MANILA, Philippines - Philippine fans of TV soap are in for a new viewing habit beginning Monday (September 6) as ABS-CBN launches "Idol," a new musical soap on primetime television. 

"Idol" is touted to be the local version of popular American TV musical series "Glee."

The musical features Kapamilya talents, including Sam Milby, and sets-off 2 equally good-looking, talented teens on their acting debut as Milby's bandmates in "Idol".

Born to Christian missionaries - an Italian-German mother and a Filipino father with Spanish roots - DJ and Micah Lamar are blessed with musical and creative talent and young heartthrob appeal, but with an innocence brought on by having grown-up out of the reach of television and virtually untouched by the influence of modern day worldliness.

"My mom wanted us to be outdoors more, to play, and have fun outside. We just had videos and stuff like that," Micah said on ANC's "Headstart."

"We had a television but it we watched rented movies. We didn't grow up watching local or US TV," DJ added.

It’s perhaps that way of life that made them create their own songs. DJ, who had a band in Lucena City, composes and writes the songs and gets some help with ideas from his younger brother.

New in the entertainment scene, 19 year-old DJ and 18-year old Micah are anything but your usual singing sensations. They help their parents run the "Faith, Hope, Love Orphanage" in Lucena City and care for 40 wards who've become family, infusing it with their love for music.

"People ask us: do you ever get jealous? Your mom takes care of the kids and you. Hindi ba nahahati ‘yong time? Sagot namin: what's jealousy?" DJ said.

Creative inspiration

While they had no formal musical training, DJ said, when they were younger, they learned by asking visiting guitar players, or watching people play. They said they also get ideas from hearing conversations about other people's lives.

"We grew up in an orphanage. We don't want to call it an orphanage, we call it a ranch, a family ranch. Most of the kids, their lives inspire DJ to write about what they've been through," Micah said.

"It's hard to write something no one's ever written before," DJ said. "There are billions of songs out there, and different ideas."

DJ composed one song when he was 15 and their family just started the orphanage and they got their first set of wards. It was inspired by the time they took in brothers who weren't in their teens, but had to leave out the boys' 13-year old brother.

"I stood there in the silence, staring at this boy/
I could see the anger in his eyes and he was ready to destroy
his heart was full of hatred what he went through in the past
and even at that moment he was feeling so outcast
He's drying out in the rain
so no one could see his pain.
Because he's desperate for love and he needs help from above
and he is crying out in fear
he needs someone to wipe away his tears.
He knows his heart is broken
he needs a healer to come restore him
All he wants a peace in his heart
should've been love from the start."

Another Lamar original:

"We should get together/ and do nothing/
`coz that's what we do best.
look at the weather/ its raining/ its the best time for laziness.
because i miss you/ all i want to do is see you/
and have you sitting right beside me/
look into your eyes and tell you how much i love you/
so i/ won't/ say/another word/
all/ i'll/ do/ is look into your eyes/ so/ blue
so easy to get lost with you."

DJ and Micah said their entry into the entertainment industry was providential.

"My mom was praying for it. Our church was invited to sing at the Alabang Town Center and my mom was praying that someone discover us. The concert had gotten cancelled a couple of times. And when it finally pushed through, we sang five songs, all- original because we didn't listen to the radio. Once we got offstage, nilapitan kami ng manager namin right now. I was holding my guitar, hinarang kami ni Ate Caress. Kilala nyo sila Sam Milby, Richard Poon? I knew Sam from billboards. She said, kami nagma-manage noon," DJ recalled, adding that Milby and Poon are among Cornerstone's pool of talents.

Before this trip, they had never been to Rockwell, Greenbelt or popular nightspots like Embassy and had only gone to the Alabang Town Center for their performance and went straight to the airport.
Today, because of their boyish charms, people easily liken them to the wholesome pop boy band the Jonas brothers, which gained popularity from the Disney Channel.

The Lamar brothers unabashedly admit they're still virgins. But yes, they've been in love.

They added that they don't drink or smoke and only curse after hearing other people cussing.

A life in showbiz

Asked if they want to be in show business forever, Micah said he'll have to wait and see what happens.

But DJ, who's dreamt of it all his life is certain. "I do, I do. This is what I want to do for a living."

For now, taping schedules are still manageable but they expect it to get busier. If his schedule allows, DJ said he would want to take short courses in the future, after finishing high school last year, probably along the lines of video-editing which he enjoys doing.

With people beginning to recognize them, are they ready for the fame?

"You're never really ready for it. You take it as you go but our parents still give us the right stuff to be able to take it. They encourage us, they pray for us," DJ said.

Having a spiritual life clearly keeps the Lamar boys grounded, and hopefully they stay that way. Hopefully their arrival in the national entertainment scene breathes a new voice and spirit into primetime TV in need of new role models for the young.

"Idol" airs after "Noah" which follows TV Patrol. -Report by Caroline J. Howard, ANC