POPS FERNANDEZ is the Concert Queen whose concerts before were all blockbuster hits.
Now, after so long, she will celebrate her 40 plus years anniversary in showbiz with a big pre-Valentine concert to be staged at the Solaire Theatre on February 9 and 10.
And before that, she’s also producing the 20th anniversary concert of the Hitmakers, also at Solaire, on December 1st.
Pops is turning 57 on December 12 and we tell her at the Hitmakers’ presscon that she looks much younger than her age as she is very well preserved.
“Thanks, but I will soon be a Lola,” she says. “My eldest son, Robin, who’s 36, will be a father either late December or early January.
"His partner Mia is giving birth to a baby boy. Yes, boy na naman. Gusto ko sana, girl naman, so we can go twinning.
"But a baby is a blessing, boy or girl man. Basta sabi ko, ang ipatawag sa akin is Lolli-Pops.”
What kind of a grandma will she be? “I’m really excited. I think I will just spoil him. Kaya lang, they’re so far and I’m based here. I’m sure daedalus ang visit ko sa kanila.”
One of her best movies is “Linlang”, directed by the late Maryo de los Reyes. Kim Chiu now has a series with the same title. Is it a remake of her movie?
“No, I asked Boss Vic del Rosario, hindi raw. They just used the title. But I really liked ‘Linlang’, it was very dramatic and I even got nominated as best actress.”
Doesn’t she miss acting?
“I do. Boss Vic I will make a movie daw for them in 2024. So, let’s see. Sabi ko, light lang. Kasi madrama na ang buhay ko, e.
"Puede ring thriller as I love watching suspense-thrillers. The last movie I did was 20 years ago na yata, ‘Zsa Zsa Zaturnaah’, where I got nominated as best supporting actress for playing villain to Zsa Zsa Padilla.”
How about her love life? Any new romance in the horizon?
“Wala. Masaya naman ako as of now. I’m happy where I am. Single, but not sad at hindi naman ako naghahanap. Pero kung may darating na worth it, why not?”
Like Vina Morales who is now very happy with new BF Andrew Kovalcin in the U.S.?
“Oo nga. I’m so happy for her. Wishing her all the best. But me, I just now focus on my own life.
"When I chose to move on and do things on my own, I have accepted where I am now and I realize I’m already in a happy place.
"I have a new song titled ‘Always Loved’, which I myself wrote, and it’s message is that before you know where you want to be and discover where you really want to go, you have to love yourself first.”
And she says that is exactly what she is doing right now, prioritizing herself.
“After being semi-retired, I realized I’d love to do concerts again. I want to sing live again on stage, that’s where I really want to be.
"So I’m guesting in the Hitmakers concert on December 1 and on February 9 and 10, I will have my own 40th anniversary concert so don’t miss it.
"It’s also my wayof giving thanks to all the people who supported me through the years.
"I’m very blessed as I never really expected my career would last this long and I’m grateful for everything that happened in my life and my career.”