MANILA, Philippines (AP) – “American Idol” contestant Camile Velasco has returned to her native Philippines to perform in a Christmas concert.

Velasco, from Maui, Hawaii, will perform Friday at the All You Need Is Love concert starring Filipino “concert king” Martin Nievera at the Philippine International Convention Center, organizers said Tuesday.

The 19-year-old singer, who is living and studying in Los Angeles, is scheduled to return for a concert with Filipino band South Border in February. She was born in the Philippines, and a year later left with her family for Hawaii.

Velasco was a contestant on the third season of the popular Fox television show.

The fourth season of “American Idol” will premiere Jan. 18-19, according to the Fox Web site.

Paris ‘most fascinating’

NEW YORK (AP) – Paris Hilton has been named one of the 10 “most fascinating” people of 2004″ by Barbara Walters.

Walters will host an hour-long ABC News special Wednesday night (9 p.m. EST) highlighting some of the year’s most prominent names in entertainment, politics, sports and business. Besides Hilton, the list includes filmmaker Michael Moore, “Jeopardy!” champ Ken Jennings and Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

In an interview for “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2004,” Walters asks Hilton about the now infamous sex video with her then-boyfriend Rick Salomon. The tape surfaced just before the premiere of Hilton’s reality TV show, “The Simple Life.”

“I was in love with him and people, I think, do that sometimes,” Hilton says. “I never thought that it would get out and that I’d be hurt like that.

“It was (very painful). I thought it was the end. I thought, I was so embarrassed for all my teenage fans and my younger fans. I thought it was over.”

Despite her fears, “The Simple Life” became a hit. “The Simple Life 3: Interns,” starring Hilton and her friend Nicole Richie, will premiere on the Fox television network on Jan. 26.

Also in the interview, Hilton reveals that she doesn’t just sit around saying “That’s hot” all day: She even reads books. And the most recent one? “Maneater,” a novel about an uninhibited Los Angeles woman’s search for a man.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.