Entertainment
Sarah Geronimo Isn't Looking Back—She's Reflecting Forward
The spotlight has become a mirror for the OG pop superstar.
by Ida Aldana
Published on Jun 19, 2025
At this point, Sarah Geronimo could coast. With countless hits, unforgettable performances, and a name synonymous with modern OPM royalty, she's earned the right to rest on her laurels.
But when you speak to her now—more than 20 years after winning Star for a Night—you don't hear someone slowing down. You hear someone thinking deeper, and mirroring a new generation's shift where artistry means more than just the spotlight.
Her reflections aren't just about her own evolution, but about something bigger: the future of Filipino music. Within Sarah's words, you could hear the heart of an industry in motion—a scene once dominated by foreign influences now reverberating with homegrown pride. She's seen the shifts firsthand: how artists approach their art, how fandoms can feel authenticity, and how production standards are leveling up across the board.
ADVERTISEMENT
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
There's something poetic about hearing all this from the woman who's long been at the heart of Filipino pop music. And in hearing her speak now—with humility, intention, and hard-won clarity—you start to believe that the next generation of artists isn't just in good hands. They're in hands that set the rhythm for the stages they now all light up.
"The world needs to see Filipino talent in music. That's what excites me the most," she says with quiet conviction—one eye on the present, the other firmly on the future.
As the Popstar Royalty reflects on her two-decade career, Sarah's perspective goes beyond nostalgia—or that catchy "kilometro" she's been singing for years and that's still stuck in your head. Her vision in itself is a reflection of where OPM, P-pop, and our relationship with music as Filipinos might be headed next.
Sarah Geronimo For Cosmopolitan Philippines June 2025
Riding The Current
Sarah's discography doesn't just stay afloat. It echoes—most recently with "Maybe This Time" which hit a new stride thanks to TikTok. (Or who could forget how "Tala" took over everyone's FYPs?) Her music continues to reach new generations, not because it chases trends, but because it speaks to something real.
But for Sarah, virality isn't the goal. "Super happy and grateful. It's a—hindi naman validation, pero na-p-proud lang ako," she says. "It's a proud moment for my materials, for my songs, for the songwriters, lahat ng involved during the production process."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
It's never a solo journey: "Lahat kami—the choreographer, the songwriter, the producer, the music arranger, the lyricist, kaming lahat parte kami nun. Siyempre, the listeners. Without them, hindi naman kami makikilala."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
These days, being the inescapable dance challenge or Trending Audio on social media is the new barometer of success for some. But Sarah's approach to music remains constant: "Sabi nga ng isang artist na hinahangaan ko, if you believe in the material, if you love the material, you enjoy performing it, singing it, naturally, it will fly. Eventually, it will have its time."
What connects deeply with her tends to strike a chord with her fans, too. "Yung mga songs na nag-resonate sa'kin, ganun din siguro sa mga listeners. Yun yung nakakatuwa, nakaka-proud."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
It's not just about the LSS—it's about what feels true. That sincerity is what sustains her.
Mirroring Roles
Broadening her craft from singing into acting was a deliberate dive into new depths. Though music is her foundation, her artistry is expansive. "Acting and singing are mostly the same," she explains. "With singing, nilalagyan mo lang ng tono."
Thanks to the vision of her manager, Sarah embarked on a path as a multimedia artist, ready to explore new ways of telling a story. "Ang dami ko pang gustong magawa in terms of films and portraying roles."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
With fan-fave rom-com characters like Laida Magtalas, she looks for roles that show growth and resilience—a character coming up for air amid the depths. "Of course, ipapakita mo yung struggles," she says. "Pero yung how she—my character—was able to rise up above the challenges, yun yung napakita dun sa mga roles na nagampanan ko."
She wants viewers to leave with what she got from the character, too. Every role she chooses must reflect a deeper truth: "Kailangang talagang it speaks to you and totoo sa'yo,” she explains. "Kahit ibang character pino-portray ko, kailangan nakaka-relate pa rin ako sa kanya. Kailangan laging merong redemption. Merong lesson na naiiwan sa akin, sa sarili ko, at sa viewers."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
She recalls a moment with The Voice artist, the late Kokoi Baldo: "Coach, kung hindi siya totoo sa'kin, hindi ko siya gagawin. Kasi we are messengers and preachers." That quote stuck with her—and shaped her view on authenticity.
"Whatever it is that will inspire you as an artist, basta totoo sa'yo and you believe in it."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Acting, like water, takes the shape of whatever vessel it fills—and Sarah has proven she can hold complexity, charm, vulnerability, and grit, all at once. Each project seems to show her character delving into deeper waters: sometimes murky, sometimes crystal-clear, but always revealing something about the person taking the dive.
