This is why we’re placing our bets on the two youngest and most promising contestants. First is 14-year old Melbelline Caluag, a high school junior at Guiguinto National Vocational HS. She’s unique in that in these days when most singers think belting or making “birit” is the best, her specialty is Tagalog songs like the Kundiman. She reminds us of Sylvia La Torre. You should hear her very uplifting rendition of Conching Rosal’s “Ang Maya”, but she also sings Whitney Houston and Taylor Swift songs. She’s a pretty morena beauty and has winsome star quality.
Our next bet is 16-year old black beauty from San Mateo, Rizal, Rhyzza Kafilas. “African-American po ang real dad ko named Jerry Martin, but I’ve never seen him,” he says. “Kafilas is from my mom. May stepdad po ako and I have a half brother and sister na 14 and 6 years old. Very supportive po sa’kin ang stepdad ko.”
In school, they make fun of her as “negra” or “ita” but she just ignores them and takes the taunts as a challenge to do better in life. “Tuwing may kailangang kumanta sa school (Pamantasan ng Marikina, where she’s a masscomm sophomore), akong tinatawag nila.”
She has no formal voice training but she can sing Beyonce, Adele and Nikki Minaj songs with equal ease. The judges for tonight are Nora Aunor, Judy Ann Santos, Ruffa Gutierrez, Joey De Leon, Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres, Audie Gemora, Joey Reyes, Tueday Vargas, John “Sweet” Lapus, K Brosas, and Jed Madela. Tomorrow, the winner will be announced and the special guest is Megastar Sharon Cuneta.
