Nowadays, there are more avenues to fame than ever before. Showbiz hopefuls, for example, can take their first step by joining the dizzying array of talent searches and reality competitions, or, better yet, they can take hold of their careers from the start by showing the world their artistry and creativity directly on social media. But while it’s definitely easier to become a celebrity today than in the pre-wired age, only a select few ultimately emerge, fortunate to possess that genuine star power to stand out, shine bright and thrive.
One promising newcomer in Philippine Entertainment who is clearly on the right track is 20-year-old British-Filipina Geraldine Jennings. Standing 5-foot-8, this mestiza stunner exudes a unique charm that shines through in her passion for the arts, allowing her to pursue her creative endeavors with grace and beauty. It is no wonder then that in less than a year since stepping into the spotlight, she already enjoys a plate full of projects as she balances life as a student, singer, and budding actress.
Born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, and initially raised in Manila, Jennings is the child of a Filipino mother named Gina from Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, and a British-Irish father, Frank. She attended British School Manila until the age of seven, when her family moved to the UK and eventually settled in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Talented child
Jennings fell in love with music as a young child, developing a passion for singing almost as soon as she learned to speak.
“I asked my mom to enroll me in singing lessons, and she did that for my older sister and me with classes at British School Manila,” she recalled at a media conference organized by Star Music Philippines for the launch of her debut single, “If I Will Ever Love Again.”
“Then, from there, I took musical theater classes as well. By the time we moved to the UK, I wanted to try pop music, so I went ahead and explored the genre while also enrolling in guitar lessons.”
Gifted with a singer’s voice indeed, Jennings began joining singing competitions around where she lived and discovered her love for performing in front of an audience. By the time she was 14, she had landed a spot as a contestant in the reality singing search, “Teenstar UK,” where she bravely went head-to-head with older competitors and reached the finals.
“I was really young, but I was going against 19- and 18-year-old girls. As a 14-year-old, I made it to the finals again with my sister, who played the guitar for me. It was then I realized, ‘Oh, I really want to do this [as a career],” she continued.
Later, Jennings won the prestigious Future Music Development Award at the Open Mic UK competition. She performed at the iconic O2 Arena in London and considers both the experience and her win a significant milestone in her musical journey.
Completing her GCSEs [General Certificate of Secondary Education], she went to prep school at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, USA, where, besides enrolling in Business Management, she also took lessons in Music and Acting.
Now pursuing a double degree in Economics and Finance at the University of London, Jennings has not set aside her dream of becoming a professional singer and actress, choosing to make a go for it here in the Philippines.
It was the late A-list celebrity talent manager Leo Dominguez who encouraged Jennings to juggle her studies with a Philippine-based showbiz career at the same time. The dutiful talent recalls first meeting him in London at the home of a mutual friend, where Dominguez promised he would help make her dreams come true.
“He heard me sing and asked if I wanted to pursue a showbiz career in the Philippines. I was only 15, so he told me to wait until I was 17, and he kept his promise,” Jennings said as tears welled in her eyes.
While Dominguez is no longer here, Jennings promises her heaven-based manager she will thrive in what they started together and see it through.
Eager newbie
Having undergone acting training in Los Angeles, Jennings nonetheless sought a follow-through via workshops in the Philippines with Jo Macasa.
“I started in LA at Loyola Marymount University, like I said, where I focused on the theory of acting. Then, I also took acting classes in West Hollywood every week, specifically for TV and movies. I learned a lot there,” she gushed.
Not one to rest on her laurels, Jennings continued, “When I came here in September, I also did an acting workshop with Jo Macasa, which was amazing. She taught me to feel the vibes and the scene in order to make it real. She taught me that whether on TV, film or the stage, you cannot simply act. You need to become the character,” she shared.
Becoming the character in projects produced in the Philippines, Jennings knew she needed more than acting skills.
“I am taking Tagalog lessons and dedicated to doing that. I can’t sound the way. I do know if I’m really serious about my career, and as of now, I can understand almost everything, but I just need to practice, and I’m confident I’ll be OK,” she said.
Exciting collaborations
Thanks to the introductions Dominguez made for Jennings, not to mention her intrinsic talent in performing, the up-and-coming artist is genuinely humbled by all the opportunities she is now working on.
As mentioned, her single “If I Will Ever Love Again” is under Star Music, has already been released and has all the makings of a hit. The track, composed no less by OPM icon Ogie Alcasid — one of Dominguez’s longest talents — explores the pain of a difficult breakup and the courage to love again.
“The song was given to me by Sir Ogie Alcasid, an amazing singer and songwriter, and it really resonated with me. I love the meaning and style of the song. It’s a ballad about loving someone and feeling heartbreak, which many people have experienced.
“When we were recording, I wanted to add a sense of empowerment towards the end, which is why I suggested raising the tone to show that, yes, we can all hope to love again even if our hearts have been broken,” she explained.
