Romy Monteiro hopes to build singing career like Ruth Jacott’s

Dutch singer and actress Romy Monteiro says she wants to build a singing career like Ruth Jacott’s, admiring the veteran performer for continuing to stage theatre shows and for songs audiences can sing along to.

Monteiro, 33, told Özcan Akyol on the television programme *De Geknipte Gast* that she now focuses entirely on singing because it brings her the most fulfilment. She no longer presents programmes, saying that although presenting is hard work, she gets less satisfaction from it.

She said she had become more selective about work since experiencing burnout while playing the lead role in the musical *The Bodyguard*. During that period, she experienced hair loss and stopped menstruating, and said she had ignored mental health problems until they developed into physical symptoms. Monteiro said she was now doing much better.