Her fragile looks can be deceiving

She looks frail on the outside, but don’t be deceived as she’s a toughie on the inside. Which is why it’s hard not to take Danita Paner seriously when she says she’s bent on making a name for herself as a singer.

Danita, 17, is the younger of two daughters of former Sampaguita star Daisy Romualdez and ex-PBA player Manny Paner. The other is Tina, now based in Barcelona where she produces shows featuring Filipino artists.

Who knows, the next artist Tina brings over for a show might be her very own sister? It’s certainly possible now that Danita has formally launched a singing career. Danita is busy gathering materials for her debut album to be released by Viva Records. It will contain a selection of rock-alternative tunes written specially for her by her favorite bands, which include Rivermaya, Soapdish, 6Cyclemind and Mayonnaise.

"They were all my personal choices," says Danita, whose musical influences include Jennifer Paige and local bands like 6Cyclemind and Rivermaya, whose frontman Rico Blanco has promised to contribute a song or two to her album. Danita is also writing several songs of her own.

Although Danita has been singing since she was 12, she didn’t really take it seriously until about four years ago.

Up until then, everyone thought Danita would become an actress. And so she did. She made three movies as a child actress –Ang Pagbabalik ni Pedro Penduko in 1994, The Jessica Alfaro Story in 1995 and To Saudi With Love in 1997. But after her third movie, Danita realized her true calling lay elsewhere. Finally, she decided it was time to bid goodbye to the movies and hello to music. "Hindi ko talaga hilig ang movies," she says. "Music influences me more."

In high school at OB Montessori, Danita was part of a band called Phase One. She was one of the vocalists. The other was Alyssa Gibbs, first-born of Janno Gibbs and Bing Loyzaga. The band, which was into pop-rock and alternative music, played regularly at school affairs and events. But when Danita transferred to Reedley International School for her last year of high school, they lost touch and went their separate ways. "Nagkawatak-watak kami," is how she puts it.

Now here comes Danita, ready to embark on her solo career. With the strength of character that comes from being raised by a mom like Daisy, Danita is determined to make the best of this chance that’s given to her.

She wants to prove that she too, can make a name for herself, just like her mom and sister, even if it’s in a different field. "That’s what I’m trying to prove," she says. She knows there will be a lot of comparisons, but she’s ready for them.

To say that Danita is taking her musical career seriously is an understatement. Aside from signing up with the Center for Pop Music four years ago, she is taking voice lessons with Annie Quintos of The CompanY.

Danita is grateful to her family for the support. For one thing, she knows that without the early exposure she got from tagging along with Tina to her shows (and the constant encouragement from Mommy Daisy), she would probably not be where she is now. " (Because of them) I was exposed early (to the business)," she says.

Of course, it comes with trade-offs. Mommy Daisy, true to her reputation, isn’t taking Danita’s stab at the music business lightly. While Danita does have a manager, she is always there, hovering in the background, seeing to it that her daughter is keeping her focus. She doesn’t want anything distracting Danita from her goal of becoming the next big thing in music.

It’s one thing both mother and daughter agree on. "Sayang kasi ang opportunity," says Danita, a freshman student at De La Salle University (DLSU), where she’s taking up Entrepreneurship. Danita doesn’t mind taking advice from her Mommy Daisy. "She’s a veteran in the business, and she knows what she’s talking about," she says.

Danita admits her mom is a bit on the strict side. One of her rules is that Danita cannot entertain suitors or have a boyfriend yet. Nor is she allowed to go out that much – but it’s all for the good.

"Maybe that’s how it goes, because I’m just starting," says Danita. "Siguro, kapag nasanay na ako, she’ll let go."

Besides, even Danita herself is not really looking for a relationship at the moment. If a guy does come along, he should be the type who can wait, because her focus right now is on her music. Her album is about to be released in a few months. She also has a solo concert billed Danita at the Music Museum on Sept. 14, with special guests Sam Milby, Monty of Mayonnaise, Tutti of Protein Shake, Jeff of Soapdish and Piolo Pascual. A production of Backroom Inc., it is produced by Rep. Butch Pichay.

No one, not even her mom forced Danita into a music career. It was something she really wanted to do. "I’m happy at what I’m doing," she says. And that makes all the difference.