Darren Espanto confessed that he is intimidated by Erik Santos since he used to be an introvert, unlike the singing champion.
On the latest episode of Magandang Buhay, where Santos celebrated his birthday, he and Espanto looked back on their journey of how their friendship began.
Espanto and Santos already knew each other when the former was still competing in The Voice Kids.
“Ako po as a person I’m very shy and I’m really an introvert. Hindi po ako ma-hi. Kaya a lot of people think na medyo snob, ako suplado. Medyo ganoon din po siya sa akin noon. So imagine niyo po ang kaba ko na nandiyan ang iniidolo niyo. So akala ko talaga suplado siya so hindi ako talaga nagha-hi sa kanya masyado kahit sa ‘ASAP.’”
Espanto recalled that most people perceived him to be a snobbish person, for he used to be shy.
“Parang nababastos siya na parang hindi ako kasi friendly sa kanya as the other artists. Kasi, like for example, si Ate Sarah [Geronimo], naging coach ko sa show, so siyempre mas kausap ko po sa ‘ASAP’ na mga ka-age niya, sina Ate Sarah, ganun po. Siya hindi. So kahit magka-prod kami sobrang nai-intimidate ako.”
Espanto stated that their friendship began in 2018 when Santos had approached him during the ABS-CBN Ball and initiated a conversation with him.
“’Yun po talaga. So talagang after that I was like, okay. Like we had the same thoughts about each other na parehas kaming intimidate or parang suplado but after that okay naman po, nag-uusap na po kami at mas naging okay na kami sa ‘ASAP’ when we would have prods together and stuff like that.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ5nWj4WZvk&ab_channel=ABS-CBNEntertainment
Espanto continued with his story, saying that after the event, they eventually became close friends.
“Pero kasi medyo nakainom ako nung ABS-CBN Ball kaya medyo may lakas ako ng loob,” Santos explained what drove him to approach Espanto during the ABS-CBN Ball.
Both Espanto and Santos are products of talent searches—the former was the runner-up during the first season of The Voice Kids in 2014, while the latter was the champion of the first season of Star in a Million in 2004.
