The all-male quintet V Factory, one of the featured performers in “Then & Now: Massive Music Festival 2010” which will be held at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds on May 15, is composed of Wesley Quinn who appears in the hit TV series “Glee,” Jared Murillo; Nick “Nicky T” Teti; Nathaniel Flatt; and Asher Book who starred in the 2009 remake of “Fame” and is currently part of the new TV series “Parenthood.”

With their hip-hop-meets-R&B vibe, the group’s instantly addictive songs have more in common, musically, with Usher’s “Yeah!” or Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss” than anything by ’N Sync or the Backstreet Boys.

Their upcoming album under Warner Bros. Records has something for everyone – from tough-edged beats to touching ballads, giving it an appeal to music lovers of all ages. “Our music is diverse. It’s as diverse as we are. We all come from completely different backgrounds, but we’ve come together and somehow it works,” said Flatt.

The group began to coalesce in September 2006 when Tommy Page, who worked with “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale on her debut album, accompanied the latter to rehearsals for the first HSM tour.

“I watched Ashley perform with a group of teen dancers who were casted by director Kenny Ortega. Ashley and I were both knocked out by Jared Murillo who seemed to own the stage. I thought, ‘Wow, if I could find four other guys who could sing, act and move like that, we could form an amazing group,’” said Page.

He knows a little something about pop groups, having spent a decade as an artist himself. He scored a No. 1 hit with “I’ll Be Your Everything” in 1990 and toured with chart-topping pop phenomenon “New Kids on the Block” for four years. “For me, Jared was the template that set the bar,” he added.

‘Love Struck’

V Factory’s first single “Love Struck” was released in February last year. It is currently on Radio Disney premiering on Music Mailbag. The song was, thereafter, released on iTunes in the UK and other countries in Sept. 9th last year. The music video was officially released on May 22, 2009 on AOL Music.

The quintet will definitely regale their fans with their hit single “Love Struck” at the “Then & Now Massive Music Festival 2010.”

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Empress Schuck is ABS-CBN’s next big star

Empress Schuck, dubbed “Empress of Drama,” is now being launched as ABS-CBN’s next big star and her launching project is an original material that will truly challenge the pretty and talented actress. With her achievements and acting stints in her showbiz career beginning as a child star, Empress feels she is ready to take on a lead role, especially one that is as challenging as that of Rosalka.

In the forthcoming TV series written by Denise O’Hara and directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and Mervyn Brondial, Empress promises to prove her worth as an actress.

In the much-anticipated TV series, Empress has two of her generation’s most versatile actors as leading men: Matt Evans and Felix Roco. Felix comes to the Kapamilya forefront with noteworthy achievements from acting skills in the indie arena and genes to boot, thanks to his father, awarded actor Bembol Roco. Matt, on the other hand, continues to prove his mettle as he portrays remarkably the various roles assigned to him.

Joining the three in “Rosalka” is promising newcomer Isabelle Abreira, who is one of the four new hosts launched recently by “Wowowee.” Also in the cast of “Rosalka” are Mickey Ferriols, Dominic Ochoa, Niki Bacolod, Bernard Palanca, Maricar de Mesa, Kier Legaspi, Pretty Rishha and Ms. Mila del Sol.

“Rosalka” will start airing on May 17 after “Wowowee.”

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Charlene, a sports jock 

Many don’t know but beauty queen-actress Charlene Gonzalez is also a sports jock. Growing up, she was active doing sports – basketball, softball, running. “I was in the varsity team when I was a student in LA,” she said.

During her school days, she was involved in sports and it wasn’t just a passing fancy, she said. And these days, even as a busy wife (to matinee idol Aga Muhlach), a mother to twins, an entrepreneur and celebrity, Charlene remains active. If she doesn’t exercise of when not doing sports, she feels something is missing, she said. Now, part of her daily routine is boxing, running, playing badminton, biking, wakeboarding, and going to the gym three times a week.

Charlene is someone who knows that strong bones are essential to leading an active lifestyle. And for this, she thanks a healthy outlook, an active lifestyle, the right food, and one of her new favorite drinks, Anlene Concentrate which provides four times more calcium than regular ready-to-drink milk.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on May 14 go to Judge Corona Ibay Somera, former beauty queen Chita Z. Arnaiz, artist Rachel Lobangco, socialite Becky Garcia, Sandee S. Masigan, Rose Prudencio, Vic Revilla, Kylle Adrien B. Espiritu, Rudolph Armas and Joseph Anthony Parlan of New York, USA; Angel Joshua Velasco of LA, California; and the “Crystal Voice” Marri Nallos. Happy wedding anniversary to Boy and Shirley Dominguez of London.