 Even as a child growing up in Bogo, Cebu, Sharon
Garcia Magdayao a.k.a.Vina Morales knew that she wanted to be a singer. It
was nine-year-old Sharon's singing with her church choir that would lead
to her big break. The local parish priest, Fr. Fritz Malinao, was also a
songwriter. He recognized Sharon's talent and asked her to sing one of his
compositions as an entry in the Cebu Pop Music Festival. The song, "Paglaum,"
("hope" in Visayan), not only won the Grand Prize but also earned the "Best
Interpreter" award for its young singer.
Sharon and her family were surprised to learn that representatives from Viva
Films had seen her performance. They were so impressed with her talents that
they immediately offered her a singing and acting contract.
The Magdayao family was very supportive of their gifted daughter. They sold
everything they had in Cebu and moved to Manila. The family entrusted
ten-year-old Sharon's career to Mina del Rosario of Viva Films, who became
like a second mother to Sharon. It was Mina who gave Sharon the name Vina,
taken from her daughter's name Vina Vanesa.
The only problem standing in the way of Vina's acting career was that she
only spoke English and Bisaya. But now that she
was living in Manila, her Tagalog improved rapidly and she soon made her
first movie, Nakagapos na Puso, in which she played the niece of Tonton
Gutierrez. The film also starred Vina's idol and namesake, Sharon Cuneta.
In her late teens Vina began taking on more mature roles. She appeared with
Robin Padilla in Utol Kong Hoodlum. She starred with Ariel Rivera in Anghel
Na Walang Langit. This was a dual role in which Vina played two lookalike
young women with very different personalities.
One of Vina's most challenging and controversial roles was that of Sarah
Balabagan, the young Muslim domestic helper from Mindanao who killed her
employer in United Arab Emirates after he raped her. For a while it seemed
like The Sarah Balabagan Story might never be shown publicly, after the UAR
government objected to the way Muslim life was depicted in some scenes. It
was finally allowed to be shown and earned Vina three Best Actress nominations.
 While Vina's acting career flourished, she also
kept up with her singing, continuing to record albums and perform in live
concerts. Her latest album, released in March 2004, is a collection of love
songs entitled Mamahalin Ka Niya. Vina co-wrote the lyrics of one song, "Paano
Kaya Magtatagpo?", with good friend Piolo Pascual. Their busy schedules did
not allow them to meet in person, so they wrote the lyrics through texting!
The music was then composed by Arnel de Pano. Later Vina and Piolo recorded
the song as a duet. Other songs on the album include "Yakapin Mo Ako," "Pangako"
and "Saan Darating ang Umaga." Vina had first sung "Yakapin Mo Ako" when
portraying singer Joey Albert on the biographical TV series Maalaala Mo Kaya.
For the past couple of years Vina's career as an international concert artist
has really taken off big-time. In 2002 she had a series
of shows with Martin Nievera in the US and Canada. She had her own successful
mult-city US tour, "Vina Revealed," in the summer of 2003 and is currently
in the middle of another one called "Vina's Hot!" Vina doesn't just sing,
she also does several high-energy dance numbers at each show, and makes sure
to keep physically fit so she can keep up with the demands of such an exhausting
schedule.
A special honor for Vina was being the first Filipino chosen to sing at the
New York International Music Festival, which last year was held at the Palms
Hotel in Las Vegas. She performed five songs and got a long standing ovation.
Vina still performs at home too, of course; she has a big show coming up
at the Araneta on Independence Day 2004.
Vina has one career ambition that she has not yet realized: “I’d
like to do theater," she said in a recent interview. "I was offered
to do a musical this year, and I hope it happens because I’ve always
wanted to act on stage.” There can be little doubt that Vina will be
just as successful in this new venture as she has been in all her other artistic
achievements!
Previous Caroustars
MARCH 2004: RICA
PERALEJO • FEBRUARY 2004:
RACHEL
ALEJANDRO • JANUARY 2004:
GENEVA
CRUZ
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