Just a thought: Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. – Berthold Auerbach

MANILA, Philippines -- Yeng in English next: Montalban native Yeng Constantino is brushing up on her English in a bid to create new songs in that language.

The shift is in line with an offer from SOS Entertainment, a Singapore-based company, to release the singer’s recordings throughout Asia.

SOS is the same company that signed up Aiza Seguerra for a similar distribution deal. The company’s executives spotted Yeng during a concert with Piolo Pascual in Singapore just weeks ago.

Yeng’s manager, Erickson Raymundo of Centerstage Entertainment, said SOS also expressed interest in releasing Yeng’s very first hit song, “Hawak Kamay,” in Asia. There are even talks of translating the song into various Asian languages.

On her English, Yeng says she’s groping and trying very hard.

“Alam n’yo naman, laki ako sa public schools at English Montalban lang ang alam ko,” she deadpanned.

Out of the box: Yeng excitedly spilled the beans on a prospective Asia-wide career at the media launch of her fourth album, “Yeng Versions Live.”

The CD serves as Yeng’s tribute to Original Pilipino Music through cuts like “Alapaap” (Eraserheads), “Mahirap Magmahal Ng Syota Ng Iba” (Apo), “Kumusta Ka” (Rey Valera), “Kahapon Lamang” (George Canseco), among others.

She picked the old Yano rock classic, “Banal Na Aso, Santong Kabayo” (by Westdon Abay) for sentimental reasons. The song, she says, reminds her of the days when she and her mother would hop from one singing contest to the next in search of a little fame and fortune.

“Banal Na Aso” was often her point of entry.

Throughout the interview, Yeng kept on saying she preferred to be unconventional in her choice of music, fashion, and over-all attitude. Her favorite phrase is in English, “out of the box.”

By that, she means anything that runs counter to accepted social norms or trends. I asked her: So, what’s so out-of-the- box in this line-up, which are OPM songs that have gained wide acceptance in their time?

Yeng says she has sang them to a different arrangement, the better to re-introduce them to today’s younger audiences. The songs in the CD were recorded during a live concert at the Teatrino in Greenhills.

Star News: Susan Roces has expressed willingness to act in a movie or TV project with FPJ’s daughter, Lovi Poe. Asked what she thought of Lovi’s career path, which is heading towards sexy and bold roles, the ’60s movie queen said she’s not in a position to stop the young actress. “Sino ako para pigilan si Lovi?,” she wondered.

Susan launched her new endorsement, one for Rite Med, recently. She will shoot a new teleserye for channel 2, then swing right back to TV5 to star in “Silay.” The shoot of “Silay” will afford Susan a journey back home to her native Bacolod.

“No Other Woman” has reportedly made over 220 million pesos after more than a week of showing. Its success as the first major movie hit of 2011 defies common observation that the Philippine movie industry has long been dead.

The success of Derek Ramsay, Cristine Reyes, and Anne Curtis in “No Other Woman” only proves three things.

First, that local moviegoers patronize a film if it tells a compelling, intriguing story.

Second, they will watch a movie if it’s well made – by director Ruel Bayani, who also directed “Tayong Dalawa” – and well acted.

And third, if the stars in the film excite them. It does help that all three lead stars project a common sexy image about them that they don’t deny.

(nescuar@yahoo.com)