COVER STORY adine Lustre has come a long way since her Pop Girls days. “I’ve been in the industry for a long time. I think I was around nine when I started in the industry as part Nof a girl group. Last year was really such a big year, biglang ang daming projects, and I just really had to go along with it,” the 22-year-old shares. It was with her lead role in the 2014 movie adaptation of the Wattpad novel Diary ng Panget that people started to take notice of the young actress. It was the first movie where she was paired with James Reid, her on-screen (and now off-screen!) beau—and JaDine, one of today’s hottest love teams, was born. This was followed by more lead roles with James on Talk Back and You’re Dead and Para sa Hopeless Romantic. Nadine is now a household name with a primetime television series under her belt, On The Wings Of Love, which has sent JaDine fans into a Twitter-trending frenzy. The couple also recently held a post-Valentine’s concert aptly called JaDine In Love at the Araneta Coliseum. “This year, I just want to let my fans know who I really am,” Nadine admits. “With everything that I’m doing, people see me as a character that I project and I’m really working on slowly showing them myself, my character as a person.” Having started out early in the business, Nadine feels that her experiences have taught her how to keep her head up and stay real amidst changes. “I went through a lot of losses but at the same time I was also gaining a lot of things. I guess it’s the journey as a whole, from starting GLOBAL GIRLS out young, to this sudden thing that happened to These talented ladies are all set to take world me last year, up until today. I would call myself happiest today and I can thank all my experiences for that. It’s everything I went through as a by storm. Find out how they plan to do it whole—losing people you love, losing yourself, by KATHRINA PAZ ELEFANTE and then finding yourself. That’s what makes me who I am today,” she admits. “Knowing who you are as a person and what hile the Philippines is cementing its place as among the world’s most beautiful, here are some more you stand for is empowering,” she adds. It is this on-the-rise ladies who not only wow with their beauty, but with their talent as well. What makes genuine desire to courageously express who she is that makes Nadine a true modern Filipina. Wthem shine even more? Undeniably gorgeous hair that transforms their look on stage and in front NADINE “A modern Filipina is somebody who is true of the cameras. These five ladies (pictured from left), Coleen Garcia, Rachelle Ann Go, Nadine Lustre, Julie to herself, who is not afraid to show who she Anne San Jose, and Yassi Pressman have been chosen as Cream Silk’s newest ambassadors, as they represent is because in today’s world, people are always modern Filipinas all over who are fearlessly realizing their dreams and potentials. telling you that you have to be this, you have to LUSTRE be that, for people to like you.” Whatever character she plays, Nadine’s fans Photographed by RYAN ONG • Styled by VERON GONZALES can count on her to stay true to herself—and Makeup by ALBERT KURNIAWAN (Coleen), ROBBIE PINERA (Rachelle Ann), TING DUQUE (Nadine), RB CHANCO (Julie Anne), JELLY EUGENIO (Yassi) Transformed to this is what makes her the endearing actress and Hair by LOWELL BUENAVENTURA (Nadine, Julie Anne, Yassi), RAYMOND SANTIAGO (Rachelle Ann) light up more screens person that she is. 18 | style weekend MARCH 4, 2016 MARCH 4, 2016 style weekend | 19 wasn’t like this before and I didn’t he can do it all—acting, singing, think I could be where I am today,” composing, and hosting—yet Julie Yassi Pressman admits. The half- Anne San Jose knows there is more British and half-Filipino MTV Pinoy to learn and discover about herself. VJ, actress, dancer, and singer got “I’m currently exploring my capacities “Iher first movie lead role in 2013 for Kaleidoscope Sand learning new stuff. I’d say I’ve changed my World, which was the first dance film entry to style when it comes to fashion and my music the Metro Manila Film Festival. She also released has evolved. Right now, I’m trying to innovate a six-track album that features the song “Di Ko and give it a twist,” says the 21-year-old who Alam,” her duet with love team partner Andre currently plays Darling Buena in the GMA7 Paras and is part of the Diary ng Panget movie drama show Buena Familia and regularly performs soundtrack in which the two also starred. in the weekly variety show Sunday PinaSaya. “I really never would have thought that I’d be Aside from her regular acting projects, her doing what I’m doing today. Everything happened musical career is also worthy of note. Her single as an accident, a series of events. I loved dancing “I’ll Be There” has received numerous awards and so I honed it. For singing, I always thought it is a certified double platinum, triple platinum, would just be in the shower but Viva saw my and quadruple platinum, while her major concert potential. Before, my acting roles were just minor back in 2014 proved to be groundbreaking as characters but now they are more relevant,” adds it was the first concert in the country to use Yassi. hologram technology. More recently, she starred in the film This year, she is set to release a new album adaptation of the Wattpad novel Girlfriend for and is looking forward to doing more concerts Hire with Andre and is currently one of the hosts and touring. I want to travel, have a Master’s of the new TV5 singing competition Born to be a degree, and do more charity works,” she adds Star. to her goals for the year. Her desire to grow in Yassi’s career is definitely on the upswing. her career and personal life makes Julie Anne “Career-wise, this year has started so well for me unstoppable and perfectly epitomizes the modern and with everything that’s happening, I feel like Filipina—passionate, driven, and confident. “The I’ve already reached my goals,” she says but there key to being an empowered woman is confidence. is one thing she would like to do that has nothing If we believe in ourselves and if we focus, to do with work. “I want to climb a mountain. I anything is possible,” she shares. love heights. It’s so calming. You feel that your “A modern Filipina has strong values, and is problems are so small in this whole universe,” confident, strong, and unafraid of changes. She she muses. has goals and she knows her priorities. I can say Yassi is thankful for a flourishing career that I try to embody all of these,” Julie Anne and she owes her confidence to pursue these adds. “Knowing that I inspire people, the youth opportunities to the people around her. “One of most especially, makes me feel beautiful. Making the challenges I’ve encountered is being told that people happy and being able to share my talents you can’t do this or that. One thing that helped with them is a humbling experience,” she shares. me deal with that is having the support of my Living in this fast-paced age, one can easily dad. He’s my everything,” she reveals. “Believing lose her sense of self but Julie Anne chooses to in yourself and surrounding yourself with people see it in a positive light. “Being a woman in the who believe in you as well is the key to becoming modern world can be harsh but the best thing empowered. With that, you can conquer the about it is that we can be what we want to be. world.” We live in a world where anything is possible. We YASSI Yassi believes that being confidently beautiful have opportunities here and there. We evolve and JULIE ANNE with a heart characterizes the modern Filipina, as we have more things to explore. We’re free to be expressed by Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach. “It’s what we want, to pursue what we dream of, and about fighting for what you believe in and never go to places where we can get to know ourselves PRESSMAN giving up.” more.” SAN JOSE At the rate she’s going, Yassi will surely Owning the spotlight—that is perhaps the conquer more of her personal mountains, making most important thing Julie Anne stands for. Transformed to a steady ascent to the top where she can revel in Transformed to a leading actress the magnificent view. own the stage 20 | style weekend MARCH 4, 2016 MARCH 4, 2016 style weekend | 21 he phrase “all the world’s a stage” rings true for Rachelle Ann Go. You may remember her as a pop singer, recording artist, and performer on variety shows oleen Garcia perfectly embodies these past years. “strong is the new sexy” and it’s T“I started at a young age. I used to join not just about her sexy bod (which amateur singing competitions then I joined Search has given women some needed for a Star back in 2004 and from there I recorded fitspiration).