Charice is currently at the top of her game with a new album pre-released in Japan called Infinity, an upcoming movie called Here Comes the Boom with Salma Hayek, and a series of David Foster and Friends concerts planned with venues all over the world.

Rolling Stone Japan recently talked to Charice, and in the interview, the talented Pinay gamely talked about her childhood dreams and her past experiences. She revealed that, when she was younger, she only thought of becoming a famous artist in the Philippines. "A lot of people say 'dream big.' But that time, I was like, 'It's never going to happen to me. I just want to be a singer in the Philippines.'"

Before Charice gained recognition worldwide, the pint-sized singer joined more than a hundred singing contests in the country. She started singing when she was seven, and the climb to the top was long and difficult because talented co-competitors weren't the only challenges she had to face.

In one audition, she shares, she was judged for her looks before she even started singing. "They didn't let me sing 'cause they told me that I didn't have the looks. I'm not saying that I'm pretty like the celebrities. I don't have the celebrity 'X factor,' but my intention is just to share my music and talent to the world."

Charice says it was painful to get rejected just because she didn't look the part, but she never gave up. She went back to the audition, this time wearing a skirt and a touch of makeup. "They didn't remember me when they told me, 'You're so great! You're in!' I was like, 'Wow, you don't remember me. You told me I couldn't be in your contest just 'cause I don't have the looks.'"

Charice recalls the judges' surprise. "It felt great actually 'cause I wanted to let them know that it's not just about the looks," she recounts. "It's about the talent; it's about your intention."

Indeed, it's Charice's talent that has gotten her where she is now, and she's not going to stop dreaming and pushing herself, no matter what her detractors might say. "As long you show them kindness and you show them that you're a strong person, they're the ones who are gonna give up."

Want to find out what else she told this music magazine? Here's the first part of the interview, as uploaded by Rolling Stone on YouTube:



Check out these links to watch the rest of the interview:

• Part 2
• Part 3

For more stories on Charice, check these out on FN:

• Official Music Video for Charice's "Louder"
• Charice, Sarah Geronimo, and More of Town&Country's 101 Must-Meet Personalities
• Official Music Video for Charice's "One Day"
• Charice to Girls Bullied Online: "If they say you're ugly, it’s just a word."
• Lea Salonga and Sarah Geronimo to duet with Charice? + 25 Celebs We’d Like Charice to Sing With
• The 1st Glee Music Awards: 2 Nominations for Charice + 43 Other Nominees
• 10 Things We Love about Charice
• 5 Things Your Kids Can Learn from Charice Pempengco
• Charice Forgives Ogie Diaz for His Hurtful Tweets + 5 Tips for Dealing with Detractors
• Charice Pempengco's 5 Tips on Staying Humble
• Charice Gets Sick from Sushi + 5 Tips On How to Deal With Food Poisoning

(Screencap via YouTube)