Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: Second Quarter Finals

The second quarter finals of Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4 held on April 13 to 14, 2013 where it is an emotional night among the contestants especially during the results night. 

The second batch of semi-finalists (L-R): Zilent Overload, John Neil Roa, Eumee Lyn Capile, SI.CO.GU., Sundee Vinas and EYX Point. 

The first act was Sinag Color Guards or SI.CO.GU. from Pasig City. This flag twirling group did an amazing job during their auditions with their flawless flag twirling routine plus their colorful flags and costumes. They did a good job in the quarter finals and they remain consistent.

The young crooner from Cebu City, John Neil Roa came back after he auditioned in second season but failed to make it in the top 36. He serenaded the audience with his renditions of "L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder during quarter finals. He's got the charming look that girls will surely fall in love with plus a classic voice for standards and ballads. He is a versatile performer and he truly never give up in reaching his dreams.

The sword balancer and belly dancer from Taal, Batangas, Sundee Vinas did a great job in her auditions because of her balancing of a sword plus a sexy appeal and moves of a belly dancer. During the quarter finals, her act is more dangerous because of balancing a sword using her body parts and sexier belly dancing which is proven that she leveled-up her performance.

The acrobatics trio from Caloocan City, EYX Point did a consistent and amazing acrobatic acts from auditions to semi-finals. They have the balancing and the coordination for their act.

Eumee Lyn Capile of Valenzuela City is not just your ordinary singer. She's got the packaging, the soulful and powerful voice, and the swag to perform. She performed "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Katy Perry in her auditions which showed her talent in singing upbeat songs. During the quarter finals, she delivered a blazing performance of "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys which brought her to the top 12.

The black light dance crew from Pasig City, Zilent Overload received a standing ovation from the judges and the crowd with their energetic dance routine matched with their groovy song choices. They truly light up the stage with their colorful props and the precision in their choreography. They are visually entertaining and captivating and they are one of the acts who did an amazing job with their black light dance routine.

In the end, Zilent Overload made it to the semi-finals where they got the highest number of text and online votes while Eumee Lyn Capile won the judges vote. 

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 4: First Quarter Finals Night

Pilipinas Got Talent once again is back for its new season, plus there are changes in the show's competition format. For the first time, the top 36 will be the Quarter Finals round where the twelve acts for Semi-finals will be chosen for six weeks. Then, the top 12 semi-finalists will compete for the six slots for the Grand Finals to determine the season 4 champion of Pilipinas Got Talent. 

Definitely, the top 36 acts this season is not more on the singers, but there are fourteen dance acts, seven singers, three musical acts and twelve variety acts which include magic acts, animal tricks, stunts, gymnastics, acrobatics and flair tending. They are truly deserving in that round and they have that impressive auditions.

Let us have a review of the first quarter finals night which was held on April 6 to 7, 2013.

The first batch of semi finalists (L-R): Segutier Triplets, The Miss Tres, Security and Escort Battalion Combo of the Philippine Army, All In One Crew, Marvin Arquero and Chaeremon Basa.

The first act to open the night is the transgender singing trio from Bulacan, The Miss Tres. They have the looks of beautiful and glamorous girls but they have the surprising and masculine voice of a male singer. They sang "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Elvis Presley. The song choice truly fitted for them but I never forget their shocking auditions with their rendition of "Sex Bomb" by Tom Jones. They are confident and they know how to move in stage while singing. 

Chaeremon Basa from Bacolod City is the first flair tending act who make it to the top 36 after three seasons. He had that flawless and careful flair tending skills as well with the fact that it is synchronized to the music. He's got that blazing performance in the semi-finals where he added fire in the table plus the synchronized movements of bottles in a flair tending. In addition, he is enjoying in his performance which is contagious and he is consistent from his auditions.

The black light dance group from General Trias, Cavite All In One Crew light up the stage with their energetic choreography. They did a clean, sparkling and glowing dance routine since auditions up to quarter finals. However, there are few technical problems during quarter finals but they did a good job in performing.

The musical ensemble from Taguig City, The Security and Escort Battalion Combo of the Philippine Army did an energizing accompaniment of "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner during auditions. They have that lively music from the Big Band era especially the brass section as well with the lead singer knows how to perform in front of the crowd. In the semi-finals, they performed "The Cup of Life" by Ricky Martin and they still remain consistent in terms of musicality.

The martial arts trio from Iloilo, Segutier Triplets did a Pinoy martial arts routine in the form of arnis. They have the synchronized movements plus the exciting fight scenes and stunts for their age. I hope that they encourage more children and teenagers to engage in martial arts especially in arnis.

