SINGER Erik Santos crossed paths with his former girlfriend, sexy comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto who is getting married soon.
“Wala lang nagkita lang kami. Actually sinadya ko talagang pumunta sa backstage to say hello,” said Santos, during an interview on “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on ABS-CBN.
Santos said that Rufa Mae was then taping for an episode of the Kapamilya game show “Family Feud” when he saw her in another studio of the network. It was their first meeting after a long time, he said.
“Sandali lang maman ‘yung pag-uusap namin. Tawanan lang. Alam mo naman si Rufa Mae pag nakita mo parang laging hindi seryoso. Tawa lang nang tawa so sandali lang talaga,” he said.
Santos said that Rufa Mae, now engaged to Trev Magallanes, invited him to her wedding in Manila soon.
Santos and Rufa Mae broke up in 2007 but they remain good friends these days.
Asked if singer Angeline Quinto got jealous about the chance meeting, Santos said: “Wala naman akong naramdaman na nagselos si Angeline.”
Santos said that he is always in touch with Angeline despite their busy schedules.
“She’s doing well. Actually busy s’ya sa movies na ginagawa n’ya. Nagsu-shoot s’ya ng dalawang movies at the same time,” he said.
“Sa ngayon medyo nabawasan ‘yung pag-uusap namin kasi mas gusto n’yang mag-focus sa career. Busy s’ya at busy rin naman ako. But almost everyday we text naman,” Santos added.
The 33-year-old singer said that he enjoys being a mentor of reality singing competition “We Love OPM.”
“Sobra yung learning ko kasi kung wala pong idea ‘yun ibang nanunuod lahat po nung nakikita nilang performance lahat ‘yun kontrol ng mentors. Lahat yun galing sa mentors so may laya po kaming pumili ng mga areglo ng kanta ng boses or masunod kung ano yung gusto naming konsepto,” Santos said.
“As a coach mas napipiga ‘yung creativity ko. Tapos mas strict pala ako kapag nagtuturo ako. Halimbawa nagko-coach ako at si Jovit (Baldovino) nagba-viber, talagang papansin ko yun,” Santos added.
The singer said that he gets along well with his co-mentors in the show.
“Sa grupo wala namang sigawan or awayan. ’Yun po ang maganda sa grupo ko kasi lahat sila coachable, dedicated, committed, kaya siguro sila ’yung nasa top kasi bukod sa magaling sila individually as a singer, pag pinagsama-sama mo sila talagang wow!” Santos said.
The first champion of “Star in a Million” Season 1 in 2003 also said that he discovered his creativity when he became a guest judge for “Tawag ng Tanghalan” on noontime program “It’s Showtime.”
“Sa 13 years ko as an artist, madisiplina rin ako as a singer. I really work hard and each performance ibinibigay ko lahat. ’Yun po ang tinuturo ko sa kanila. Sa judging naman nakaka-relate ako sa mga contenders because naramdaman ko na rin ’yun kung saan sila nakatapak. Mahirap yun. Lagi ko rin sinasabi na porke hindi ka napili hindi ka magaling.
Kailangan mo lang i-work out ‘yung mga kahinaan mo at nadadaan talaga sa practice,” he added.