Charice Pempengco Out to Prove What Pinoy Talent is All About in Gleek Season 2

Charice will officially become a Gleek come July 28.

The Filipina singer will play a foreign exchange student in Glee Season 2, which will air this September. The hit American TV musical comedy-drama series follows the adventures of a choir based in a fictional high school in Ohio.

Charice met with the press yesterday afternoon, July 15, at the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel to talk about her upcoming projects here and abroad. She is scheduled to perform at the Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio on July 16 and at the Eastwood Mall Open Park, Eastwood City, Quezon City on July 17. to join PEP's online promo.

Charice will be in Japan from July 19 to 21 to promote her album there. She is also scheduled to perform at the Grand Hall, 1st floor, Siam Landau Gallery, Siam Discovery on July 23. By July 25, she will be in Malaysia to perform at the Dragonfly Club, Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur.

CHARICE ON GLEE. Did she already meet the cast of Glee?

"Hindi ko pa po nami-meet ang cast, pero nababasa ko po yung tweets nila about me na super excited na po sila mag-enroll ako sa school nila," said Charice.

According to the website of U.S. magazine Entertainment Weekly, her role will be a "foreign exchange student whose killer vocals get Rachel (played by Lea Michele) contemplating murder."

What exactly did she do during the auditions?

"Gusto ko pong sabihin pero hindi po ako puwede maglabas ng details tungkol sa audition. Ang masasabi ko lang po, hindi po talaga ako nag-expect. Dati, nanginginig pa ako pero hanggang dun na lang po."

What are the preparations that she has been doing for Glee?

"Nagbo-voice lessons na po ako at pati sa acting at accent. Ang pinakaimportante po talaga yung acting. Dun po kami nagfo-focus talaga."

When rumors came out saying that she will be part of the second season of Glee, did she feel pressured?

"Kinabahan talaga ako nung lumabas ang rumor...pero masaya ako kasi it's the best rumor ever...na makasama ako sa Glee. Right after ng rumor na yun, tinanong ng Mommy ko ang manager ko si Marc [Johnston] kung puwede namin i-try ang Glee. Kasi very, very massive siya sa States at never kami nag-expect na makakapasa ako. Kasi siyempre, sa dami ng magagaling sa States, never akong nag-expect.

"Nag-try po ako at nasa Europe ako that time at bigla na lang nag-check ako sa Twitter at ang daming responses na makakasama nga raw po ako sa Glee. Hindi pa po ako naniwala that time kasi wala pa akong email from them. After 30 minutes, nag-email sila na congratulations," Charice narrated.

How does she deal with this pressure?

"Iniisip ko na lang na yung lahat ng Filipinos, not only here but also sa buong mundo, talagang nakadepende sa akin at kailangan ipakita kung ano ang talento ng Pinoy. At sobrang pressure sa akin. But, of course, yun ang nagiging strength ko na mas lalo ko pang gagalingan para maipakita sa ibang cast ng Glee at ibang lahi na meron din kami [talent] sa Asia na puwede ring isabay sa kanila."

When asked to cite her favorite episode of Glee, Charice said that she likes the one featuring Lady Gaga. She also revealed that her favorite character on the show is the wheelchair-bound character named Artie Abrams (portrayed by Kevin McHale).

Meanwhile, Charice's mother, Raquel, revealed that her daughter is supposed to tape 10 episodes for the hit American TV series.

ASPIRING ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER. Charice is currently a freshman taking up BA Communications at a Massachusetts-based online international university. She has expressed her desire to take up law in the future.

"Alam ko po matagal pa naman po yun pero for me, ayoko naman na maging artist or singer forever. I love singing, ipapagpatuloy ko pa rin yun pero sa personal life ko po, priority ko pa rin po ang studies. At gusto ko rin pong may marating talaga ako not as an artist. Kasi gusto ko pong masabi nila na nag-iibang posisyon ako."

She exclaimed: "[Isang] lawyer...ang taas ng pangarap ko!"

Charice is determined to reach this goal. "Pero kahit matagal yun, sobrang magsisikap ako. Gusto ko pong maging lawyer-entertainment lawyer po."

to watch Charice's video explaining why she wants to become a lawyer in the future) TALENT FEE ISSUE. U.S.-based concert producer Anna Puno recently told a tabloid columnist that she wanted to tap Charice for a show abroad but she claimed that the singer's talent fee is pegged at $100,000 (Php4.5 million). Puno is the producer of Martin Nievera and Gary Valenciano's As 1 concert.

Charice turned to her manager Marc, who was present during the press con, and asked him nicely, "I think you should answer this. Sa totoo lang, kaya ko tinatanong siya kasi wala akong alam [sa figures].

"Pero sobra naman po ata ang $100,000. Nagsisimula pa lang naman ako at hindi ko naman sinasabi na sobrang sikat na ako sa States para maging ganun yung talent fee ko at ibang usapan siyempre pagdating sa performance sa Philippines," she said.