03.15.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:55 pm by philippinepearl
Well, it’s the night before show-night, and I am very excited! I’ve predicted that this year’s competition will be more intense than last year’s, and I still stand by that. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get as many blogs out as I would’ve hoped, but better late than never. I didn’t get the chance to meet all the contestants, but I want to quickly discuss several that I DID get the chance to meet.
Vanessa Villena - she’s a returning contestant from last year, and she has a very decent voice. What’s great to see is that she has improved upon last year, and while it’s true for everyone, song choice will very much be key for young Vanessa.
Princess Alandy - also a returning contestant from last year. Out of this young, petite figure comes a surprising voice that can pack a punch. She has good range, great control, an improved ear for song selection and a charming personality, which hopefully, she’ll be able to emote through song.
Liam Adriel F. Barredo - a newcomer this year, but wow, where have you been? Liam has a wonderful, easy personality and a great soul. His voice is rich and his talent is great! Liam’s overall style (fashion, song selection) helps him stand out from the crowd.
Last, but not least, Elisa Louanna Factora - also a newcomer, but she’s got one of the best packages this year. In other words, she has plenty of experience, so there’s no questioning her confidence. She has a wonderful voice and the ability to tell the story of a song. Charisma and maturity can also be found in Elisa. Ms. Factora has many bases covered, which puts her at an advantage this year!
Well, there you have it: the last of my pre-show-night blogs. I will be in attendance at the competition, so stay tuned for a post-show-night blog (or two)!
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03.04.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:58 pm by philippinepearl
Hey there! I apologize for taking so long with posting my blogs. My schedule has been unrelenting, and while I don’t need to say much in this piece, I’ve been excited to get this one out because I think it’s important that if our community is really interested in young talents, they should know about one Jellyn Anne Echon.
Jellyn auditioned for the “Kid” category this year, but when I spoke to her, she really impressed me. She was beaming with confidence and maturity, but avoided coming off as too precocious; I was happy to still find some kid in her. She radiated a good deal of charisma, and she sported a great deal of experience (for her young age), from singing at home to singing on stage. Jellyn spoke of her dreams and aspirations – it was a joy to find true potential in a young Filipino that chose to set goals in her life. She wowed in her audition as much as she impressed during our conversation. I can only imagine five years from now, assuming that Jellyn keeps up her craft and takes care of herself in every other aspect, how great this young talent will become.
We shall see what role Jellyn will play in this year’s competition. But Jellyn’s presence also raises questions in my mind towards her peers: the young Filipinos. You don’t have to be an aspiring singer (you can be an aspiring clown for all I care), but are you dreaming and setting goals for yourself? Jellyn has great potential because she’s decided what her goals are. And that’s my message to you: success lies within your reach, and although luck can play an ultimate role in your life, achieving success is a matter of choice. In other words, you can wait to get lucky and hope that it’s enough to get everything you ever dreamed of…or, you can GET everything you ever dreamed of. So what do you choose?
Reviews of more contestants coming soon. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned!
-JDCz
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02.12.07
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:26 pm by philippinepearl
Day One and Day Two of the Pinoy Pop Superstar auditions are over and the results are in. During the auditions, I spent time with many of the contestants in the waiting room, learning their stories and observing their talents through conversation and by reviewing the audition tapes. I am very pleased to say that audiences who were fans of last year’s show will love this year’s show even more – the competition is much more intense with a newer and abundant array of talent!
On Day One, I met a couple of people who really stood out; simply through our conversation, it was clear to me that Mark Rivera was very talented.
Rivera expressed great passion for music, and he came off quite charismatic with his eloquence and sense of humor. I was impressed with his love for the Philippines, as he mentioned that although there is plenty of room for improvement in the country, he is always one proud Filipino. I learned that he had auditioned for American Idol, which sounded the siren in my head: “this young man has confidence!” Still, Rivera remained humble and acknowledged that all performances are nerve-wracking, and the best thing to do is your best. After reviewing his audition, Mark Rivera is quite the performer, and I believe he’s one of the names to remember come show night!
The second person who was easy to remember was Joanna Bayle. Miss Bayle was quite the opposite of Rivera – she was extremely shy with very few words. Although these normally aren’t the traits of someone easy to remember, Miss Bayle did say something that caught my attention and made her difficult to forget. When I asked her if she believed she could win, she answered, “I don’t know.” When I asked her why, she smiled, like she had been doing throughout the entire conversation, and softly spoke two words: “God’s will.”
Her devotion will be very appealing to a Filipino audience, but more importantly, after considering how shy she was and how devoted she was, my instincts told me that she was, perhaps, “hiding” something – keeping her talents undercover. When I listened to her audition, I learned that my instincts were correct – this woman could really sing! Miss Bayle had also auditioned for various singing competitions, so her experience coupled with her uplifting spirits gives her potential to be a great contender.
I would also like to talk about two other contestants who tried out on Day One. Dave Samuel Resoltan surprised me – being 18 years of age, he’s one of the younger competitors this year. I found this young man quite funny, even though it wasn’t his intention. Resoltan informed me that his father didn’t know he was auditioning for the competition, and that he did not have his father’s blessing; I loved this story – it showed Resoltan’s drive and determination. He had a goofy likability about him, but I still wasn’t sure about his singing ability, and he chose an odd song to sing for the judges. Luckily, when his time to sing came, he actually did have quite a pleasant tone.
He surprised me on Day One, and I hope he surprises his audience on the night of the competition.
Lastly, Riana Balhadia is also another young one: only 15-years-old.
Balhadia made her love for singing clear, and she expressed her desire to finally do a competition. Her energy was infectious, and I loved her willingness to be young, especially when in the music world, young talents are usually way too eager to grow up. When I asked her about her likes, her eyes widened and her smile stretched, and a few of her answers were Lea Salonga, Pinoy TV, Broadway and The Philippines. She chose an ambitious song to sing for the judges, and when I heard her sing it, she didn’t do too badly at all, but I felt she had a voice that is rare in this type of competition. We can expect to hear many contestants this year belt out their notes. Balhadia’s voice stands out as one that is tender, with the ability to melt the listener’s heart. We’ll see if Balhadia can utilize it to its full potential.
Final note: a young girl named Jellyn Anne Echon auditioned for the “Kid” category. I felt this girl was extremely talented, and her overall confidence and maturity during our conversation and during her audition struck me as very surprising and very impressive – she’s only 11-years-old. I don’t know what her role in this year’s competition will be, but a blog about her is coming up very soon.
My review of contestants from Day Two will be posted after I review the tapes. Until then, thanks for reading, and stay tuned!
-JDCz
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