rince of R&B Jay-R says that "Search for the Star in a Million" champ, Kris Lawrence, is "definitely a threat" to him.

"Kris is undeniably talented. Competition with him, if you would call it that, will definitely result to both our artistic growth," says Jay-R during a recent press conference.

Still, it's competition healthy. As friends dating back since they were schoolmates at St Genevieve High School in Panorama City in the U.S. , Jay-R and Kris are thick thieves so to speak. In fact, Kris and Jay-R still live under one roof to this day together with rapper Jimmy Muna (featured in Kyla's hit single, "No Ordinary Girl"). All three were once part of a vocal group named First Impressions in the States that has now become a production team that produces album tracks for other artists.

Jay-R, too, was one who invited Kris to try his luck in the Philippines and, consequentially, encouraged Kris to join "Search for the Star in a Million." Though Jay-R only got to watch one episode of the show, he says that he had been sort of a creative consultant to Kris during the entire run of the show.

"Kris has a wide range, is classically trained and has his own style," Jay-R lauds. "And I would be one of the happiest persons to see him successful."

Still, Kris has a long way to go before he could hold a handle to Jay-R. The Prince of R&B, in such a short period of time, has already won the hearts of Filipino music lovers via the mammoth hit single "Bakit Pa Ba." His new single "Ngayo'y Naririto" off his just released sophomore disc is fast becoming a massive hit as well.

Further, Jay-R has turned out to become an accomplished concert artist. This he will prove in his upcoming concert with Kyla at the Aliw Theater on Feb. 10 and 11 dubbed "Heartsongs."

Produced by GMA Network concert production, "Heartsongs" also features Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras, Yasmien Kurdi, Rainier Castillo, Jonalyn Viray and Brenan Espartinez. The show is stage directed by Louie Ignacio, with Rommel Gacho as TV director and Tats Faustino as musical director.

"Heartsongs" is for the benefit of the GMA Kapuso Foundation.

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We visited Angeli Valenciano at Genesis office and heard the good news that her superstar husband Gary, a diabetic, no longer has to endure injections through the miracle of science.

As of late last year while touring the U.S. , Gary had a Diabetologist insert an insulin pump to the left side of his stomach. The pump acts like a reservoir that monitors the sugar level in his blood and administers insulin accordingly. Only six people in the Philippines have an insulin pump and since Gary has had one, he has suffered no major attack. It also spares Gary up to 90 regular injection shots.

According to Angeli, Gary cried the night after the insulin pump was put in place. Gary then, she says, was coming to terms to the fact that he had to rely on a gadget to sustain his health. Angeli had to remind him gently that God has always been faithful and that they should not lose hope in praying for a complete cure.

Gary showed us his insulin pump the day we visited him during the taping of his monthlong stint on MYX as February's Celebrity VJ. Though we did not tell him, we felt all the more in awe of him whose cup of hope perennially runneth over.

Anyway, Gary just released a new single from his near- DoublePlatinum CD, "Pure Heart." The track is "Destiny," a remake of the Jim Brickman hit song and done in duet this time with Ella Mae Saison. The song comes with a video directed by Topel Lee.

Still one of the most in demand performers, Gary will, for the nth time, be touring Europe, Canada , USA , Australia and Asia . On Feb. 18 and 19, Gary will be staging a concert with Divine Diva Zsa Zsa Padilla dubbed "Faces of Love 2" at the NBC Tent.

"Faces of Love 2" is for the benefit projects of the Shining Light Foundation, an organization committed to support deserving scholars, needy diabetics, ministries and various other charity projects.

Gary recently topped the recent surveys of the Southeast Asian Foundation for Children's Television as the Most Wholesome Television Personality in the Philippines .

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From the pigeonhole: "A modern-day zarzuela akin to ‘Moulin Rouge' marked the unveiling of the new Nescafé Classic first pick now out in the market.

A mix of traditional and modern elements, the zarzuela had its actors suited in traditional Filipiniana while at the same time belting out rearranged pop OPM classics with new lyrics to suit the musicale's story. These were ‘Ligaya' by the Eraserheads, ‘Ewan' by the Apo Hiking Society, and the OPM love songs, ‘Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga' and ‘Ikaw Ang Tunay Na Ligaya.'

Singer Calvin Millado served as the narrator and over-all host of the event, while theater thespians Joel Trinidad and Ivy Maniquiz played the star-crossed lovers, Pablo and Ligaya. The story concluded with Pablo coming up with a unique coffee concoction using first pick coffee cherries that won Ligaya's heart.

The first pick coffee cherries are the same ingredients that make the new Nescafé Classic First Pick unique. Filipino farmers handpick them with care during the beginning of the harvest season. It is Nescafe's special roasting process brings out the fresh, flavorful taste and rich aroma of these first pick coffee cherries.

Apart from its rich taste and aroma, the Nescafe Classic First Pick is also packed with anti-oxidants—tiny molecules that help neutralize the body's free radicals that attack the cell's membranes and cause oxidative stress that may lead to cancer and other age-related diseases.

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