by Robert Requintina, Manila Bulletin
They have the looks, talent, and ready to conquer the entertainment scene! And these new breed of youngsters who will delight fans all over the world will be launched by Dragon Artists Management soon.
Managed by partners celebrity makeup artist Bambbi Fuentes and businesswoman Christine Areola, owner of Bait Lehem bakery, these fresh faces will showcase their skills in dancing, singing, modelling, and acting.
It’s a dream come true for Bambbi to finally fulfill her dream of managing the careers of newcomers. While she is successfully known as the makeup artist to the stars (Marian Rivera, Ruffa Gutierrez, Aiko Melendez, Janice de Belen, Dawn Zulueta, Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Julie Anne San Jose, etc.), this hardworking stylist revealed she has been offered to manage upcoming showbiz talents on many occasions in the past.
“I was turning down artists from way back. During that time, I really fell in love with makeup, and I was busy then with Kris Aquino,” Bambbi recalled, during an interview at her salon in Timog, Quezon City recently. “But did you know that in those years, there were two artists who later became popular in the entertainment scene? Umakyat talaga sila sa tugatog ng tagumpay. Isang banda at isang female singer.” She refused to reveal these celebrities.
Those were the days. Bambbi said she was happy about the success of these two entertainers. And she doesn’t have regrets in rejecting the chance to become the manager of these entertainers.
“Walang pag-sisisi because I was doing makeup left and right with the artistas. And besides, hilaw pa talaga ako noon. I haven’t connected with the right people,” Bambbi said. So she decided to forego her dreams of managing talents.
Then came the pandemic, leading up to the lockdown. The business establishments were severely affected. It was at this point that Bambbi decided to revive her dream of establishing a management agency.
“I told myself, ‘I want to give it a try!’ One thing led to another. Our first baby was Khai Flores. Then came with a few talents and there were referrals hanggang sa nakabuo na kami,” said Bambbi.
She added: “Some people thought we were having auditions. Hindi naman namin puwedeng kunin lahat sila so we were like a corporate company rejecting people. Sinabi na lang namin sa iba we will just call you.”
One of their latest talents is the all-girl group called Gandaras whose members can sing, dance, and act. Gandaras is composed of Shira Tweg, Emcel Abuso, Christa Joson, Mosh Gerodias, Mira Aquino and Ash Carpio.
“At the height of the pandemic, these girls were locked-in in the building of Christine Areola. They just practiced how to dance, sing and act. Praise the Lord that these girls are so nice. Despite having different personalities, they did not give us headaches. They really bonded together during the pandemic, so now they’re like sisters,”Bambbi said.
The Gandaras has already appeared on several programs. In 2021, the group joined Pop Pinoy where they made it to the top 8 finalists during the finale. “For me, it’s a big achievement already, considering they are newcomers. They have also performed on Lunch Out Loud several times.”
Indeed, Bambbi knows a promising talent when she sees one. “Dragon” has also enlisted four young gentlemen for its upcoming projects. Aside from Flores, there’s Esteven Dayrit, RJ Ariar, and Leone Adriano.
Bambbi said that her friendship with Christine began when they met at a wedding of a common friend. Since then, they became close. “Marami na rin kaming pinagdaan and now we’re business partners,” Christine said.
Yet for now, the biggest achievement of the management company is the short film “Sugat Sa Dugo,” which already reaped recognition at the 2021 International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM Autumn) in New York. “I am so proud of Janice De Belen, who won the best actress in this film.”
Bambbi continued: “We’re so blessed for this recognition. It’s a dark film on love, life, and death that tackles AIDS. The movie is so heavy that I made it so scary.”
This marked the first time that Bambbi has written a screenplay and became an executive producer. With the success of the short film, Bambbi said that her team has decided to shoot a full-length version of “Sugat Sa Dugo” which they just finished. It is directed by Danni Ugali.
Some of her “babies” are expected to make an appearance in the new version of “Sugat.” After that, they will shoot a horror flick entitled “Nasugbu.” Bambbi also revealed plans to make a series on different platforms.
Asked about the best advice she could give to these showbiz newbies, Bambbi said: “Kahit lumaki na ang pangalan nila, they should stay humble. They have to remember where they came from. Also, they should appreciate the things the management is doing for them.”
