Carmelle Collado eyes Eurovision Asia, FranSeth open to bolder roles

October 17 ------ Singer Carmelle Collado is gearing up to represent the Philippines at Eurovision Asia in Bangkok, while love team Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin are looking to take on more challenging roles following their latest project, “A Cake to Remember.” These were revealed at Star Magic’s latest Spotlight press conference.

Collado, who won the Philippine selection for Eurovision Asia 2026, is set to compete at the grand finals on Nov. 14. For Collado, Eurovision Asia represents a new chapter in her musical career, giving her the opportunity to showcase her talent and represent the Philippines before an international audience.

“It felt like a flashback for me because right now, I’m really focused on Eurovision. But I realized that I had been on ‘The Voice,’ competed in ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’ and spent four months inside Kuya’s house. It felt like a vacation at the time, but then I finally got out,” Collado said. “I’m just really happy because, little by little, my dreams are coming true. Even though I already won ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan,’ I still have dreams. I’m grateful that I’ve been given these opportunities in life,” she added.

Collado acknowledged that representing the Philippines before an international audience comes with considerable pressure. “When you represent the country, it’s a huge responsibility. Eurovision is for a worldwide audience, so the pressure is really intense,” she said. “I’m already happy that I was chosen to represent the Philippines. I’m doing my best not to overthink things because what matters more to me is enjoying the journey.”

While she declined to reveal specific details, Collado confirmed that her performance in Bangkok would be different from what audiences saw during the Philippine selection night. “My team and I discussed our ideas, and then we agreed on the direction of the performance,” she teased.

Beyond the competition, she is looking forward to meeting fellow performers from other countries, including South Korea, Bhutan and Malaysia. While Collado prepares for her international debut, Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin are looking to expand their acting range through “A Cake to Remember,” an iWant vertical microseries where the two first kissed.

The series follows Mandy, a baker played by Diaz, and Landon, played by Fedelin. Their relationship takes a turn when Landon fails to appear on their wedding day, leaving Mandy to believe he no longer loves her. She later discovers that he had been in an accident. Two years after the incident, Landon returns, unaware that Mandy is about to marry someone else.

During their press conference, Fedelin said their first kissing scene was among the most memorable moments of the project. “In our previous projects, we were asked if we could do a kissing scene, but we wanted to give that kind of moment to ABS-CBN. We wanted it to happen in the right story and the right show,” Fedelin said.

Diaz said the moment was meaningful because it happened under the network where they began their careers. “There had to be a good story behind it, and I think it became the perfect scene for this series. Since it’s a microseries, we asked ourselves what we could leave with the viewers that would stay with them beyond making them feel excited or hurt,” she said. The actors also discussed the demands of working in a vertical format. Fedelin said, “You really have to prepare because the pacing is different. You have to deliver the emotions right away and make sure the audience feels what your character is going through, even in a short amount of time.”

Despite the challenges, the pair welcomed the opportunity to work in a different format and show audiences another side of their partnership. Asked about the possibility of taking on more daring projects, Diaz said she and Fedelin were open to roles that would challenge them individually and together. “Maybe the word ‘daring’ is too much to describe the next step. We might become more courageous in taking on roles that are daring for us individually and together,” Diaz said.

The actors, however, remain mindful of their young fan base and the influence their projects may have on viewers. “Most of our fans are young, so we want them to learn something from what we do. We need to be mindful of what we show so that, in some way, we can still take on different projects and become versatile actors,” Fedelin said.

Source: manilatimes.net