Marvin Arquero, also known as Papa P. (stands for Payong, a local word for umbrella) did an impressive auditions. The magician from Bulacan showed an amazing magical act using umbrellas to tent, imagine from smallest umbrella changes into regular size then the huge and colorful tents used in stands and stores. In the semi-finals, he showed other magical tricks aside from umbrellas. 

In the end, Chaeremon Basa got the highest number of votes from text and online while Miss Tres got a unanimous votes from the judges to make it to the top 12.

Insights on X Factor Philippines Eliminations

For the past few weeks, we witnessed talented Filipino singers who auditioned in X Factor Philippines. Since auditions, I became a fan of some of the contenders who made it to the top 20 through final 12. However, there are some contenders who are deserving to make it farther than the other remaining contestants.

AKA JAM from Groups category. They are Jhelsea Maine Flores, Auriette Divina, Katrina Velarde, Ashley Campbell, Alyssa Quijano and Monique Lualhati. They auditioned as individual acts but the judges decided to form them as a group. Their elimination is one of the most controversial ever in X Factor Philippines.  Photo Courtesy of X Factor Philippines Facebook Fan Page

• First of all, in the Judges Homes round, the judges make a very good line up of contenders for top 20.
• I am having a hard time to choose who will make it to the top 12 especially in Groups Category mentored by Gary Valenciano. The five acts who made it to this category are Sweet Bliss, Daddy's Home, 5th Avids, Takeoff and Lucky Girls (changed their name into A.K.A. JAM). All of them did a great job in their auditions to bootcamp but in the end, Sweet Bliss and 5th Avids were eliminated. However, the two acts eliminated did a very good job in their auditions to bootcamp because of the blending of their voices and perfect song choice.
• The top 5 contenders who make it to the Over 25 category mentored by Pilita Corrales are Paulo Castro, Joan Da, Cristine Ledesma, Modesto Taran and Mark Mabasa. At first, I didn't accept the fact that Cristine Ledesma and Paulo Castro were eliminated. The reasons why these two contenders are deserving in the top 12 because Paulo made an impressive performance during the auditions because of his voice which is similar to Michael Jackson. On the other hand, Cristine Ledesma is also deserving in the top 12 for the reason that she is the total package singer: the beautiful looks, the classy voice and the sophisticated style. However, when the top 3 contenders (Mark Mabasa, Joan Da, Modesto Taran) started to show their talent in the live shows, they deserve their spot there.
• The first three weeks of eliminations were such a not so good nights for me. In the first week, Joan Da and Jerrianne Templo made it to the bottom 2, although Joan did a very good acoustic rendition of Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning" and Jerrianne did a soulful and powerful performance of "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack during the performance night, but they are the bottom two. In the end, Jerrianne was send home after the decision of the judges. 
• During week 2, Takeoff did a rendition of Backstreet Boys' "Larger than Life" although they have a good choreography but there are many sharps and flats in singing while Mark Mabasa did a very good rendition of The Beatles' classic "Got To Get You Into My Life" and they are the two contenders who got the lowest number of votes in top 11. However, Mark Mabasa, one of the frontrunners in the contest was eliminated via deadlock.
• The third week of the live shows was more shocking when two groups namely Daddy's Home and AKA JAM made it to the bottom two. Both of these groups from Gary Valenciano's category are very good and consistent from their auditions to the live shows. However, because of the shocking revelation, the judges were having a hard time to vote and AKA JAM was sent home through deadlock.

I am wondering why the very good contenders went home. Is that because of lack of support from the voters or other reasons behind the contest? Well to the top 9 remaining contestants good luck and more power. The nine remaining contenders are Kedebon Colim, Jeric Medina and Gabriel Maturan from Boys category under Martin Nievera; Allen Jane Sta. Maria and KZ Tandingan from the Girls category mentored by Charice; Joan Da and Modesto Taran from the Over 25's under Pilita Corrales and Takeoff and Daddy's Home from Groups by Gary Valenciano.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 13

Stunning performances. Positive reviews from the judges. Standing ovations weekly. Wow! Definitely, it made a milestone in American Idol history, where the contestants of eleventh season is considered as the most talented bunch we ever had. From auditions to the final round, we witnessed the best talents across America and they made a remarkable impact to the fans and viewers of Idol. 

I would like to express my overall review for the top 13 contenders of season 11, as well with other remarkable contestants who deserve a spot in the final 13 but cut. 

Eliminated Contenders (Top 13)

The finalists of American Idol Season 11 L - R clockwise: Colton Dixon, Heejun Han, Joshua Ledet, Elise Testone, Phillip Phillips, Jermaine Jones, Shannon Magrane, Erika Van Pelt, Jeremy Rosado, DeAndre Brackensick, Skylar Laine, Jessica Sanchez and Hollie Cavanagh.

