Kapamilya singer Darren Espanto has decided to streamline his showbiz name, opting for ‘Darren’ as he takes on his first acting role in the online streaming series ‘Can’t Buy Me Love.’
The series, produced by ABS-CBN and available on Netflix, features the beloved ‘New Gen’ love team of DonBelle, with Darren playing the character of Stephen Tanhueco, the best friend of Belle’s character, Caroline, who hails from a wealthy Chinese family within the storyline.
During a press conference for the series, Darren revealed that his decision to drop his surname is part of a strategic rebranding effort for the time being.
While he hasn’t ruled out returning to his full name publicly in the future, he has chosen to go by ‘Darren’for the present.
This name change appears to be paying off, as Darren’s dance challenge for his latest single, ‘Bibitaw Na,’ has already accumulated over 1.3 million views on TikTok just two weeks after the song’s release.
Celebrities, including his rumored girlfriend Cassy Legaspi, who accompanied him as his date at the ABS-CBN Ball 2023, have also embraced the challenge.
Darren first gained prominence using his full name when he became the youngest finalist on the Canadian reality TV show ‘The Next Star.’ His singing career flourished after achieving second place on ‘The Voice Kids.’ He made his acting debut in the 2018 drama film ‘The Hows of Us’ and portrayed himself as the wedding singer in the 2022 ABS-CBN series ‘Marry Me, Marry You.’
