Getting To Know SOP's Aryana

‘I’M NOT LIBERATED’LAST December, Universal Records formally introduced Aryana singing a new Christmas song, “Ako ang Nauna (Bumati ng Merry Christmas)”. She told us then she’s preparing her full length album. Now, after 11 months, her self-titled debut album has finally been launched with “Ulan” as the carrier single. Her real name is Nia-Deen Lim and she got her screen name from GMA-7 exec Wilma Galvante. Born in Guam, she started singing when she was three and by the time she was 10, she’s already a seasoned singer performing in various civic and social functions. When she studied in Los Angeles, she performed in stage musicals like “Singing in the Rain” and “The Circle of Life”. She has recorded some songs in L.A. and two of them were used in the hit TV show of Tyra Banks, “America’s Next Top Model”. In Guam, she became the grand champion in the Shining Star Idol competition and became the Pride of Guam. Choreographer-talent manager Geleen Eugenio saw her performing in the show of Jasmine Trias and offered to manage her. Universal Records signed her up and she recorded the song “Bop It” that was included in a compilation album that became doubple platinum. In the SOP Music Awards, “Bop It” won the Maximum Dance Blast trophy. She also represented our country in the 8th Shanghai International Songfest and won the Silver Prize plus the best song award. So why did it take a year before she released her first album? “We really took our time in preparing the album as I want it to show the real Aryana,” she says. “It’s not the usual teenybopper album but I do more serious singing here. The songs are heartfelt love tunes that both teeners and adults can relate to, like ‘Ulan’ which is about breaking up and making up, and the song I recorded with Brenan Espartinez, ‘Muli’.” Is it true she’s now going steady with Gabriel, the son of Gary Valenciano? “We’re good friends, but I was also linked to JC De Vera who I met in ‘SOP’, but we’re also not on. A lot of people think I’m liberated as I come from abroad, but I’m not. I still have to ask my parents’ permission before I can date anyone.” The other great cuts in her album are “Flying,” “Love Me Tonight”, “Babalik,” “Suddenly It’s Magic,” “Where Do We Run,” “Araw-Gabi,” “Honesty” and “Everybody Needs A Little Love”.