1. Jeremy Rosado. He is one of the standouts during Hollywood Week where he belonged to the group "Hollywood Five" with their rendition of "Mercy" by Duffy. He made it to Vegas Round with his solo performance of "I Know You Won't" where he received a standing ovation from the judges which made him advanced to the top 24. He did a heartfelt rendition of "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles during semi-finals and "Ribbon in the Sky" by Stevie Wonder in top 13. He was sent home first where the judges chose Elise Testone to save. However, he had that soulful voice which matches his R&B style.

2. Jermaine Jones. He is dubbed as the "Gentle Giant" of season 11. He had that very low voice which resembles to Scotty McCreery of season 10. His reinstatement which leads to the top 25 and his heartfelt rendition of "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross made him to the top 13. But he was disqualified because of previous criminal records. I think Reed or Eben is more deserving in his spot.

3. Shannon Magrane. She is the total package singer: a beautiful face, stunning height, a good family background and an amateur voice for a teenager. She reminds me of Carrie Underwood in terms of looks and vocal style. Although she forgot the words during Group Round in Hollywood Week, she received a standing ovation from the judges with her rendition of "What A Wonderful World" which makes her one of the early favorites. Her rendition of the Christian song "Go Light Your World" is considered as her best performance. However, she struggled in the top 13 stage where she didn't reach the high notes in her performance of "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston. She made a rebound in her studio performance of the song and her performance of "One Sweet Day" by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey in top 11. She needs to improve her craft because she is young and someday, she will be a great singer.

4. Erika Van Pelt. She is a versatile singer where her voice truly matches different genres of music such as rock, ballads and upbeat songs. She had that raw voice which is solid and she proved her versatility during the competition especially in the live shows. She proved her solid performances in her rendition of "What About Love" by Heart where she picked a rock song, "The Edge of Glory" where she sang in upbeat tempo and "New York State of Mind" where she showed her mellow side. She had an ultimate makeover during the contest because her hairstyle and color changed.

5. Heejun Han. He is one of the most memorable contestants in the show because of his humor and the talent that entertained the viewers. Heejun Han is the first Korean American who made it to the finals of American Idol (Paul Kim from season 6 and John Park from season 9 made it to the semi-finals). He had that romantic and soulful voice for a balladeer plus the clear phrasing and he puts emotions to the song that he rendered. Definitely, his best performance would be "All in Love is Fair" by Stevie Wonder and "A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway which gave him a standing ovation from the judges. 

6. DeAndre Brackensick. He is a returning contestant from season 10 where he was cut in the top 40. This season, he made it to the top 13 with his semi-final performance of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Reasons". He had that clean falsetto, soulful voice and a curly hair which made him as a soul / R&B singer. His remarkable performance of "A Woman's Work" by Kate Bush is also impressive.

7. Colton Dixon. He is the rocker of the season and a returning contestant from season 10 where he was cut in the top 40. He is musically gifted and he had that strong showmanship where he knows how to perform in stage with his rocking performance. He is one of the most consistent performers in the season with his performance of "Decode" by Paramore (top 24) where he truly rocked the stage. He showed his tender side with "Lately" by Stevie Wonder on top 13 and his musical talent on "Piano Man" by Billy Joel on top 10. He also showed his inventive side (which is similar to David Cook) with his rendition of "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga and "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire on top 7 but he was eliminated during that time which was surprising among the judges and fans of the show.

8. Elise Testone. She is one of the early front runners during the auditions to Vegas Round with her group performance of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" along with Reed Grimm, Haley Johnsen and Eben Franckewitz plus her performance of "It's a Man's, Man's World" by James Brown which earn her a spot in the semi-finals. She is a very professional performer and she had that husky and rockin voice which the judges remind of Janis Joplin. Her best performances would be in top 11 with "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, "Vienna" by Billy Joel during top 10 and "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zepellin on top 9. 

9. Skylar Laine. At first, I thought that she was just a mediocre country singer who auditioned in the show. However, she emerged as one of the best and most consistent performers in the top 13. Her voice is similar to Reba McEntire and she had that strong showmanship especially in her top 24 performance of Faces' hit "Stay With Me." Her best performance will be "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler on top 8 night. Her duet with Colton Dixon with the Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton hit "Islands in the Stream" is also memorable. Therefore, her performance of "The Show Must Go On" by Queen is such a phenomenal performance, which was mentioned by Randy Jackson.

Remaining Conteders (Top 4)

The remaining four contenders of American Idol season 11:
 Phillip Phillips, Hollie Cavanagh, Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez.
Source: www.hollywoodgossip.com

1. Hollie Cavanagh. She is one of the returning contestants from season 10 who made it to the finals of this season. She improved a lot from last season and she is also a total package singer aside from Shannon Magrane. She has the pretty voice that matches her powerful vocals which she has the potential to become a belter. She had a lot of screen time in season 10 during Hollywood Week but in season 11 she appeared in the green mile round. Her best performances will be "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera (top 24), "All the Man That I Need" by Whitney Houston (top 13) and "The Power of Love" by Celine Dion (top 11). These three performances showed her vocal prowess and her exceptional craft in singing where I considered her as part of final two this season. However, she struggled in the following weeks because of wrong song choice and sometimes, she lacks of emotions while singing or even pitch problems. In top 5, she did a very good rendition of Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" which earned her a spot in top 4.

