International singing sensation Charice is sporting a new tattoo and short blonde hairstyle, and her new look has garnered mixed reactions from the public and even sparked questions about her sexual preference.

The pint-sized singer merely shrugged off the criticism, however, saying, "Yun ang makakapagpasaya sa akin. (This is what makes me happy.) I’m gonna get a haircut. I’m gonna do it. And I was actually proud."

Charice's fans remained proud of her too, and she belted out her best in front of a jam-packed crowd at her Infinity concert on March 8, ABS-CBNNews.com reports.

Now Charice's fellow Filipino artists are also sharing their opinions about her new look and defending her from critics.

Singer Geneva Cruz said she understood Charice's decision to change her image. "Siguro bored na siya (Perhaps she's bored)," she is quoted as saying on ABS-CBNNews.com. "Si Britney Spears nagpakalbo one time. (Even Britney Spears shaved her head one time.) I understand her kasi I grew up in this business."

Pop diva Kuh Ledesma also expressed her support for Charice and frowned upon rumormongers who were questioning Charice's sexual preference. “Kahit ako noon sinasabi na I had a different preference daw. Sabi ko, 'Mga tsismoso kayong lahat.' Masama iyon eh. Maraming tsismis na hindi totoo. (I used to get comments that I had a different preference too. I said, 'You're all gossips.' That's bad. There are a lot of rumors that aren't true.)"

Meanwhile, renowned balladeer Basil Valdez said people should judge Charice on her vocal talent and not her image. "Makikita mo [rin dapat] ang changes in terms of ‘yung vocal na kakayahan niya. (You should be able to see the changes in her vocal talent too.)"

For more Charice articles, check these out on FN:

• Charice Sports New Hairstyle and Tattoo for Manila Concert
• Charice on Her Climb to Fame: "I'm still me."
• Charice on Being an Artist: "It's not about the looks; it's about the talent."
• Suspect in Murder of Charice's Dad Surrenders
• Charice in Manila for Father's Wake
• 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

(Photo courtesy of PEP.ph)