OPM singer shares past struggles, warns of online predators as she prepares for “NINA XX” anniversary concert repeat.
Singer Nina revealed that she has opened up to her daughter, Ysabella, about her own painful experiences with bullying, using them as lessons on how to stay cautious and protect herself from both bullies and online predators.
“Naturuan ko naman siya about bullying,” she shared, adding that they have also talked about handling potential threats, even in online platforms like Roblox.
“Yes, there are predators there. Yes, she knows how to handle them because when someone talks to her and asks, ‘Oh, can I be friends with you?’ what she does is, she jumps. Because when you jump from Roblox, you already left the game.
“So, I’m thankful that she’s like that. She’s cautious and wary about all that stuff.”
Speaking at a media gathering for “NINA XX: The Anniversary Concert – The Repeat,” Nina also recalled her own experience with bullying when she was just starting out in the industry.
“This was back when I wasn’t considered an artist yet. Of course, if you’re a singer, you want to be better than others. The industry is very competitive. Me, I just sing. That’s all. I just let my talent prove it. I don’t start fights with people.”
With a touch of humor, Nina noted that those who once bullied her never became recording artists. “Plot twist, right? That’s how it is. Just be humble. Don’t be a bully.”
Interestingly, Nina initially pursued accounting in college at the urging of her late father, Filbert Gerado.
“I didn’t take the exam. My dad just told me to finish it. I also didn’t practice my course. I just sang,” she said.
Her father had hoped she would become an accountant and eventually a lawyer, and was against her decision to pursue music.
“Because he was a frustrated singer. When I released my first album, he passed away. He didn’t see it,” Nina recalled. “Before I released it, he told me to stop singing already. That’s why he didn’t know I was making an album.”
Her mother, however, was able to witness her rise to stardom. Nina would go on to become one of the defining voices of OPM in the early to mid-2000s, known for her string of chart-topping hits and signature soulful style that helped shape the sound of that era.
“My dad didn’t see the success of the album. To think that he was the one who taught me everything I know about singing.”
When asked which of her songs she dedicates to him, Nina became emotional. “All of them are for him,” she said.
The media gathering, held at 22 Prime in Discovery Suites Ortigas, announced the repeat of her successful “NINA XX” anniversary concert. The show is set on September 24 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, featuring special guests Christian Bautista, Thor, and Top Suzara of Freestyle.
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