2. Jessica Sanchez. She is one of the front runners in the show with her standing ovation from the judges for two consecutive weeks with her semi-finals performance of "Love You I Do" by Jennifer Hudson and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston. Other memorable performances she did including "Everybody Has A Dream" by Billy Joel (top 10), "Sweet Dreams" by Beyonce (top 9), "Fallin" by Alicia Keys (top 7) and "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross (top 6). She is one of the exceptional contestants because of her powerful and soulful voice and she has the makings of a diva. She is always earned positive reviews with her performances weekly. However, she was saved by the judges from elimination in top 7. Definitely, she deserved it because she will make a name in the music industry plus her heartfelt and powerful performances of her songs. Next time, I think she need to become careful in choosing upbeat songs which suited her voice and style. She is a Filipino Mexican contestant and Filipinos are hoping that she will make it to the finale where Jasmine Trias earned the third place in American Idol 3, the highest placement made by a Filipino in the show.

3. Joshua Ledet. He is one of the most praised contestants in the history of the show because every week he received a standing ovation from the judges and audience as well with the positive feedback. He is always consistent from his auditions to the final five. He is memorable with his performances of Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts" where he received his first standing ovation and in Vegas where he performed "Blue Suede Shoes" along with Shannon Magrane which is out of the box. He had a lot of best performances and his song choices are truly great especially his rendition of "When A Man Loves A Woman" (top 11), "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (top 8), "I Believe" (top 7) and "To Love Somebody" (top 5). His voice and style is similar to Fantasia Barrino and Jacob Lusk that is why there are cases that he sounded the same every week and the song choices are sometimes predictable. However, he showed his vocal prowess and his soulful style every week. Best performance in a group or duet, definitely his collaboration with Jessica Sanchez with the song "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" by George Michael and Aretha Franklin.

4. Phillip Phillips. He is one of the early favorites and most consistent contenders in terms of singing style which is similar to Dave Matthews. He is also popular among girls because of the looks, appeal and his music style is on the mainstream. He can be a rocker or an acoustic singer. He made a big impression to the judges in his audition where he played the guitar with his rendition of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. He also had a quality of being inventive where he truly owns the song especially with his performances of "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins during the top 24. He also did an encore of his audition piece "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder in top 13 and his most memorable performances would be "Movin Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel in top 10, "U Got It Bad" by Usher in top 7 and "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen in top 6. I think he needs to have out of the box performances for Phillip because there are times that he sounded the same or singing the same genre every week. Therefore, he is one of the best singers in season 11.

Who among this remaining four contenders will be the winner of eleventh season?

Notable Semi Finalists who Deserve a Spot in the Finale


1. Reed Grimm. He is one of the most colorful characters I've ever watched in the show. He is quirky but a true blue and talented musician. His auditions impressed me with his piece the theme song of U.S. television series "Family Matters." He also received positive feedback and praise with his group performance of "Hold On, I'm Comin" by Sam & Dave along with Jen Hirsh, Creighton Fraker, Aaron Marcellus and Nick Boddington and in Vegas week with his performance of "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" with Eben Franckewitz, Elise Testone and Haley Johnsen. He also did an amazing job in "Georgia On My Mind" in his second solo in Hollywood week with drums. (Note: He only had 30 minutes to prepare for that piece) In the semi-finals, he owned the Maroon 5 hit "Moves Like Jagger" in a jazzy accompaniment. But I am wondering why he didn't chosen for the top 13, although he has the talent and his identity as a singer and musician.


2. Jen Hirsh. She is having a powerful but sweet belter and she had that wide range of voice. She also deserves to be in the top 13 because she is one of the front runners in Hollywood Week where she received a standing ovation in her performance of "Georgia On My Mind." She also received positive feedback with her semi-finals performance of "One and Only" by Adele. She has the melody and the emotions while singing.


3. Eben Franckewitz. The youngest contestant of the season who sings like a pro. He is a total package singer with his looks (resembles to Justin Bieber or Greyson Chance) and having that angelic voice to sing classics. He is also deserving to be in the top 13 because of his consistency from auditions to Las Vegas Week. In the semi-finals, his performance was not so good because of the wrong song choice. Therefore, Eben is still young and he can improve his craft.


