Jennylyn Mercado is a Filipino singer, actress and songwriter who had a grim childhood memory as a battered child. She was abused by her father who was known to have burned her skin with a cigarette when she was four years old. However, despite these ordeals that she went through when she was young, Mercado was able to surpass it all with much success in her acting and singing career.
She was born on May 15, 1987 and gained her popularity after she wittingly won in StarStruck, a Philippine TV series by GMA 7. She won 1M and an exclusive contract with the television network giant GMA 7. This opened the window of unlimited opportunity for her to have a promising career in the world of show business. She was also able to launch her three music albums with GMA Records and Viva Records. In her albums, the songs that boost her singing career includes “Moments of Love,” “Maybe This Time,” “Kahit Sandali” and “Sa Aking Panaginip.”
Her singing career as a recording artist began in 1999. She received voice lessons through the help of her coach Susanna Pichay. She was given her biggest break to shine in the music industry by Alpha Records when she was just beginning to take the first steps towards the ladder of success. She was a member of a group of singers then. She also pursued commercial modeling where she did some television commercials for beauty products and colognes. She also had some stints in doing television soap operas that brought her more fame. Then she further pursued doing movies that include “So Happy Together,” and “Let the Love Begin” among others. Mercado is also trying some gigs as a television host for Showbiz Central, a Sunday talk show and Protégé:The Battle for the Big Break” as a co-host of two make actors Dingdong Dantes and Ogie Alcasid.
Because of her grim past, Mercado is an advocate against child abuse and is currently the official spokesperson for Bata Foundation, a non-governmental organization. Mercado is trying to hurdle the challenge of raising her son as a single mother after she got pregnant by a Filipino movie actor Patrick Garcia.
Jennylyn Vergara Mercado was born on May 15, 1987 and is a Filipina actress, songwriter, singer and a Television host on Philippine entertainment. Her popularity started when she emerged as a grand winner of the reality talent show “Starstruck,” aired over GMA 7. Because she had a singing voice and talent, Jennylyn was given the chance to record some songs entitled “Sa Aking Panaginip,””Moments of Love,” with Janno Gibbs, “Maybe this time,” and “Kahit Sandali.” Jennelyn’s singing coach was Susanna Pichay, and through her recommendation, she worked as a recording artist with Alpha Records in 1999.
Jennelyn was a member of G4, a Nonoy’s Tan Singing group, but unluckily, they never released an album because two of the members left the group. G4 was has recorded only two songs. Jennelyn ventured into modeling and had a chance to appear in a “Bambini” cologne advertisement, and also “Ponds.” She was then a member of the Elite Circle of 10 Modeling Search, where she had pitted against Starstruck batchmate and co-finalist, Dion Ignacio.
She had also starred in different movies such as ‘Happy Together,” ‘Let the Love Begin,” and “Rosario,” where she displayed a memorable character role. Jennylyn had signed a contrct with Rega Entertainment and Polyeast Records as a singer, and hopes to reinvent and improve her self as a singer.
Jennelyn also displayed her talent as a TV host, and co-hosted with Ogie Alcasid and Dingdong Dantes in the reality talent search show, “Protégé: The Battle for the Big Break.” She also appeared in “Showbiz Central,” a Sunday afternoon talks show over GMA 7.
In “Magpakailanman,” her life story was featured to serve as an inspiration to many. Jennelyn’s mother was a former Duty free store beauty consultant in Dubai. She had a stepfather who had abused her physically when she was just a little girl of four. He was then jailed for this reason but what is more painful to a child when her mother immediately returned from Dubai to bail her stepfather? Today, Jennelyn became an official spokesperson of the Bata Foundation, a non-profit organization of Christian Mission Services.
Jennelyn met Patrick Garcia in the middle of her budding career, and got her impregnated. That was also another painful experience in her life because Patick refused to stand by her and fulfill his duties of being a father to the yet unborn child. On August of 2008, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy via caesarian section and named him Alex Jazz “AJ” Mercado. In October of 2010, Jennelyn suffered a minor heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. Aside from being an actress and a busy showbiz personality, she is also an active supporter of GABRIELA, one of the celebrated group Philippine Women’s Organization.
Jennelyn’s recent boyfriend is equally popular actor and host, Luis Manzano, son of veteran and multi-awarded actress Vilma Santos and actor Edu Manzano. She is also considered one of the sexiest woman as she graced the covers of FHM June 2013 edition.