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Pooled Wisdom
Becoming "Coach Sarah" was a leap into uncharted waters. "At first, hesitant ako," she admits. "From Sarah Geronimo, a product of a singing competition na ngayon ay kukunin na to be a coach—to be a mentor." She wondered: "Am I capable of doing it?"
But one could argue that's exactly why she's the right person to help others find their own flow.
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
She said yes, not for herself, but for the next generation:
"Kung ano man yung what I feel inferior [to]… I should overcome that." Being surrounded by fellow industry giants—"Miss Lea [Salonga], si Apl.De.Ap, si Coach Bamboo"—amplified her doubts. "So I focused na lang on my strengths as an artist. Whatever I can give, contribute, share with young talents and adults."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Mentorship didn't come easily. "Accepting the role of being a coach or a mentor for other artists… sobrang hirap kasi hindi siya natural for me," she says.
"But naging second nature because you want to share what you know. You want them to succeed."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Now, after establishing G Studios—a creative space she co-founded with husband Matteo Guidicelli—Sarah is building a bigger platform to pay it forward. The studio, which doubles as an events place, is built for shoots, content creation, and collaboration.
"We have to pass on what we know, kung ano man yung knowledge that we have acquired through time. And siyempre, i-share mo yun sa next generation."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Sarah's approach to mentorship is like light dancing on water: clear, energizing, and full of warmth, encouraging others to find their own path and rhythm. "We need each other to come up with something not just great—but greater—for everyone to enjoy and to learn from."
To teach is to hold up a mirror—not just for your students, but for yourself. And Sarah, always the student herself, continues to learn with every reflection.
Leveled Waters
At 36, Sarah moves with intention. After decades under the spotlight, slowing down is its own kind of courage. After all, she's been performing since age 5.
"I enjoy waking up in the morning knowing that I don't have to get up and show up at work. Na-e-enjoy ko yung walang pressure. Yung relaxed na araw…building memories with my loved ones." Her priorities have shifted. "Priority ko na ngayon is my self-growth," she says.
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Matteo has also encouraged her to see the business side of artistry. "Ang asawa ko—again, self-growth—lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin na importante na, you equip yourself with yung mga bagay na hindi mo pa alam. Kahit nasabi mo hindi ka interesado, importante na alam mo. Kasi you're in the business, you're in the entertainment business, and iba na ang game ngayon ng show business."
This mindset has shaped how she chooses partnerships. "Sa lahat ng projects na ginagawa ko, sa lahat ng songs na ginagawa ko, it's a condition. Conscious effort siya na, 'Sarah, hindi ka lang gagawa, a-accept ng projects. Hindi ka lang tatanggap ng proyekto dahil sa pera. You have to believe in the product.'" She cites an eample: "Itong partnership ko with TGP, I know na ang dami nilang natutulungan ng mga kababayan natin because of yung produkto nilang affordable and accessible to all."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Asked what fills her cup, Sarah answers simply but with certainty and a smile:
And when it comes to legacy, she shrugs off any grand declarations. "Wala naman. Gusto ko lang ng masayang pamilya, na healthy kami ng mga mahal ko sa buhay. Yan lang. Very simple."
Click to Enlarge
PHOTO: Mark Nicdao.
Even in that unassuming grace, she charts her own course—one note, one lesson, one honest moment at a time. It's like she's holding a note from one of her earliest hits, reminding us that maybe, for someone like Sarah, forever really isn't enough. Because she's still evolving, still giving, still singing her truth.
Like light glinting off water, her story shimmers with quiet power: soft, strong, and impossible to ignore. What you see now isn't just the polished reflection of a pop star—it's the depth beneath the surface.
Photography: Mark Nicdao, assisted by: Phil Nicdao, Villie James Bautista, Arsan Sulser Hofilena, Cris Soco, and Alex Capongcol
Art Director: Ica Del Mundo
Executive Editor: Ida Aldana
Producer: Clara Umali
Co-Producer: Alyana Olivar
Styling: Joy Bernardo of Stylized Studio, assisted by Stephani Satorre and Beatrize Lagco
Makeup: Gela Laurel
Hairstyling: Renz Pangilinan
Nails: Maribel of Extraordinail
Story: Ida Aldana
Video: Cherrie Ongteco-Julian and Jino Del Mundo, assisted by Greeko Junio
Social Media: Aina Lizarondo
Shot on location at The Villa Studios, Cornerhouse San Juan
Special thanks to The Generics Pharmacy and VIVA Artists Agency
Ida Aldana is the Executive Editor of Cosmopolitan Philippines. A lifestyle journalist and self-proclaimed pop culture commentator, she moves through life always half-writing, turning mundane moments into meaningful stories. She holds an M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media from New York University—and a lifetime degree in memes.