4. Hallie Day. She is classy singer which matches her look. She did a strong start in her audition with Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." She remains consistent and she made it to the top 24. She also deserves to be in the top 13 because of her classy but powerful vocals. Her performance of "Feelin Good" in top 24 was okay but she is ready to make it on the music industry.


Related Articles:

• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Top 13 Performances
• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals - Female
• Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Semi Finals - Male

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 11 - Las Vegas Week (Part 2)

This is the second part of my review for the Las Vegas Week of American Idol 11. The contestants were group themselves into two to four members to sing traditional 1950's hits. 

Wendy Taylor, Mathenee Treco and Lauren Gray

Let us start with the   group of Lauren Gray, Wendy Taylor and Mathenee Treco performed "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles. Take note, they trained by the "vocal coach from hell" which results into a good performance especially Lauren nailed it and Wendy did a job well done performance. Unfortunately, Mathenee was eliminated after that performance. Rate: 7.6

Jessica Phillips, Courtney Williams, and Britnee Kellogg

We also have the girl trio of The Neapolitans composed of Britnee Kellogg, Courtney Williams and Jessica Phillips with their mashup of The Supremes hit "Where Did Our Love Go" and "You Keep Me Hanging On." Each of the showcased their vocal prowess where Britnee has a powerful voice, Courtney has a soulful voice and Jessica with her R&B tone. The song matches their group but Jessica and Britnee was eliminated. Britnee deserves to be in the top 24 where she is the total package singer where she had the looks and powerful voice. Rate: 8.5 

Clayton Farhat, Scott Dangerfield, Adam Lee Decker and Curtis Gray

Then the songs of Elvis Presley lives on with the following groups. We have the all-male group of rockers composed of Scott Dangerfield, Clayton Farhat, Adam Lee Decker, and Curtis Gray with their version of "Jailhouse Rock." They have the guts to sing that song because they are rockers plus the packaging and the entrance which they are in character plus the costume. Rate: 8.0 


We also have the group of Caleb Johnson, River St. James, Blaire Sieber and Joshua Sanders with their rendition of "Burning Love." I think the four of them did a very good job in performing as well with the packaging. I noticed that Caleb stand out in this performance because of his rockin and powerful vocals. Rate: 8.3 

Aaron Marcellus, Nick Boddington, Jennifer Hirsh and Creighton Fraker

Last but not the least is the performance of Creighton Fraker, Jen Hirsh, Nick Boddington and Aaron Marcellus of Bryan Hyland's "Sealed With A Kiss." They have the perfect blending and one of the most harmonized groups in Las Vegas. However, Nick was eliminated at the end of this round. Rate: 9.0


Unaired Performances:

Marisa Pontecorvo, Naomi Gillies and Hollie Cavanagh

One of the unaired performances in Las Vegas Week was the mashup of "Mr. Sandman" and "Mr.Postman" by Hollie Cavanagh, Marisa Pontecorvo, and Naomi Rae Gillies. They have their individuality in this performance where Hollie sang with her clear diction and powerful vocals, Naomi with her wide vocal range and Marisa with her effort in singing an upbeat tempo song. They have the perfect mashup of song choice which is very good. Rate: 7.7


Watch American Idol Season 11 for the semi-finals round of your top 24 plus one contestant will make it to the semi-finals which turns into 25.

Couch Potato Review: American Idol 10 - Las Vegas Week

It was 2011, a new round of American Idol introduced to the viewers and aspiring hopefuls. This is the Las Vegas Week. It is the phase of the competition where the contenders who passed the final round of Hollywood week will going to Las Vegas to perform by groups on a particular music theme. They are trained by vocal coaches and musical directors. In the tenth season, the first theme of Las Vegas round was the songs from The Beatles where contestants are performing by duets or trios. Most of the contenders who stand out in this round made it to the top 24 as well in the final 12. Here are the memorable performances in the American Idol Season 10's Las Vegas Round:

Pia Toscano and Karen Rodriguez

First, we have Pia Toscano and Karen Rodriguez sang "Can't Buy Me Love" which shows their harmony and they can sing in an upbeat tempo. It was an out of the box performance. 

Naima Adedapo, Jacob Lusk and Haley Reinhart.

Then, the trio of Naima Adedapo, Jacob Lusk and Haley Reinhart did the 1970's hit "The Long and Winding Road" where they performed it with their powerful vocals and perfect blending of their voices. They are one of the best performers in that round because three different styles combined in one group and a song choice that matches their prowess.

Kendra Chantelle and Paul McDonald

We also have the relaxing rendition of "Blackbird" by Kendra Chantelle and Paul McDonald. Kendra has a sultry voice while Paul performed with his husky vocals plus the accompaniment of the acoustic guitar which makes their rendition soothing to the ears. 

