Two decades into her career, Sarah Geronimo feels more in charge of her music, her life, and her own self
There is something that you have to know about Sarah Geronimo. If you are a fan, you perhaps know this. If you dream to be like her, better take notes because here it is. Even after building a staunch foundation for her career, and earning a prestigious Global Force recognition at the Billboard’s Women in Music Awards, you will find that some things about her just don’t change. The first sign? In between her takes for the quick shoot, she is either singing along as a second voice to her own vocal track, or laughing at how she managed to pose well for a photo.
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There is no denying that over the course of her career, she has gone through a number of transformations—from sound to style. “Kasama ‘yun ‘di ba? How you present yourself, how you market yourself,” she notes. While there are some types of changes—massive and leading to unrecognizable selves—hers is different. More than anything, it’s the assertion of her core and a stronger sense of herself. She is Sarah G. She is the Popstar Royalty.
The command in her voice
Being a household name and working in the industry for a number of years have its advantages, with trust attributed to one’s name topping the list. For the artist, this meant having more rein over her career today. At the beginning, she brought one thing to the table—her instrument, her voice. “My complete trust was with the producer na. When I was starting, the materials [were] just given to me,” she says.
She recalls further, “I think the first original song that I recorded was Forever’s Not Enough. Si Sir Vehnee Saturno, he brought out the biritera in me. I never thought I would reach those high notes, but he pushed me.”
Today, Geronimo’s voice was more than just for singing. It was also for deciding how her music would sound like, how the concepts would materialize. “I’m really grateful that I’m given the free rein to decide [on the] materials na gagawin ko, even sa direction ng music, what kind of theme. Very collaborative si Sir Vic [Del Rosario], my manager, kasi binigyan niya ako ng laya to really take control of my music,” she points out.
The shift in the music scene
From rediscovered releases on TikTok such as Usher’s “Hey Daddy” to viral tracks like BINI’s “Pantropiko” today, the sound waves of music have never been this loud and wide. With this, Geronimo chooses to stay active as part of her constant and consistent desire to acknowledge the changes in her chosen craft. From there, she makes her moves.
“Marami pa akong gustong puntahan as an artist,” she affirms. “I’m very open to doing [different] kinds of [genres.] We keep evolving as people, as artists. [But now,] more than quantity, it’s quality.
“It has to be true to me. I have to be truthful sa tao, sa craft, para whole heart ‘yung mabigay ko every time they see me, every time they hear me sing. Dapat authentic. Authenticity is very important.”
Sarah Geronimo
If OPM were an archipelago, then P-Pop is now a go-to destination island for makers and enjoyers of music today. For Sarah, she has her eyes on SB19 both as a fan and co-artist of the quintet. Gone are the days that the group is a cookie-cutter iteration of K-Pop idols. As the Popstar Royalty observes, “They found their identity as Filipino artists. Evident ‘yan sa sound nila ngayon—their lyrics, their words, their language. Nakakaproud,” she shares. “Open naman ako sa kanila na I want to work with them and collaborate with them. The feeling is mutual and sana hindi nagbabago. Sobrang galing nila, ha! Vocalists, performers. Iba ‘yung galing nila!”
The specifics of the “Sarah core”
Next to her sound, the singer-producer’s style also goes through evolutions. “Sobra lang akong blessed and fortunate na I’m surrounded by people na talagang excellent in their field. My glam team, sobra ‘yung trust ko sa kanila,” the artist says, directing the focal credit to her team. But the transformation is also of her doing with her willingness to be adventurous and creative with her looks.
With the celebration of her own achievements, Sarah still feels that her wins, her liberty to express herself, are more than just about her and for her. “Importante na [you] surround yourself with people who will ground you. Hindi naman siya conscious effort, but…people who will make you feel you’re not bad. You’re a normal person, you’re entitled to your emotions,” the singer states. “You have the right to feel these [things]. Tao ka. Hindi ka robot na nagtatrabaho lang. Babae ka din. [That’s one of the reasons] kung bakit okay pa rin ako, kung bakit nandun pa rin ‘yung sanity ko. Syempre, ‘yung faith ko. Mawala na lahat, ‘wag lang ‘yung faith. Mahirap ‘yun kapag nawala, she concludes.
Wrapping up the interview, she ends her time with MEGA Entertainment the way she started it—laughing with joy and beaming with gratefulness. This is the Sarah that will never change, the side of hers that will remain intact after another award achieved and years counted in the industry.
Photography GRANT BABIA. Creative Direction ANDREW ENCAPAS and CHLARINE GIANAN. Fashion Direction DARYL CHANG. Styling KURT ABONAL. Makeup GELA LAUREL. Hair RAYMOND SANTIAGO. Shoot Coordination JOANA FERNANDO. Special thanks to VIVA and BILLBOARD PHILIPPINES.
