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Manila Bulletin devider Spotlight Features devider A fangirl at 76: How being a fan of JK Labajo helped strengthen a mother-daughter bond

A fangirl at 76: How being a fan of JK Labajo helped strengthen a mother-daughter bond

Published Mar 11, 2026 04:45 pm
When we think of fan girls, we think of screaming teenage girls (sometimes even crying andwailing), holding their fan signs for their idols, and waving light sticks in the air. We rarely picture them in their senior years, attending concerts, wearing headbands with cutouts of their idol’s faces dangling at the end. But Carmen Zaragosa is exactly that, at 76 years old, she is a loud and proud fan of singer-songwriter and actor Juan Karlos “JK” Labajo.
FAN GIRLS. Carmen and Lorna at the Juan Karlos LIVE concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
FAN GIRLS. Carmen and Lorna at the Juan Karlos LIVE concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“Maliit pa lang si JK, fan na fan na ako. Napapanood ko siya dati sa The Voice Kids Philippines at simula noon, nasundan ko na yung career niya (I have been a fan of JK since he was a small. I would watch him before on ‘The Voice Kids Philippines,’ and I have followed his career ever since)," Carmen said when asked how she became a fan of Juan Karlos Labajo.
Lorna Zaragosa, Carmen’s daughter, who is a music lover herself, shares: “To be honest, I only started becoming a fan of JK because of my mom. She has always been the one playing his songs daily and watching his videos regularly.”
Healing through the love of music
“It means the world to me to see my mom happy,” Lorna said of the joy that she sees in her mom because of JK. “I lost my dad during the pandemic, and then I lost my eldest sister too, so it honestly has not been easy. I will admit that my mom and I have had a rough relationship at times, but JK’s music has brought us closer. It has helped us bond, heal, and slowly mend our relationship. More than anything, I just want to keep making memories with her. That is why I want her to join me in my adventures while she still can,” she added, looking forward to making more memories with her mom.
GROUP HUG. Lorna, JK Labajo, and Carmen at the Samsung Sound Sessions shoot.
GROUP HUG. Lorna, JK Labajo, and Carmen at the Samsung Sound Sessions shoot.
Knowing how much JK means to Carmen, the Manila Bulletin TechNews section invited her and Lorna to an intimate shoot for Samsung Sound Sessions last December 9, 2025, where only 20 fans got to see him perform live, using Samsung’s Sound Tower speakers.
“Sobrang masaya ako at inalagaan kami ng mga taga-Samsung. Napakabait nilang lahat. Na-enjoy ko rin nang sobra ang Samsung Sound Sessions dahil napakagaling ni JK at ng kanyang banda.(I was so happy, and Samsung really took care of us. They were all so nice. I also enjoyed Samsung Sound Sessions because JK and his band were so good)," Carmen gushed, recalling the experience.
Core memory unlocked
“I was genuinely over the moon. I felt so honored to be among the 20 people chosen to be part of the audience. The concert felt incredibly intimate, like JK was family performing at a home celebration. Everyone was so kind to my mom and me, and it meant a lot to see her smiling the entire time,” Lorna shared.
“Natutuwa ako na tuwing lalabas ako ng bahay, tinatanong si JK sa akin ng mga kaibigan, kapitbahay, at mga kakilala na para bang kamag-anak ko siya (It makes me so happy whenever I go out of the house, and my friends and neighbors would ask me how JK is, as if we were related),” Carmen proudly shared.
“To Samsung, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience. This is a core memory we will cherish forever. We felt truly grateful and honored to be part of such a wonderful, intimate concert with JK. We sincerely hope this will not be the last time.” Lorna said gratefully. “And to the Manila Bulletin TechNews section, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much. I’ll never get tired of saying how much your help in making all of this possible means to us; you truly made my mom’s dream come true.”
Life is short, and relationships can be complicated, but when the stars align and let you create beautiful memories with your loved ones, that’s just the universe telling you that things do work out, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a 76-year-old fangirl. And maybe, because you are one, the experience becomes even more precious. (Photos by Lorna Zaragoza)
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