Julie Zorrilla and Tim Halperin

Then, the musically inclined performers Tim Halperin and Julie Zorrilla where they sang "Something." It sounds current because of their voices are in the mainstream and contemporary. Tim's voice is similar to Chris Martin of Coldplay while Julie is to American Idol 7's Brooke White. They are truly talented in music because of their voice, style and musicality by playing the keyboard. 

Other remarkable performances during the Las Vegas Week including the trio of Tatynisa Wilson, Lakeisha Lewis, and Jerome Bell singing "I Saw Her Standing There" with their groovy tune and soulful performance in an upbeat song. We also have the duo of Casey Abrams and Chris Medina, adding strings to the performance of "Hard Days Night" which matches their vocals.

Pilipinas Got Talent Season 3: Auditions Review

Right after the second season of Pilipinas Got Talent, the reality-talent show franchise continues its airing for the third season. This season, different variety acts conquered the show plus there are still performing acts like singing and dancing. For the first ten weeks of auditions, there are acts who truly stand out because of their unique talent they've shown.

Jet Barrun from second season come back with her rendition of "Man in the Mirror" with her distinct vocal quality and strong showmanship.

Knch Lhnn Cabillo of Cebu City made an impressive performance of Jennifer Holliday's "And I'm Telling You" which makes her tagged as the next Charice Pempengco of PGT.

Khalil Joseph Ramos with his rendition of "I'll Be" which makes him the next singing heartthrob of PGT. 

The Synergy Dance Troupe shown a breathtaking and world-class aerial acrobatics act.

Edmon Gaduang shown his keyboard playing skills in an upbeat tune although he was blindfolded.

Jefferson and Kurt Bringas made a smooth acoustic performance and their story  touched the hearts of the judges.

Kim Tenorio used his dwarf puppets in entertaining the people.

El Gamma Penumbra shown a unique and outstanding performance with their shadow play.

The impressionist and voice impersonator Elok Palabok did a great job in impersonating voices of Spongebob Squarepants and local personalities in Philippine TV.

• Trio Aerialist (Aerial Fabric Dancers, Bacolod City) - They did a breathtaking routine of aerial fabric dance plus they have the precise stunts in falling from the curtains as well as their balancing skills.

• Jefferson & Kurt Bringas (Acoustic Duo, Davao City) - They made a touching rendition of Peter Cetera's classic "After All" plus a sob story of the brothers which can be an inspiration to many people. 

• Loverkada Kids (Gymnastics Group, Butuan) - They have the flexibility and the grace of being a professional gymnasts and contortionists at their very young age. 

• Bahaghari (Reggae Band, Iloilo) - This band composed of men ages 20 to 50 years old were able to impressed the crowd and the judges with their rendition of Rey Valera's "Naaalala Ka" with their attack of reggae and definitely the musical accompaniment is the best.

• Hello World (Dance Crew, Davao City) - They auditioned from season 1 with their poppin dance routine in the tune of Taylor Swift's "Love Story." This third season they come back with more improved dance routine but the clown costumes didn't change. 

• Knch Lhnn Cabillo (Singer, Cebu City) - She is a veteran in various local singing contests. Among the kiddie performers who performed in the past three seasons, she is one of the best because of her powerful voice, suave dynamics and clear diction with her rendition of "And I'm Telling You." She will be the next Bianca Ryan or Charice Pempengco.

• Galileo Brocoy (Intellectual gifted child, Baler, Aurora) - I encountered the youngest auditionee so far in Pilipinas Got Talent. He was able to recognize the flags of the nations plus the pictures of famous boxers which reminds me of my childhood days where my relatives asked me "What is the capital of Ilocos Norte?" and I answered "Laoag". 

• Vocal FX (Beatboxing Group, Bacolod City). They are similar to First Beat Effect from the second season but their style is different where they used sounds of things like mosquito in their routine which shows a story. 

• Synergy Dance Troupe (Aerial Acrobatics Dance Troupe, Negros Occidental) - For the first time in Pilipinas Got Talent where I saw a world class performance which is similar to Cirque de Soleil where there are pole dancers and aerial fabric dancers who can fly to the highest level. They shown a superb performance. Definitely, for grand finals!

• Willy Cordovales (Singer, Antipolo) - He had a powerful golden voice and a clear diction to deliver a ballad and he is one of the potential winners this third season. His style is similar  to Rolando Permangil of season 1 and Martin Nievera. 

• El Gamma Penumbra (Shadow Theater Group, Batangas) - They did an amazing job in shadow theater with their concept of showing the beauty of the Philippine culture and tourist spots. It was a very good performance!

• Gino Alonzo (Magician, Davao City) - He come back from season 2 and his magic is still consistent and fantastic where he used bird tricks which ended up in appearing a cockatoo.

