I am profoundly thankful to God for the amazing wonders He has poured out in my life. I was so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to experience the delightful feeling of having been counted as one of the six grand finalists of BORN DIVA. This spectacular program boosted my self confidence making me realize how God works in the single moment of my life. From the transformation of my looks as manifested by the photographs to the glorious moment of being in the realms of entertainment and showbusiness. I certainly knew to myself that looks combined with good character makes an woman like me surely a winner in the battles of life. I extend my deepest gratitude to the person behind the enhancement of my looks and personality..none other but Dr. John Cenica. To all people behind my moment of success and who do believe that I can show people of my worth which God wanted me to be.
MALAYA Entertainment Friday/ October 24, 2004/Philippines
The "Born Diva" contest has been ongoing for the last eight weeks. It's now entering its second phase with all eight finalists competing (starting on Saturday) for the final showdown.
All eight finalists, though, can well consider themselves winners already. Their profession as singers is somehow assured as all of them, in the first phase of the contest, already went through a series of make-over treatments that resulted in what can aptly be referred to as the "Diva look."
The eight finalists are Shane Corpus, Reema Lucida, Raki Vega, Jenna Pascual, Desiree Sandoval, Sophia Montecarlo, Athena Soler and Shanice Michaels.
In this second phase, one contestant will be eliminated per week. Until only three are left for the final showdown. Fifty percent of the total score will come from the text votes and the other fifty, from the judges' score.
Prizes at stake in the grand finals include six months worth of make-up and hairstyling from Salon West, a sponsorship of Figlia Shoes for six months, three sets of precious stones from Forst Jewelries, facial skin treatments by the candidate's sponsor cinic, P200,000 in cash, a recording contract with Star Records and a house and lot from Filinvest Land Corp.
ABANTE Tonite Thursday/October 24, 2004
Pinakabata sa Born Diva aspirants si Sophia Montecarlo. Mababa ang luha ni Sophia dahil siya ang iyak nang iyak sa presscon ng Born Diva.
Para sa 18 year-old contestant, winner na siya dahil natupad ang pangarap niya na mapasali sa Born Diva.
Puwedeng miyembro ng Aegis Band si Sophia dahil powerful din ang kanyang boses tulad ng lead vocalist ng kilalang banda. Galing sa hirap si Sophia at kung papalarin siya na manalo sa Born Diva, gagamitin niya ang cash prize sa pagtulong sa kanyang pamilya.
"Mariah Carey at Regine Velasquez may kapalit na sa trono."
Born Diva nga ba ito si Sophia Montecarlo? siya ang 6th finalist among the weekly winner sa programang Born Diva, na ang pinakahost bale ay ang seksing-sexy pa rin at nag-iisang Divine Diva na si Zsa Zsa Padilla would you believe na ang real name nitong si Sophia ay Swirtty Mae Nibley? yeah right, Swirtty as in suwerte.
Take note, ate Vi, Vilmanian po ang tatay ni Sophia na si Aladdin at ipinangalan nito ang kanyang panganay sa eldest niyong anak na si Lucky Manzano, kaya nga lang taga Bacolod itong si Aladdin, kaya yung tagalog ng Lucky na suwerte ay naging Swirtty.
Pero ang kahanga hanga rito ay kung naging suwerte si Lucky sa buhay ni Ate Vi, suwerte rin si Swirtty sa buhay ng kanyang ama who trained her to be a singer since four years old lamang.
Ang mga unang awit daw na kanyang natutunan ay ang "Unang Halik ni Tina Paner" at "Mr. Dreamboy ni Sheryl Cruz" at dahil nandun ang dating manager ni Sheryl na si Nestor Cuartero, pilit na ipinakanta kay Swirtty ang naroroong member of the press ang "Mr. Dreamboy" ni Sheryl Cruz, sabi ng mga nandun sa finalist ng Born Diva "Favorite yan ni Mr. Cuartero kaya kantahin mo." may dumugtong naman ng "Noon." katakot takot na tawanan sumunod pero game pa rin si Sophia, kasi kahit nakalimutan niya na kuno ang entire lyrics nito at least, nakanta niya yung dalawang linya ng nasabing song.
