Janella Salvador in Candy Magazine March Issue

"Oh my gee!" exclaims Janella Salvador's character, Nikki, on Be Careful With My Heart, whether she's excited, worried, shocked, or amused.The same catchphrase can be used to describe the 15 year old actress's fast and unexpected rise to fame.As a kid, she loved singing onstage.Being the daughter of theatre actress Jenine Desiderio and singer Juan Miguel Salvador, it's no suprise that Janella is also a natural in front of the camera. When she was 12, she was asked to sing on a television show -and was immediately discovered by Star Magic head Johnny Manahan and talent manager Manny Vealera.

And from grade school, Janella dove headfirst into show business."When I auditioned for the role of Nikki, I had no experience at all," she says."They made me scream, pero walang lumabas na sound!Akala ko 'di ako makukuha." But out of dozens of young hopefuls, she did get the role and has been playing Nikki ever sinse the show premiered on ABS-CBN in July 2012.

Janella was starstruck upon meeting veteran actors Jodi Sta. Maria, who plays the nany-turned-mommy Maya, and Richard Yap a.k.a Sir Chief. "On our first taping day.i wasn't talking to anyone," she says."But it's fun now because I'm with them everyday.They're like my family na talaga." On her fictional brother Luke (Jerome Ponce) and sister Abby (Mutya Orquia), Janella says, "We're really like siblings.Nag-aasaran lang kami and ang dami naming bloopers on set."

It's been almost two years since Janella got the part of Nikki, yet she stills enjoys every minute of it. "I love it because even if she's maarte, people don't hate her," she says. "She has a kind heart." On her similarities with her character, Janella says, "Maarte din ako, and I love taking good care of my younger brother Russell, the same way Nikki takes care of her sister. I have no mom in the show, and I didn't grow up with my dad in real life so parang Nikki is me na rin."

In terms of acting, Janella has grown up a lot both on and off cam. "There was one scene where I was supposed to cry because I remembered my mom, pero hindi ako naiyak. I just looked funny!" she laughs. "But I learned how to do it eventually because of Jodi and Richard.I observe how they act, and I've learned to be more confident.Before the show, I had zero knowledge about showbiz and acting, but now I know what to do.This is where I really found myself."

Janella's hard work paid off as industry veterans have begun to sit up and taker notice.At the 2012 FAMAS awards, she was given the German Moreno Youth Achievement Award.And just last year, she won Best New Female TV Personality at PMPC Star Awards. She has also landed the LSS-worthy "Ang gaan ng feeling" endorsement deal with Palmolive. On receiving her awards, she says "I'm so overwhelmed! I'm happy they picked me. Does that mean I'm influential to many people? I don't know why they chose me but I'm just thankful."

Despite being part of a hit show and having over 700,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram combined, Janella is still your average teenage girl who admits to being matakaw and kikay, who likes posting the occasional #OOTD, who gushes over her biggest crush, Zac Efron, and who loves to go home and sleep after a long, tiring day.

In the future, she hopes to take on a mpre dramatic role and pursue a musical career. "I really love singing and I want to pursue it later on, but I'll concentrate on acting first," she says.

Young, fresh-faced, and bursting with determintion, Janella is definitely one to watch. "If you're confident and you know you really want to do something, then just go for it," she addsw. "If you're really meant to do something, it's going to happen."