• Kim Tenorio (Puppetteer, Liliw, Laguna) - His talent is truly exceptional in terms of how he use his puppets in performance and entertaining the people. The dynamics were truly fun to watch and the music choice he used is Shakira's "Waka Waka".

• Marlon Custodio a.k.a. Elok Palabok (Voice Impersonator / Impressionist, Tanay, Rizal) - He is one of the rare and unique acts I've ever encountered in auditions of PGT. He had a mass appeal plus the capacity to impersonate voices of characters in Sponge Bob Square Pants and news anchors of ABS-CBN. 

• Jett Barrun (Singer, Pateros) - We remember her last season because of her powerful voice and showmanship on stage with her rendition of Dianne Reeves' "Better Days" but she didn't make it to the semi-finals. This third season, she performed with more confidence and an improved showmanship and song choice with her performance of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" where it is a very rare chance to encounter a female  singer to sing that hit. 

• Edmon Gaduang (Keyboardist, Nueva Ecija) - He had a very good piano playing skills and although he was blindfolded, he can make an upbeat tune and the musicality was there. 

• Philippine Dubstep (Beatboxing Duo, Davao and Gen. Santos City) - Harold Gesulga from season 1 and Kervy Salazar from season 2 joined their forces to reach the goal of being a winner of PGT 3. The two beatboxers from Mindanao who appeared in previous season shown their talent in beatboxing especially in producing sounds.

Jarah Valido did a very good performance of Basil Valdez's "Ngayon at Kailanman."

Sandugo Band of San Pablo City made an energetic showmanship with their song "Modelong Charing" by Blakdyak and "Laki Sa Layaw" by Mike Hanopol.

Miss D Dance Scholars of Lucena shown a flawless and polished ballroom steps.

The Upbeat Dance Company Kids of Bukidnon made a cute and graceful ballet dance routine in the tune of Abba's "Mamma Mia."

The reggae band Bahaghari of Iloilo shown an energetic performance singing Rey Valera's "Naaalala  Ka."

Jeziel Dimagna-ong is a true blue rocker from Siquijor.

Sendhara Trillanes performed with her piano and angelic voice with her version of Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You."

Gino Alonzo of Davao made a comeback with his bird and card magic tricks plus a cockatoo in the end of his routine.

Trio Aerialist of Bacolod made a breathtaking aerial fabric dance routine.

Three year-old Galileo Brocoy of Baler, Aurora show his talent on recalling the names of flags of different countries.

• Sandugo Band (Band, San Pablo City) - Definitely the counterpart of Bahaghari Band with their reggae style in performing plus they have the showmanship and they know how to have a rapport in the audience with their performance of Mike Hanopol's "Laki Sa Layaw" and "Modelong Charing" by Blakdyak. If there will be a late night show in ABS-CBN, hire this band immediately because they can give life to the show.

• Jarah Valido (Singer, San Pablo City) - The singer from Laguna did a very good vocal dynamics and diction in singing Basil Valdez's "Ngayon at Kailanman." 

• Miss D. Dance Scholars (Ballroom Dancing Troupe, Lucena) - They have a world class costumes and flawless and polished ballroom steps. 

• Khalil Joseph Ramos (Singer, Paranaque) - He's got the boy next door looks and a very good voice which deserves to be on the mainstream of music industry. He can be the next teen rocker of PGT.

• Christian Samson (Quick Change Artist / Street Magician, Taguig) - He made a fusion of street magic and quick change in his routine. He can change his clothes quickly without any props to use. He did a very good job which makes him the David Blaine of PGT 3.

• Kiriko (Rappers, Sta. Cruz, Laguna) - They have the meaningful lyrics, fast enunciation of words but clear delivery in performing their rap. They have the memorable lyrics "Pula, asul, dilaw at puti" which means that they made an impact and they can follow the footsteps of rappers like Andrew E., Francis Magalona, Salbakuta and Gloc 9.

• Upbeat Dance Company Kids (Ballet Dancing Troupe, Bukidnon) - They have the graceful movements in doing a ballet and they are cute which matches their young age and talent.

• Jeziel Dimagna-ong (Singer, Siquijor) - His voice is similar to Jovit Baldivino and Arnel Pineda with his performance of Journey's "After All These Years". He is a true blue rocker at his age of 38 and he deserves to have a break in music industry which proves that Siquijor has got talent.

• Larry Tamala (Magician and Comedian, Davao) - His magical tricks were truly funny because his magic was very clumsy and full of lapses in his execution. However, he did a very remarkable and entertaining auditions. He is trying to follow the footsteps of Rico the Magician in terms of doing the dance and animal tricks.

• Renagine Pepito (Singer, Cagayan de Oro) - If Knch Lhnn Cabillo represents the best child singer in Visayas, Regina will be her match in Mindanao. She had a very powerful voice and she made an impact in the crowd with her performance of "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston. She needs to improve her timing in singing her piece.

