Ayon kay Steven Silva, hindi niya talaga in-expect na siya ang tatanghaling StarStruck V Ultimate Male Survivor sa ginanap na Final Judgment kagabi, February 21, sa Araneta Coliseum. Itinuturing pa nga raw niya ang sarili niya bilang underdog kumpara sa mga kalaban niyang sina Enzo Pineda at Rocco Nacino, ang StarStruck V First and Second Princes, respectively.
"Hindi po, hindi ko talaga ine-expect. Kasi para sa akin, palaging ang iniisip ko I was the underdog. I just tried to do my best and just enjoy myself. I just said my prayers," sambit ni Steven nang ma-interview siya ng PEP (Philippine Entertainement Portal) at iba pang press sa press room ng Araneta Coliseum after ng event.
Bakit niya iniisip na underdog siya?
"Para sa akin po when I saw the other competitors, I see professional models. I see people that have done commercials. I see people that have been in movies. And para sa akin, I'm just a college student. I was a chef. So, before doing commercials and being in front of the cameras, I'm just in the kitchen cooking. I have no experience. I just really tried my best here," sabi ng 23-year-old Filipino-Chinese-Portuguese.
Kinabahan ba siya noong dalawa na lang sila ni Enzo ang naglaban for the title?
"Hindi po," sagot ni Steven. "I was just so thankful na I'm going to the next level and I wasn't the Second Prince. And even if I'll be the First Prince, I would still be happy. But when they called Enzo's name as the First Prince, oh my God, I'm the Ultimate Survivor! I couldn't believe it. It really feels great."
Gustung-gusto niya rin daw talagang manalo.
"I wanted to win. I prayed for the best. I asked God that He help me do my best and anything that happens I would accept it."
Ano ang nararamdaman niya na siya ang itinanghal na winner?
"I'm just so thankful. And now I'm looking forward to doing other careers."
Sino ang nagbigay ng inspirasyon sa kanya para galingan sa contest na ito?
"Siguro po my parents. Kasi yung parents ko, alam ko yung...their life is so much hard. And anything that I did, it would be nothing compared to what they did. They worked so hard for me and my sisters. So I just know that dito sa StarStruck, kailangang kong mag-focus and just keep doing my best and work hard for it."
FAMILY FIRST. Bilang Ultimate Male Survivor, nanalo si Steven ng premyong P1.5 million in cash at GMA exclusive contract with a minimum worth of P3.5 million. Ano ang gagawin niya sa cash prize?
"I'm not so sure yet, but I really want to help my family with this. Talaga gusto ko silang tulungan. I would also invest it in my career. I need to...kailangan ko mag-improve yung mga talents ko and of course my Tagalog. People always tell me that when you're here, you have to think about the competition and stay focused on improving yourself."
Gusto na ba niyang pauwiin ang mother niya na nasa Amerika ngayon?
"Opo, kung puwede, gusto ko talaga," sagot ni Steven.
Wala man ang kanyang mommy sa finals ay dumating naman ang kanyang Portuguese father para suportahan siya.
"Bumalik kasi last week si Mommy sa States. Si Dad three days ago nandito na siya. I'm happy na nandito siya," sambit niya.
BIG SUPPORT. Masayang-masaya rin daw si Steven sa full support sa kanya ng Davao.
"During my homecoming, the Davaoeños really supported me."
Nadagdagan ba yung confidence niya noong i-reveal ang accumulated text votes nila for nine weeks at lumabas na siya ang nakakuha ng highest votes sa Final 5?
"It boosted my confidence more because I know people are supporting me. I have supporters. But yung feeling ko kasi is palaging I still need to keep on improving," sabi ni Steven.
May message nga si Steven sa lahat ng bumoto at sumuporta sa kanya.
"Maraming salamat po. Sometimes hindi ko ine-expect yung mga support para sa akin kasi parang some people might think I'm not Pinoy, hindi masyadong marunong mag-Tagalog. Pero kahit na ganito, they really supported me. Kaya I'm really thankful because sometimes in the competition, it's hard being away from home, being in a new country. But my supporters are always there and keep on saying that, 'Kaya mo 'yan Steven. We believe in you.'"
Pinuri si Steven ng StarStruck Council sa kanyang sing-and-dance performance ng hits nina Iyaz na "Replay" at David Guetta na "Sexy Chick." Sinabi pa ni Manay Lolit Solis na, "Dapat pala lagi kang nasa Araneta. This is your best performance in the competition."
During the Final 5 presscon a few days ago, sinabi ni Steven sa interview na gusto niyang manalo hindi lang dahil sa madaming text votes para sa kanya kundi gusto niya ring ipakita yung talent niya. Sa natanggap niyang papuri sa StarStruck Council, sa tingin niya ba ay na-achieve niya ang goal niya sa finals night?
"I think so," sagot niya. "I'm happy to hear that the Council liked my performance. But I know I still need to do more, I need to improve more. Yung pagiging Ultimate Survivor, it doesn't stop here. It's just the start of my continuing journey. I still need improvement. Like for now, even though I'm the Ultimate Survivor, I'm still not satisfied. I need to do more to live up to the title."
DIVA MONTELABA. After nilang makapasa sa mga StarStruck artista tests, si Steven at ang Ultimate Female Survivor na si Sarah Lahbati ay aabangan na bilang mga bagong artista sa Kapuso Network.
Open din ba siya na maka-partner si Sarah?
"Yeah, me and Sarah, we've always been close."
Paano na ang First Princess na si Diva Montelaba na sinabi niyang crush niya?
"Focus muna ko sa career. But I still like Diva. Me and Diva we're really close," sagot ni Steven.
Ano ang naramdaman niya na hindi si Diva ang nanalo?
"I felt a little sad for Diva because I always thought she'll win as the Ultimate Survivor. She's really so talented. Talagang maganda siya. Natural beauty siya. But it doesn't mean that I'm not happy for Sarah. Of course, I'm happy for Sarah."
Posible bang ligawan niya si Diva in the future?
"It's possible because like I said, I like her. But I know she would understand na hindi muna puwede ang ligaw-ligaw ngayon because we have to focus on our career first. We choose this career so we have to make good with it. Yung ligaw-ligaw, it can wait naman."
FACING INTRIGUES. Ngayong artista na siya, handa na rin ba si Steven sa pagharap sa mga intriga?
"That's one thing that I need to learn more about," sagot niya.
Ano ang gagawin niya para makaiwas sa mga negative intriga?
"Para sa akin, siguro I need to stay humble. I know I have come a long way and I need to remember that."
Unang intriga nga agad kay Steven ay ang pagtatago niya raw na mayaman sila talaga. Ano ang comment niya rito?
"If you could see our house and the life we have in the States, you wouldn't think that we're rich at all. Even yung mommy ko, she's still working as an accountant in the States. And my father is just a security guard," saad niya.
Ano ang greatest lesson na natutunan niya sa StarStruck?
"Siguro what you see on TV, it may look easy on TV. Pero sa real life, there's so much more into it. It's really hard. I know now kasi dati yung feeling ko, 'Ay, yung buhay ng artista, it's so easy.' Pero ngayon, it's not easy. I don't think it's easy anymore."
Dahil nakatapos naman si Steven ng Culinary Arts sa Amerika, gusto niya bang mag-host ng sarili niyang cooking show?
"Wow, that would be great! I like that," sabi niya.