Way before Maris Racal started giving so much kilig through her hilarious pairing with Anthony Jennings in Can’t Buy Me Love, the actress-singer has already been delighting the internet with an equally romantic love story—that of her own.
Maris has been in love with her famous rockstar boyfriend Rico Blanco since 2019. Shortly after the couple publicized their relationship two years later, eagle-eyed fans discovered that the love birds crossed paths after Maris started “manifesting” Rico into her life many years before.
The 26-year-old star gave a more detailed look into their love story in the YouTube vlog of celebrity dermatologist Vicki Belo which was posted on Feb. 19.
During their chat, Maris recalled that she and the Rivermaya frontman met in December of 2018, years after she first knew about the singer from her siblings who were his “super fans.”
“Bata pa lang ako idol ko na si Rico Blanco,” she began. “May band ‘yung kuya ko na super fan siya ni Rico Blanco ‘tapos yung mga ate ko, super fan [din]. So ako, nakiki-fan na din.”
“Tapos noong nag-artista na ako, siguro mga ilang taon na ako sa showbiz noon, may nagtanong sakin, ‘Ano’ng type mo sa lalaki?’ Parang gusto ko yung Rico Blanco na look tapos gusto ko na mahilig siya sa music,” Maris continued.
Yet even before the interview, Maris had already been manifesting that she’d meet a younger version of the now 50-year-old Rico.
She recalled, “Actually, gusto ko ng younger version ni Rico. I kept posting on my private Facebook na ‘Lord, bigyan mo naman ako ng younger version ni Rico Blanco.’ Super crush ko talaga siya. Hindi ko naman in-expect na siya ‘yong ibibigay ni Lord.”
The moment that Maris has long been waiting for started taking place when she tweeted that she was “looking for someone to collaborate with in music” in 2018.
“May mga ilang musicians na nag-reply pero ang target ko talaga si Rico Blanco,” she said. “‘Tapos my fans know na idol ko si Rico, and then Rico replied.”
Maris and Rico then scheduled their meet-up at his house. The actress described the experience as “nakaka-tense.”
“Pero pagpasok talaga [niya] sa room, parang nag-slow mo yung mundo ko,” Maris continued. “Nagulat ako kasi akala ko si Rico, astig na brusko… akala ko talaga bad boy siya.”
Much to Maris’ surprise, Rico greeted her with a sweet “hi!” It was then that she realized that the man of her dreams is “very malumanay, very konyo.”
Maris proceeded to play her music, which she did “eagerly” for her idol. And although she made a few mistakes along the way, Rico liked it and agreed to collaborate with her.
Fast forward to a few months later, the duo debuted their first single, Abot Langit.
Their work relationship started developing into romance when Rico asked Maris to watch a play with her, but they ended up attending an event hosted by Maja Salvador’s husband, Rambo Nuñez.
“Kinikilig pa si Rambo kasi at that time, nagkakamabutihan sila ni Ate Maja. So sobrang sabay namin together,” Maris recalled. “Bigla nalang nagka-developan… and the rest is history.”
Maris and Rico kept their relationship a secret for two years, and for the Ikaw Lang Sapat Na singer, those two years are among the most memorable ones in her life.
“‘Yung quiet two years na ‘yon, it was one of the happiest two years na na-experience ko kasi totoo lang siya, there was no pretention, masaya lang kami,” Maris said.
What inspired her to finally announce their relationship to the world is the COVID-19 pandemic, which made her realize about what truly matters in life.
Maris continued, “And then nagka-pandemic, nagka-lockdown, and then ang daming nangyayari sa mundo. It was a very sad moment sa mundo. Doon ko narealize, ang nama-matter ay yung mga taong mahal mo talaga.”
“It’s not your career or whatever worldly possessions you have—it’s the people you love. Tapos sabi ko, I don’t wanna keep on hiding. I don’t want to leave this world na tinatago ko yung mahal ko,” she recounted.
“So noong birthday niya, I posted about him. It wasn’t a very long caption, like ‘Happy birthday Rico.’ It was very simple… and then people speculated.”
Maris said that her greeting surprised and delighted Rico and, at the same time, gave her the feeling of being truly free.
Maris currently stars in ABS-CBN’s primetime teleserye Can’t Buy Me Love along with Belle Mariano, Donny Pangilinan, and Anthony Jennings, among many others. Meanwhile, Rico and the rest of Rivermaya concluded their highly anticipated reunion concert at the SMDC Festival Grounds last Feb. 17.