• Pauline Agupitan (Singer, Batangas) - A child singer in the Manila auditions who left her class in order to audition in this show. She sang Fantasia's "I Believe."She had a very clear diction and powerful voice but she needs to improve her mastery of the song especially in selecting the highlight of her performance. 

• Elmer Jun Hilario (Acoustic Singer, Negros Occidental) and Sulpicio Garcia (Acoustic Singer, Manila) - The two acoustic singers did a good job in performing their audition pieces as well with their looks and packaging. Elmer did a version of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and he wowed the crowd in Cebu auditions. On the other hand, Sulpicio was compared to Side A's frontman Joey Generoso with his performance of "Forevermore."

• Kenzo Ortiz (Singer, Laguna) and Miguel Hernandez (Singer, Manila) - Kenzo Ortiz is the son of the former actress Olivia Ortiz. He stand out in the auditions with his looks and voice in his performance "Narito" by Gary V. On the other hand, Miguel Hernandez sang "This is the Moment" where the two hosts thought that he looked like the X-men Character Wolverine. Both of them have good looks and a very good voice which made them the next heartthrobs of PGT.

• Sendhara Trillanes (Singer and Musician, Batangas) - She had an angelic voice and a musical talent with her audition piece of Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You." Although she shown for almost one minute only, I always remember her with her talent which proves that she can compete in other singing contests on TV. Her act reminds me of Hollywood week in American Idol.

• Jeremiah Velasco (Singer and Musician, Cavite) - He did his best performance so far. He rejected in the auditions of season 1, he passed but he failed to make it on the semi-finals on season 2. Will Jeremiah made it to the semi-finals of the third season? He had the musicality but he doesn't have the good voice to sing.  

Hopefully these contenders will make it to the semi-finals plus they have the unique and amazing talent in their field. This season the acts are more talented and the show leveled up to another peak of their success. 


Photos Source: Pilipinas Got Talent Youtube Channel 

Korea's Got Talent Season 1: Auditions Review

Korea's Got Talent is the Korean franchise of the popular worldwide reality show and talent search Got Talent. When I watched the show, it proves that Asians like Filipinos and Thais got the talent and now Koreans have it. I witnessed from funny to entertaining auditions up to the best and heartfelt performances.

There are hopefuls in Korea's Got Talent during the auditions who impressed the Korean audience and viewers worldwide through Youtube or cable channels. The group of middle and high school students called The I Big Harmonica Ensemble gave an entertaining and lively performance with the use of harmonica as their instrument. They have the musicality and the perfect blending.

The I Big Harmonica Ensemble gave an entertaining performance with the use of harmonicas.

We also have ten year old Kim Tae Hyun (김태현) who sang with clear diction and right lyrics of the song "Tomorrow." The song truly matches her age and her young angelic voice reminds me of Lea Salonga when she was a child and a child singer from Britain's Got Talent Connie Talbot. Hopefully she will make it to the grand finals.

Kim Tae-hyun, the ten year old girl who sang "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie.

Kim Min Ji with her classic and touching performance of Phantom of the Opera's "Think of Me."

The twenty-one year old blind opera singer, Kim Min-ji  (김민지) gave a heartfelt rendition of the song "Think of Me" from The Phantom of the Opera. Similar with Kim Tae-hyun, she sang with clear diction and pronunciation of English lyrics. In addition, her proper dynamics of singing an opera classic is there and her auditions is one of the best auditions in Got Talent series because it made me cry because of the talent and her story.

The sand artist Kim Ha Jun shows a precise and creative sand art.

The sand artist Kim Ha-Joon (김하준) shows a simple but precise and creative presentation of sand art which makes him advanced to the semi-finals round of Korea's Got Talent. He's got the story in his sand art which is very creative and vivid details in telling the story through sand art.

Last but not the least is the Youtube sensation and early favorite Sung-bong Choi (최성봉) who touched the hearts of millions of people in different parts of the world with his heartfelt story where he is a homeless boy and his superb talent in opera singing. Others predict that he will the first grand champion of Korea's Got Talent. 

The opera singer Sung-Bong Choi with his semi-finals performance. 

Therefore, after the auditions in different parts of Korea, the 40 contenders were selected to compete in the semi-finals performance. Hopefully, I am looking forward to this five acts I mentioned to make it on the grand finals. There are lots of talented Koreans who auditioned in the show and looking forward for the next seasons of Korea's Got Talent! Kudos!

Korea's Got Talent is hosted by Noh Hong-cheol and Sin Young-il (counterpart of Britain's Got Talent's Ant and Dec and Pilipinas Got Talent's Billy Crawford and Luis Manzano). The judges for this show are Kolleen Park, Jang Jin and Song Yun-ah and it aired over TVN in South Korea.