each other, so huwag na lang kaming pagsabungin. We’re just here to make our audience happy.”
Sharon says she’s much happier now compared to last year when she felt depressed and vented her social feelings on social media. “Ang utang ko kasi, umabot sa about half a billion. Now, it’s down to a few hundred thousands na lang at naaayos ko naman ang investments ko. Nakakabawi na. I removed kasi my focus from God then but nang ibalik ko, ayun, unti-unting na-solve ang problems ko.”
How come she said she’s thinking of retiring, which alarmed her fans? “Not naman total retirement but I just want to slow down lang. Semi-retirement. I would still sing and act. Kasi I’m not only physically tired but also emotionally and psychologically drained. I don’t want to allow showbiz to eat my soul.
"Nag-iba na rin kasi ang landscape ng showbiz. There’s so much negativity in social media and ayokong mag-adjust sa changes nito. Kaya nga, if you’d notice, binawasan ko na ang pagpo-post sa social media accounts ko, e. Hindi na rin ako pumapatol sa bashers.”
Her appearance with Gabby Concepcion in the recent Gabay Guro affair was a big hit with the audience. How did she feel about it? “That was not planned at all. I didn’t even know he was in the same event. So when they asked me kung puede kaming magsama, naisip ko, matagal na rin naman, so why not?
"But we were both so surprised with the very warm reception given to us. We’re just thankful na hanggang ngayon, matindi pa rin ang kilig when people see us together. It’s so overwhelming to realize na wow, it’s still there pala, even if they know I’m happily married and he now also has his own family. Kundi nga kami naghiwalay, dapat 35 years na kaming mag-asawa.”
So now, there’s a new clamor for them to finally do a movie together. “You know, si God na ang bahala diyan. We can make all sorts of plans but it’s really God’s plans na siyang nasusunod. So kung gugustuhin Niyang mangyari yan, it will happen. Basta, at least, nakita ng mga tao na bati na kami and all is well with us. We’re both professional actors at open naman kami roon.”