Winning hearts more important to Tata Villaruel

Another "promdi" (a Pinoy slang for "from the province") is set to create waves in the music industry with her powerful voice fueled by her childhood dream to become the country's next music icon.

Well, she has just proven her worth when she bagged the second best award in the recently concluded Search for a Star in a Million.

A native of Manduryao, Iloilo, 23-year-old Tata Villaruel showed during the SIAM Grand Competition's night that although the glory was handed to fellow competitor Kris Lawrence she could also be a name to behold. Her performances, when she belted out Barbara Streisand's Somewhere and when she shared the stage with her idol Gary Valenciano while singing the song Muli, were a benchmark in her career in singing.

Tata was here last February with fellow SIAM finalists Jimmy Marquez and Kris Lawrence, for the Lovapalooza Cebu 2006.

Tata said she was very happy with her achievements, that even if the judges did not choose her as the grand winner she believed that she was a winner in hearts of the many. With her number of live performances with the other two finalists she would hear people chanting her name telling her she was their winner.

"Sa mga tawo, ako naman ang panalo," said Tata. The crowd's early favorite was Tata.

This kind of support she gets, according to her, will be her inspiration to go on farther in the competitive world of show business.

She admitted she had an inkling that she was made for it so much so that upon hearing that the auditions for SIAM opened she immediately left her career as a nurse in her province to try it out.

"May calling ako dito kaya nag-resign agad ako," Tata added. She could not forget those days when she had more time to practice singing that studying.

And her move was right. Although she was only second best she has been starting to surprise the Filipino audience with her singing prowess.

Still, she knew she has a lot of things to do to prove her worth and improve her craft. Her Tagalog, she admitted is still a disaster, her being a conservative is another thing, and a lot more things associated with being a "promdi."

But, she's already in there. Her major task now is to stay there and become one of the best in the industry.

Her being a promdi, is not really a problem. There are already a lot of her like who have conquered the music mainstream.

It's all about talent and the staying power, Tata quipped, while showing the determination to make it really big.