Having been part of the PInay idol group MNL 48 since she joined the second generation in 2019, Maria Jamie Beatrice Gallardo Alberto, or “Jamie” as she is most popularly known, said she is happy that their group is finally making a comeback this year, starting with the MNL48: Reboot and Rise mini-festival event held last April 26. The event also marked her official debut as the group’s overall captain, replacing MNL48’s previous overall captain Jem Caldejon.
“With the Reboot and Rise event, we’re rekindling the flame and really being the catalyst of everything, I’m so excited to bring out a new generation of members of MNL48 since yung mga dati nag-graduate na and we’re really grateful for what they have contributed to the group. Right now, I really want to prove that MNL48 still has that heart that the fans loved since day one. But of course, now there’s new faces and new experiences that come with it,” she shared with PUSH ABS-CBN in an exclusive interview.
Now that she is finally taking on the role as captain of the newest batch of MNL48 members, Jamie shared what went through her mind when she was given a new role.
“Honestly, when I entered the group, I had a whole roster of senpais and my seniors waiting for me. So never in my life did I dream of being a captain actually. Because I’ve always been the junior following my ates and staying beside them in performances. Now that they have graduated, I really have big shoes to fill! When I was given the role, I honestly did not know what to feel. At first I was scared since I asked myself if I could really fill in the shoes that my ates left? Yun yung pinaka-unang thought ko na nag-run sa mind ko when I learned about the news. Pero on the brighter side of things, I felt really grateful that the management gave me the trust to lead the new generation of members,” she explained.
With her experience in MNL48, Jamie said that being the eldest child in her own family also came in handy when dealing with her group.
“It really is a big deal and responsibility because I’ve been in the group for six years now and I could say that I already know the inner works in the group since I’ve been a member ever since. So having this responsibility on my shoulders, it really triggered something in me. Parang very motherly instinct ko sa mga younger members. I am just 23 but some of the other members are like 19 so ako na yung tumatayong ate sa kanila. And personally, in my household, I am also an ate. So parang nalalabas ko na dito yung pagka-ate ko. Unlike before na parang baby lang ako ng mga ate ko,” she admitted.
With this new challenge in her career, Jamie told PUSH ABS-CBN how she plans to be there for her fellow MNL48 members on and off camera. “So it also reminded me that I have to step up my game din. I used to just follow my ates around. But now that they’re gone, I realized that I’m next in line to be an ate that my juniors need. Above all, iniisip ko lang ‘to, I want to be the senior or the senpai that I needed when I was the junior,” she added.