Eighteen yrs. old lamang at second yr. college sa Trinity, Ever since kuno, halos lahat na yata ng singing contest ay nasalihan na niya "Maging sa Branggay at Bida-oke" Nanalo siya thrice sa Bida-oke at ang total ng napanalunan niya ay P18,000 pesos na ipinatustos niya sa pag=aaral ng kanyang dalawang kapatid, sina Carlyle, who is 14 at Furzopeda na 10 yrs.old pa lamang, True para kay Sophia yung kasabihang "Pag may tiaga may nilaga!" kasi after so many contest kung saan mas maraming beses siya natalo, ngayon ay winner na siya ng fifty thousand pesos at may 20 thousand pang allowance, sa Born Diva po ito bilang weekly finalist, pero nangako raw siyang ido-donate kuno ang P20,000 sa simbahan, "P15,000 po sa Cavite at P5,000 sa Pampangga.
Pero grabe rin pala ang pinagdaanan nitong si Sophia, matiyaga siyang itene-train ng kanyang tatay sa pagkanta.
"Nung maliit pa ako halos 20 songs a day ang ipinakakanta ng father ko, Minsan ginigising niya ako nang 4:00 in the morning para masanay daw ako na kahit sa madaling araw pumuwede ang boses ko."
Pero dahil sa gusto niya rin daw sumikat, sinunod niyang lahat ang itinuturo ng tatay niya, at heto nga, nagbunga na ang paghihirap nito, Success is just a step away, Let's see kung itong si Swirtty ay magiging kasing suwerte ngang kanyang namesake na si Lucky. Maging tagapagmana rin kaya ito ng mga trono ng kanyang idols na sina Mariah Carey at Regine Velasquez? ang tanong, payag kaya ang dalawa na ipamana ang kanilang trono?
9186 Balagtas St. Guadalupe Makati City MM Tel 883 - 4408 / Cel 0920 - 912 - 5069 Info@dinolara.com
Sophia Montecarlo of "Born Diva" ABS CBN
MALAYA Entertainment Thursday/ October 14, 2004/Philippines
GUESS what the finalists in the ongoing ABS-CBN contest, "Born Diva," have in common. Of course, aside from their desire to enhance their singing careers and the free cosmetic makeover they all got.
Well, most of the contestants are products of broken homes. And this is why they all had to work at a young age to be able to help augment the family income. Sophia Monteverde's case is no different but for one thing: she grew up with her dad.
"Usually, mga nanay ang nag-a-alaga sa mga anak na produkto ng broken homes," said Sophia, the sixth "Born Diva" finalist, "But my two siblings and I grew up with our dad. I was eight years old when our mother left us."
Sophia (real name: Swirtty Mae Nibley) is now 18. Her youngest sister is 10.
It was her dad who encouraged her to sing. She said she started training at age four. Her dad would wake her up at four in the morning so she could vocalize.
"He would make me sing four to five songs every session," she related. "Ako naman, dahil gusto ko ang ipinagagawa niya sa akin, sinusunod ko siya ng walang angal."
She was already singing professionally at the Manila Pavilion and Manila Hotel when her dad suggested that she join "Born Diva." "Napanood daw niya ang announcement tungkol sa audition habang naglalaba siya. Sinamahan niya ako sa ABS-CBN nang mag-audition ako."
Although it is her prayer that she ends up as the "Born Diva" champion, she said she's happy with what the contest has given her. She has already won P70,000 in cash and has had nose and chin operations, which were courtesy of cosmetic surgeon John Cenica.
She wanted to have a bust lift, but she was advised against it by Dr. Cenica. "Sabi niya, at 18 daw, I still have the chance na magkaroon ng malaking boobs, minus the medical process," she revealed.
TEMPO MAGAZINE Monday/ October 11, 2004
By the way young promising diva Sophia Montecarlo's father was such a big fan of Vilma Santos that he named his daughter after the star mayor's son Lucky Manzano, Sophia was baptized Swirtty Mae Nibley, Lucky... Swirtty get the drift?No kidding. that's Sophia Real name. Swirtty/Sophia's dad must have been totally starstruck that he trained his daughter to sing, starting at age 4. The 6th Grandfinalist of Born Diva TV series, said she could sing as many as 20 songs every day when she reached her teens, Little wonder Sophia, a computer science major in Trinity College, was a runaway winner when she sang the lungbusting Halik by Aegis...
Source: MOVIEGOER Entertainment Nestor Cuartero nescuar@yahoo.com
ABS-CBN Born Diva "Halik and Unleash the Diva" By the Dazzling Diva Sophia Montecarlo and Zsa Zsa Padilla
Sophia Montecarlo
