MANILA, Philippines – Being the child of a showbiz personality has its pros and cons, but for newbie singer Crystal Brosas, she’s always been grateful for the sacrifice her mom, singer and comedian K Brosas has made.

K (real name Maria Carmela Brosas) raised Crystal practically on her own. Crystal is currently finishing her English degree and will graduate very soon.

This year, Crystal decided to get enter the music industry, releasing her first single “Walang Malay” under Cornerstone Music. She said she was finally allowed by her mom to pursue singing because partly because she’s about to graduate and also because it’s the perfect time for her.

We caught up with the 21-year-old to talk Christmas traditions and her Christmas wish for her mom.

Her tune of choice

Ang dami nun. Ang parati kong naririnig at gusting-gusto pakinggan is yung kay Mariah Carey yug “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Pero hindi ko talaga siya kinakanta. Gusto-gusto ko siya pakingan kasi ang lively nung kanta.

(There’s so many. What I always hear and always like to listen to is Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” But I don’t sing it. I just love to listen to it because the song is lively.)

Christmas traditions

Actually yung traditional namin is cinecelebrate naming yung Christmas ng Christmas Eve. So salubong. Kasi unlike other people, na sa 25 sila nagcecelebrate, kami, sa 24 talaga yung handaan, and all. And yung tradition naming is mahilig mag pa games si mommy – Pinoy Henyo, yung itlog na pag masalo mo hindi dapat mababasag, yung mga ganun.

(We celebrate Christmas during Christmas Eve. So it’s salubong. Unlike other people who celebrate on December 25, we have the gathering on the 24th and all. And my mom loves to have games – Pinoy Henyo, the egg you should be able to get without breaking, and more.)

And my mom is very generous. Mahilig siya magbigay ng gifts, cash, so iyon yung tradition (She love to give gifts, cash, so that’s also a tradition). To give back to the people who love us.

Christmas food and favorites

Actually hindi nagluluto si mommy. Ganun din yung tradition – potluck din. Magdadala siya din. Ako kasi favorite ko chicken. Pag Christmas, usually lechon, kumbaga yung traditional na may ham, may chicken, may pork, may beef. Kung ano maisip mong typical Pinoy food – spaghetti, hotdog, barbeque. Iyon yung mga handa namin.

(Mommy does not cook. It’s the same tradition – potluck. She’ll just bring food. My favorite is chicken. During Chritmas there’s lechon, in other words the traditional things like ham, chicken, pork, and beef. Whatever typical Pinoy food – spaghetti, hotdog, barbeque, that what we would prepare.)

The best Christmas gift yet

Siguro yung trip namin sa Europe. I was in 3^rd year high school. Cinelebrate namin sa Italy kasi nandoon yung relatives namin sa mother’s side ko. So we celebrated there for the first time na kasama ko sila. Ginawa ni mommy ako na surprise doon kasi hindi nga nila ako madalas nakikita. So parang nung nagpunta ako soon, parang na surprised yung mga relatives ko and all. I think yun yung memorable para sa akin.

(I guess it would be our trip to Europe. I was in 3rd year high school then. We celebrated in Italy because my mom’s relatives live there. So we celebrated there for the first time with them. My mom actually made as a surprise for them because they don’t get to see me much. So when I went there, they were surprised and all. I thing that was very memorable for me.)

For New Year, we went to Paris kaya until now, pag iniisip ko, sabi ko totoo ba ito? Kasi sobrang surreal niya. Sobrang really unforgettable. For me it’s the best Christmas gift, kasi yung feeling na yung bucket list mo is na achieve mo iyon in such a young age yung sa Eiffel Tower.

(For New Year, we went to Paris and up to now when I think about, I keep telling myself, “is this real?” Because it was so surreal for me. It was really unforgettable. For me, it’s the best Christmas gift because that feeling you accompished you bucket list in an ealy age like seeing the Eiffel Tower.)

What she’s thankful for as 2018 closes

I’m thankful for of course, yung career ko (my career)  and I’m thankful for na ilang months na lang, gagraduate na ako (in a few months, I’ll be graduating). I’m thankful of course for my mom kasi hindi naman mangyayari ito lahat (this would not happen) without the help of my mom. Whatever kinds of help pa iyan.

Her Christmas wish 

Itong wish ko (This wish) is not for myself but it’s for my mom, na I hope na she’ll find the person [who] will love her. Because we all know that my mom is a single mom and she’s given me so much. I don’t feel guilty naman for that but I really hope and almost pray everyday that I hope she finds someone. She really deserves it. Kasi (Because) she’s really working hard –  working hard for me and for herself. And gusto ko naman maramdaman niya na mahalin siya (I want her to feel that she’s also loved). My mom is really a strong woman.

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A post shared by Crystal Brosas (@crystalbrosas) on May 12, 2018 at 12:48am PDT

– Rappler.com