Jennylyn Mercado

Jennylyn Mercado (born May 15, 1987) is a Filipino actress, singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the winner of the first season of the reality talent competition StarStruck. Mercado is most known for receiving much critical acclaim at her young age for her acting performances on television and film. She has released three albums from GMA Records and Viva Records which have several popular singles such as "Sa Aking Panaginip", "Moments Of Love" collaboration with Janno Gibbs, "Maybe This Time" and "Kahit Sandali".

Early and personal life

Mercado was born on May 15, 1987, to a mother who was a duty-free store beauty consultant. Mercado had opened up about her stepfather who abused her as a child. He burned her skin with cigarette butts. Her mother, who was working in Dubai at that time, immediately flew back to the Philippines not to help her daughter, but to bail out Mercado's stepfather, who was in jail for abusing his four-year-old daughter. After the incident, her aunt took her away from them and raised her, eventually adopting Jennylyn as her legal daughter.^[1]

Mercado grew up in Parañaque, Metro Manila. She spent her senior high school year at the Augustinian Abbey in nearby Las Piñas.

Mercado's life story was featured in the weekly drama anthology Magpakailanman on October 14, 2004. She is now the official spokesperson of the Bata Foundation (Christian Mission Services), a non-government organization.

In 2008, at age 21, Mercado announced that she was pregnant. Her ex-boyfriend Patrick Garcia, who distanced himself upon learning of her pregnancy, was announced as the father of her child. On August 16, 2008, she gave birth to her child, a son, via Caesarian section.^[2][3][4]

She is the niece of television reporter, Abner Mercado. Her cousins are Cherie Mercado (news and radio anchor for News5), Charee Pineda, and Eliza Pineda who both work for the ABS-CBN channel.^[5]

Activism and other endeavours

Aside from being a performer/entertainer, Mercado is also a political activist. She works with the Philippine women's organization GABRIELA.^[6]

She is also an aspiring triathlete.^[7]

Career

Mercado started as a recording artist with Alpha Records in 1999 through the recommendation of her voice coach, Susanna Pichay. She was in Nonoy Tan's singing group, G4. Unfortunately the group never released an album because two of the four members dropped out. However, the group was able to record two songs. After G4, Mercado went into commercial modeling and landed a stint with Bambini cologne and a Pond's television advertisement. She was also part of the Elite Circle of 10 Modeling Search where she competed with StarStruck co-finalist, Dion Ignacio.

In 2002, Mercado 's debut appearance was in ABS-CBN's tv series Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay topbilled by Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz where she played a very minor role. A year later in 2003, she joined the reality show StarStruck She and Mark Herras won, receiving 1,000,000 pesos plus exclusive contracts from GMA Network. After winning StarStruck, she starred in the Encantadia, I Luv NY, Now and Forever titled Dangal, Super Twins, Sine Novela: Paano Ba Ang Mangarap?, SRO Cinemaserye: Suspetsa, Ikaw Sana and Sine Novela: Gumapang Ka Sa Lusak.

She released her first album, Living the Dream, containing original compositions of composer Vehnee Saturno, and a carrier single titled "Kahit Sandali". In May 2006, Mercado released her second album Letting Go which included the single "Sa Aking Panaginip" by Vehnee Saturno. Her first major concert was held on May 15, 2006, at the Music Museum in Greenhills. In January 2010, under VIVA Records, she released her third album, Love Is... Jennylyn Mercado. Due to her popularity, she held a birthday concert at the Music Museum, titled I Am Woman in May 2009. The concert was sold-out.

Her first films included So Happy Together and the teen-flick Let the Love Begin but her most acclaimed film performance was a Filipino period piece, Rosario. Jennylyn's acting career is handled by Becky Aguila and VIVA Entertainment, Inc., where she joined her Starstruck co-alumnus Cristine Reyes. Her singing career is managed by VIVA Records. Her contract with VIVA ended in 2011 and did not renew, although she joined Cristine Reyes. On 2013, Jennylyn signed back with Regal Entertainment. Jennylyn Mercado has also signed up with PolyEast Records for her singing career which she hopes would help in her bid to reinvent herself as singer.

Mercado recently branched out into television hosting, hosting the Philippine reality series Protégé: The Battle For The Big Break^[7] with co-hosts Ogie Alcasid and Dingdong Dantes. She is also in the GMA-7 Sunday talk show, Showbiz Central.

Last 2013, She made a movie comeback with Regal Entertainment with a romantic, sexy film The Bride and the Lover. Her contract with Polyeast Records ended that year. Currently, she is playing the role of a woman who has a split personality. According to her, this is the most challenging role she had ever played. She is going to release her fifth album with GMA Records in late 2014.

In 2015, Mercado finally grabbed her first win for controversial FHM Philippines' 100 Sexiest Woman after beating Andrea Torres and Ellen Adarna, after Marian Rivera (which excluded on the list along with Rookies Tricia Santos and China Roces) vactates the title.^[8] Before she leaves Philippines for New York for PreNup film with Sam Milby, publisher Aeus Reyes and Allan Altera with GMA News reporter Nelson Canlas surpries Mercado and give a plaque. And finally on July 11, Mercado ramps for the two part FHM 100 Sexiest party at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia.^[9]

Filmography

Drama television shows

Drama anthology shows

Variety, reality, and talk shows

Movies

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation album

Soundtrack

Single

Awards, nominations and recognition

Performance awards

Music awards

Box-office awards

Special awards

Entertainment awards

FHM Rankings

References

External links

• Jennylyn Mercado at the Internet Movie Database