After you, Charice!

MANILA, Philippines - After The Ellen Degeneres Show, will Oprah be next?

The answer is yes, if Rhap Salazar would have his way. The 12-year-old Star Magic talent whom Ellen de Generes spotted on YouTube and asked to guest in her show dreams of conquering the Queen of Talk’s heart next.

“I hope it will happen before her show bids good-bye,” says Rhap.

In this sense, Rhap wants to follow in the footsteps of his friend, Charice. Her guesting in Oprah has brought Charice and the top TV show host closer.

Those who think this will lead to a professional rivalry between Charice and Rhap are wrong, though.

“It’s not true that Ate Charice is insecure with me. We’re just ignoring those rumors,” Rhap rushes to his friend’s defense.

He explains that dignifying the rumor might destroy their friendship. So they talked about it and agreed to let it pass.

True enough, Charice said in a separate interview that she’s happy for Rhap. She even gave him pieces of advice on the challenges he will face along the way.

“It will be tough,” Charice warned Rhap.

But her friend is unfazed. At the presscon that followed the launch of his debut album from Star Records, Rhap proved that his burning passion to succeed is just as all-consuming as his voice.

He hardly touched his appetizer and proceeded to answer questions from the press.

“Kuya Jed (Madela’s) advised me to keep on singing the same songs (mostly Jackson 5 tunes like Music and Me, Ben, One Day in Your Life and Got To be There, tracks from his album),” reveals Rhap.

This, he recalls Jed saying, is the best way to find out if Rhap can still reach the high notes, even his voice changes once he’s past puberty.

His Kuya Jed happens to be Rhap’s big idol, bar none.

“Parang hindi siya dumaan sa adolescence,” observes Rhap. “I’m surprised at how high his singing voice has remained. That’s why I idolize him.”

Needless to say, Rhap is proud to be called the Junior Jed Madela. Singing alongside Jed in A.S.A.P. ’09 gives Rhap a different kind of high.

Nothing beats the experience of singing Celine Dion’s All By Myself in Ellen’s show, though. It was Rhap’s birthday wish when he turned 12 last Feb. 3.

After the top TV host saw Rhap on YouTube, her staff called up the boy’s representatives in early November. The pleasantly surprised Rhap wanted to prepare longer for his guesting and was eyeing a late November TV appearance. But the show’s staff wanted his party to fly to the US Nov. 16.

The show shouldered the plane fare not only of Rhap, but his mother Aida and personal manager Kitchie Benedicto as well. They billeted the party at the posh Sheraton Universal hotel.

It wasn’t smooth sailing for Rhap at first. He was coughing slightly and he was deathly scared it would mar his one-minute-30-second moment in time.

“So I prayed that I’d be finishing the song without any hitch,” Rhap recalls.

He not only finished the song. Rhap earned a standing ovation from the audience.

The boy never got a chance to speak to Ellen again after the show, but he made sure he gave his gift to the TV host’s trusted hand.

Rhap’s gift was a native jewelry box with a card that told Ellen all about his fulfilled birthday wish. Rhap also gave her a copy of his album.

In return, Ellen gave the young champion of the 2009 World Championships of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) a PS3. The show also treated Rhap to a tour of Universal and Warner Brothers studios.

While his talent has given his family better living conditions (they just moved to a bigger place which they’re renting), Rhap knows there’s still much work to do.

He wants to buy a car and a house of his own. This must be at the back of Rhap’s mind each time he promotes his album or guests in TV shows.

This is also why he’s foregoing a trip back home in Oriental Mindoro for Christmas. Rhap’s promo shows in Manila require him to stay in the city for the holidays.

Yes, the boy doesn’t mind postponing his pleasures for his family.

“Giving your best for your family and others so a lot of people will be entertained — that’s what’s important,” he explains.

Figures why mom Aida is beaming with pride.

“Rhap is not hard-headed. I tell him to stay away from cold drinks especially before he sings and he obeys,” she crows.

Rhap may be only 12. But he can put many grown-ups to shame by the way he disciplines himself and sacrifices for his family.

Yes, age, especially in Rhap’s case, is only a number.