Avid fans of Janine Berdin knows her success story is a proof that dreams happen if you would just believe and wait for the perfect time. Before she was hailed as the Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 2 grand champion, Janine had quite a struggle in entering showbiz.
She first joined Star Circle Kids Quest in 2011 and made it to the semi-finals. She also tried her luck in The Voice Kids and Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 1 but it wasn’t yet her time. There came a point when Janine thought of quitting. Others tried to belittle her singing talent, which they say isn’t fit for mainstream ‘birit’ material.
“Ever since I was a kid, music po ang gusto kong i-pursue pero maraming nagsasabi, dahil nga po garalgal ‘yung boses ko, parang hindi ko po maaabot ‘yung dream na ‘yun,” shared Janine. She wouldn’t forget when someone who is no longer part of her life told her to focus on acting instead. Those words wounded her self-esteem, maybe not enough to stop her from trying but she felt tired of dreaming big.
Janine embraced the thought that she is not meant for showbiz. From her wish to become a mainstream artist, she settled for a simple dream to become a bar singer in her hometown in Cebu. To reach that little wish, she must make it on national television first, so she auditioned for the second season of TNT.
“Sa Cebu po, kapag nakita ka lang sa TV saglit, kukunin ka ng mga restaurants tapos pinapakanta ka na po doon. ‘Yun po talaga ‘yung sinasabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘Naaabot ko na ‘yung mga dream ko, kakanta na ako sa TV kaya kukunin na ako sa mga restaurants.’ Pero sobra-sobra po ang binigay ni Lord, tinuloy-tuloy Niya,” expressed Janine.
Despite all the rejections, Janine found the courage from her family and the desire to make them proud. Her family’s support would keep her going. They believed in her so she never wanted to fail them.
“I want to make myself and my family proud. Gusto kong marating ‘yung point na happy lang po talaga kaming lahat, ‘yun po ang number one goal ko. Aside sa passion ko po talaga ang music that’s why I keep on doing what I do,” she said.
The New Gem of OPM takes 2020 as the year of embracing changes. Apart from her trending glow up, she got a happier attitude and a braver mindset. While others aren’t celebrating with her, Janine would rather focus on those who do.
“Nagulat rin po ako sa sarili ko na every time I would read a bad comment, wala po akong nafi-feel kasi sobrang happy ko lang po talaga sa self ko. Sobrang secured po ako sa self ko. Wala na po akong iniisip na negative because my family, friends, and supporters have always been there hanggang ngayon,” Janine added.
The road to self-love is teaching her to turn a blind eye to bashing. Janine continues to achieve her dreams and she recently went back to school as well, taking up Mass Communication.