In collaborating with the best, Jennings’ goal is for her work to matter to people, just like the hope she has for her single, which is to help people heal.
“Many people my age or older have experienced love and heartbreak. I can relate to the song even though I’m young because it’s a normal part of life,” said OPM’s latest recruit of her maiden offering.
“I chose to sing this song to reassure everyone that whatever emotions they’re going through are valid. We all go through the same experiences, so the message is you’re not alone.
“The song, for me, reflects the feelings someone goes through when ending a relationship. It starts with a melancholic tone about heartbreak. Still, eventually, as it progresses and the lyrics remain the same, I deliver them in a more empowering manner to remind everyone that they will heal and find love again.”
Now that she is a bonafide recording artist, Jennings can hardly describe the feeling of joy and fulfillment bursting inside her.
“When Star Music agreed to distribute the single, I felt so grateful and excited. I appreciate that this is a huge opportunity to be connected to such a big and successful music company. I’m looking forward to more collaborations, not just with the artists of Tito Leo but also with Star Music.”
“If I Will Ever Love Again” is now available across top music streaming platforms, along with an official music video in which Jennings stars alongside Filipino-German model Kirk Bondad.
Onto the big screen
Impressively, Jennings will soon add “bonafide actress” to her name with the upcoming release of her first film, “Isla Babuyan,” directed by Abdel Langit. She excitedly shared that her first set of projects is also connected, with her producers selecting her Star Music single as part of the movie soundtrack.
Dominguez also started Jennings off on this film, which has just finished shooting.
Jennings stars as Anastassia in “Isla Babuyan” as a half-Filipina, half-European balikbayan, who, upon tracing her roots in the Philippines falls in love with Jordan, played by Jameson Blake.
Jennings describes the film as a “romantic tragicomedy”— a dark, sexy, disturbing and sarcastic love story akin to a surreal soap opera.
The concept was one of the last projects Dominguez worked on as well, which is why Jennings made sure to give her role everything she has as a tribute to him.
“I’m really grateful but also sad that Tito Leo will not be here to see the launch because he was working on this project before he passed away,” Jennings said.
“It was his passion project, which is why this is all so bittersweet for me.”
In excellent company for her first big screen debut, Jennings expressed admiration for her co-star Lotlot de Leon, who plays her mother in the film.
“I learned so much from her,” the neophyte actress shared. “She taught me how to convince yourself psychologically that the script is real to make your audience believe in your performance. That was her tip, and it worked.”
For her first experience shooting a full-length project, Jennings found her dramatic scenes the most challenging, of course, but sheepishly admits she also found it difficult to do the beach scenes.
“I had to swim, and the water was icy,” she shivered at the memory. “It was around 11 at night, and we had to jump into the freezing water.
“Of course, I couldn’t let it show on me that I was freezing, so that, not to mention having to deliver my lines treading the water and stepping on sharp rocks as well, was really tough.”
I had to pretend I wasn’t. There were also a lot of sharp rocks in the ocean. That was really tough,” Jennings added.
Besides Blake and de Leon, the film also features Paolo Gumabao, Nathalie Hart, James Blanco, Dave Borneo, and Samantha Da Roza, among others.
“I learned a lot from being on set and acting — the on-the-job experience. Being there and working with my co-stars was great because they were all very professional and welcoming to me. I’m really looking forward to the movie and for everyone to watch it when it comes out,” Jennings enthused.
Looking ahead
While Jennings is having the time of her life with everything happening to her all at once, she cannot deny that she has started to feel the weight of juggling life as a student, singer and actress — and in different parts of the world to boot.
Thankfully, her passion and well-learned time management skills never fail to fuel her whenever her schedule and all the traveling get crazy.
“I’m still new to showbiz, so I have no choice but to manage my time well and balance everything. As they say, I have to pay my dues and definitely have a long way to go.
“But at the end of the day, my love for singing, making music and acting overrides everything else, so I’ve gotten used to flying back and forth between Manila and London and am happy to keep doing that until I finish university. Because when you truly love what you do, you will always find a way to handle it all.”
Jennings does this little trick whenever her commitments start to feel overwhelming: “I remind myself that I chose to pursue this career while believing at the same time that it’s important to finish my studies.”
As for choosing between singing or acting should the need arise to focus on just one talent, the committed young lady refused to even think about it.
“I love both being a singer and an actress equally. I’m starting to love acting more and more as I do it. Singing is my first love, but I want to be versatile. I love learning and trying new things, and if I can pursue them at the same time, why shouldn’t I?”
With a world of possibilities ahead of her, Geraldine Jennings continues to navigate the challenging yet rewarding path of her dual careers in music and film. Armed with passion, talent, and a deep commitment to her craft, she is poised to leave an indelible mark on Philippine entertainment. As she balances her studies and burgeoning showbiz career, it’s clear this young star is just getting started — and the best is yet to come.
