Remember the story of The Ugly Duckling? It is about a little bird which suffers disdain because of its physical appearance. But unwavered by the criticism, it soon grows to become the most beautiful swan in its group.

The story draws some parallel with Xander Ford, a former boyband member in the Philippines, who revealed his new look and name to the public. Xander was formerly known as Marlou Arizala. Before we go further, here's a brief backstory.

According to PEP, Marlou used to sell cigarettes to pay for his school fees. He started his career in entertainment industry as one of the members of boyband Hasht5, which he left in 2016. As its member, Marlou was often a butt of jokes due to his appearance. One of the popular jokes about him revolved around a photo of Marlou being compared to an ice cream stick. This photo made rounds on social media and even spawned other photos that portrayed him in poor light.

Source: Khaleej Times