Carol Banawa is a famed Filipino artist who can act and sing. She was born as Carol Claire Aguilar Banawa from her parents Albino and Cirila Banawa on March 4, 1981 in Pasay City. She spent her childhood years in Batangas. She has a brother and a sister named Alexander and Cherry respectively. From her two siblings, Carol is the more sociable one and loves to entertain people. She started singing when she was still small. Her singing talent was further developed when her family went to Saudi Arabia where she rarely have friends there and she focused her time in singing with the encouragement of her mother. When the family went back to the Philippines, Carol had her break when she was invited to join the Ang TV which was a children oriented television show of ABS CBN. She was then made a member of the Star Magic 4 batch. Not only did Carol focused on singing but tried acting as well. She starred in the ABS CBN television drama series Mara Clara and even sang the show’s theme song.
Carol Banawa had the opportunity to sing to the New York Music Festival in 2003 at the Madison Square Garden. She then started making her own albums including her self titled album Carol, Carol: Repackaged, Transition, Follow Your Heart and My Music, My Life. Carol was also famed as a singer who sang the theme songs for television series and movies like Anak that starred Claudine Barretto and Vilma Santos with the sound track Awit Kay Nanay; Tanging Yaman – Inspirational Album with the sound track Iingatan Ka; and Mysteria Lucis (Mysteries of Light) with the sound track Awit sa Ina ng Santo Rosaryo. She also tried acting in the movies Ang TV Movie: The Adarna Adventure, Calvento Files The Movie, Tanging Yaman and Hiling under Star Cinema.
Carol Banawa also had her share of guesting in television shows like in the musical variety show ASAP, Keybol: Ang Bagong TV, Bituin, Ang TV, Tabing Ilog!, Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan, Wowowee, Little Big Star and Music Uplate Live. She also tried her luck to the American Idol when she auditioned for its 5th season but she wasn’t just lucky. She also performed theatrically in The Little Mermaid in 2000 where she took the lead role. She was nominated in 2011 as the Female Pop Artist of the Year in the 3rd Star Awards for Music. She won the ASAP Pop Viewers Choice in the same year. Her album Follow Your Heart reached a platinum record in 2004 and her song Awit sa Ina ng Santo Rosaryo was nominated in the Awit Awards as well in the same year. She received an international award from the New York Music Festival and was nominated as Favorite Female Artist in the 2003 MTV Pilipinas Awards. Carol earned numerous nominations and awards in the past and she is undoubtedly one of the most talented music artists in the Philippines.
Carol Banawa took a break from the limelight when she needs to be with her family to help in her ailing father’s treatment. She pursued a nursing degree after her marriage with Ryan Crisostomo who works in the military. They have a child named Chelsea Crisostomo.
