She’s royal by name and oozing with talent! Princess Aliyah is about to take her rightful throne in "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab 2.0," the newest iteration of the hugely successful "PBB Collab," but this time, featuring the next generation of Kapamilya (Star Magic) and Kapuso (Sparkle) stars.
From viral TikTok covers to acting milestones, this 17-year-old Sparkle artist is here to prove that one can be shy and confident at the same time. Here’s what you need to know and watch out for from the “Royal Songstress ng Bulacan” as she joins the newest batch of housemates.
Expect her to make music inside Bahay ni Kuya
With a voice that can light up any room, Princess Aliyah, or simply Princess, will surely ace any task that involves singing. She first rose as a young songstress after joining "The Voice Kids" Season 3 under Coach Bamboo's Kamp Kawayan in 2016, then she went viral on TikTok with a random song cover that racked up over 8 million views! If the housemates ever feel like jamming, we can already imagine Princess leading those spontaneous sing-alongs. After all, Big Brother has always loved those fun 'kantahan' sessions.
It didn’t take long for Princess to show that she could do more than sing as she smoothly transitioned into acting and even theater. She portrayed Marta in the 2017 Manila staging of "The Sound of Music."
Her 'lolo's girl' stories will melt your heart
As her name suggests, she’s the real-life princess of her maternal grandfather, who supports their family financially through his wastewater treatment business for hotels and has always been super close to her and her older sister. Grandpa loves spoiling them with little gifts, but the most special one was a pair of pink sneakers that had the cutest story. Princess got the sneakers when she was seven and later wore them to her "The Sound of Music" and GMA auditions. Since then, she’s considered them her lucky charm.
She also grew up in a house full of love, thanks to her Bisaya mom and Ilocano dad who built a happy marriage and a thriving canteen business together.
Watch her make real friendships
Princess has been homeschooled since Grade 4 and only recently got to experience face-to-face classes when she finished Grade 11 at FEATI University. Since she studied from home for so long, she never got to attend a JS Prom—something still on her bucket list.
While people might think homeschooling made her a bit of a loner, that’s totally not the case. She’s actually great at building lasting friendships and believes in quality over quantity when it comes to people she keeps close. Among her showbiz circle are Sofia Pablo —who’s also joining "PBB Collab 2.0"—plus Bryce Eusebio, her former love team partner, and Marco Masa.
Ready to serve some 'pagpapakatotoo'
If there’s one thing Kuya’s always looking for in his housemates, it's their sense of 'pagpapakatotoo' or how real they can be while surrounded by cameras 24/7. For Princess, who dreams of becoming a pilot someday, joining “PBB Collab 2.0” will be the ultimate chance to show who she really is. Princess knows some people see her as intimidating, but she thinks that’s just her introvert side showing. That’s why she’s joining the reality show not only to share her talent and learn to live with different people, but also to finally break misconceptions about her.
Catch Princess Aliyah in “PBB Collab 2.0,” starting this October 25. Kapamilya talents Bianca Gonzales, Robi Domingo, Kim Chiu, Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, Enchong Dee, and Alexa Ilacad, as well as Kapuso stars Gabbi Garcia and Mavy Legaspi, return as hosts for the season.