Swirtty Mae Nibley is better known by her screen name Sophia Montecarlo. She used to be a contestant on the reality television show Born Diva. She represented Philippines and won several gold and silver medals for the World Championship of Performing Arts in 2010. Winner of Kumoricon Idol in November 2019. Due to pandemic she holds the title of Kumoricon Idol title for 2 years in a row.
Early life
Swirtty was born in Echelon Tower Malate, Manila to Aladino and Melinda Nibley and lived most of her life in Quezon City.[1] Nibley is the only child of Aladino and Melinda. She has a very diverse background, her family hails from a multiracial clan, she's half Filipino, part Japanese, Vietnamese, Scottish, Spanish, and White American. Her grandfather is Scottish-American and her grandmother is Filipino, Spanish and Vietnamese. She was raised as a Roman Catholic. Her father was such a big fan of Vilma Santos that he named his only child after the star mayor's son Luis Manzano (also known as Lucky Manzano); she was baptized Swirtty Mae Nibley. Her father must have been totally star-struck as he trained his daughter to sing, starting at age 3. Swirtty's parents separated when she was three, however, they remained on good terms, after which she was raised by her father and grandfather.
During her childhood, Swirtty performed at Manila Hotel, Manila Pavilion and Holiday Inn Manila. While at Trinity High School, she was a Rotary Club member. When Nibley was in high school, she and her father Aladino traveled to Tutuban Center every Tuesday and Thursday. She was cast in CU@E ETV39. She joined the television series until its cancellation in 2001. She graduated from Trinity High School in 2003.
The youngest and the 6th grand finalist of the Born Diva TV series,[2] said she could sing as many as 20 songs every day when she reached her teens. She pursued her college at Trinity University of Asia and finish Mass Communication major in Broadcast Journalism. While studying she also worked part-time at Trinity as a student assistant.
Personal life and career
Personal life
She started singing at the age of 3.
She joined and won several contests. Her first television debut on Eat Bulaga!, a hit noontime variety show in Philippines, happened when she was just eleven.
She has a whistle register (only heard in rare recordings and outtakes).
Senator Manny Pacquiao, Hon. Banal, Jorge "Bolet, Hon. Belmonte, Feliciano Jr. R. and other Congressmen recognize and congratulate Swirtty in The Sandiganbayan; a special appellate collegial court in the Philippines. On occasion when she brought home awards from WCOPA.
In 2010[3] Sophia was chosen as one of the representatives of the Philippine Team for the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA),[4] where she competed for the senior division. Her awards are as follows:
SILVER – Female Vocal Contemporary – 18–24
SILVER – Female Vocal Latin – 18–24
SILVER – Female Vocal Open – 18–24
BRONZE – Female Vocal Rock – 18–24
Charity work
In December 2011, Nibley performed with De La Salle University students and donated the pledge money they collected to the Benefit of Sendong survivors. She is active in helping with a non-profit organization for seniors and people with disabilities by providing an affordable, personal, volunteer-based grocery shopping.
The first film under the Kampf-Radar partnership is "Homecoming," a dark comedy written by Sarah Hehman and Christi Sperry.
2017
Zombie Day Apocalypse
Fleeing Citizen
George C. Romero
Zombie Day Apocalypse, to be held on Labor Day during the 2015 Portland Film Festival, which will take place September 1–7, will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for most extras in a short film.
2018
Interconnect
Woman in Bar
Nivi Singh
Interconnect tells the story of Bela, a garment worker in Bangladesh, while dreaming of an education for her daughter and a better life for her family. On the opposite side of the world, Scott works in American retail fashion industry and travels the globe in search of suppliers. After years of putting pressure on offshore manufacturers while driving company profits higher, Scott finds himself in crisis after tragedy strikes. Based on true events.
2019
The Quiet Crowd
Art Critic
David Hayden
Sophie, a PSU art student, has been killed in her apartment, and the crime scene has been staged like a living art piece. All around her are clues of her time in the quiet crowd.
2020
Inspiration Road
Churchgoer
Rob Nelson
Coming-of-age road trip buddy story canvassing the great USA.
References
Note: All citations to magazine articles lead to a website where scans of these magazines can be viewed
^[1] ManilaBulletin.com Retrieved on October 12, 2004.
^[2] ManilaBulletin.com Retrieved on June 10, 2011.
