The Voice Of The Philippines: Top16 Part1

And so the real battle begins. The quest for the very first The Voice Of The Philippines winner will come from this very talented 16 artists. It is very good to see a wide variety of music styles being showcased for this season. Last night was no exception, who made it to the top8? Did the public and the coaches gave the right score? Let's find out.

TVOP divided the group of 16 into 2 groups, with the first one performing first last night. Two members from each team will battle it out for one slot on their respective teams, but this time, the public and coaches have the equal scoring. 50% for the public votes and 50% for the coaches decision.

First to perform was Team Sarah's Morissette Amon and she will be up against the soulful Maki Ricafort. I am honestly disappointed with this pairing because I saw this coming up but not this early, I predicted them to fight for that final slot for Team Sarah. Both are very talented and it's really sad to see them go at this time of the competition. 

Morissette performed the song What About Love. Not the song I would have picked for her, but that's good since she showed her versatility as a singer. She did really well on the song and she really chose her moments very well. She knows where to hit the high notes and just let her voice do the magic.

Coach Sarah's decision: 60%
Public's decision: 50.41%

I think Morissette really brought her A game last night. She deserved that win. The public got it right too.

If only Maki performed One Last Cry last night instead of last Saturday, this will be a different battle in my opinion. Maki wasn't able to maximize his talent on this song. He sounded great, but the viewers are always waiting for that one big moment where they can say, "Yes, I will be voting for this guy!". It lacked that wow factor.

Coach Sarah's decision: 40%

Public's decision: 49.59%

Note: I wouldn't be surprised if it will be a Klarisse vs Morissette fighting for the last spot on team Sarah. But in my opinion, Morissette's the best on Sarah's team by far. 

This is my favorite battle last night. Team Lea's Darryl Shy and Mitoy Yonting. Two different artists but have one thing in common. Pure musicality. Musicians at its finest. They bleed music. It's evident. I was more impressed with Sir Darryl Shy (I tend to call him Sir because I really like his music and he is really one of the most underrated singers in the competition).

Majority of the people predicted that this will be a walk in the park win for Mitoy but Sir Darryl proved them wrong. He sang last night to win. He did a magnificent job singing "Balita" and I really liked it. This Noel Cabangon type of music is what our industry misses. We've had enough of the party songs and digitalized music. We need this somehow folk music back on our radio.

Coach Lea's decision: 40% (I really thought she'd be in favor of Darryl)

Public's decision: 55.89% (Yes people, she bested Mitoy on public votes. I guess the 82% Mitoy last week was attained because of the people he was up against with. No offense to Mitoy's talent and all but he was clearly the best on Team Lea last week so it made the public's decision a lot better)

As much as I wanted to see more of Sir Darryl Shy, but who are we kidding? Who doesn't get excited whenever Mitoy performs? He is on a different level, 10 levels higher than the rest. Coach Sarah was right, where have you been all this time? Although sometimes I think whenever he performs the approach becomes too theatrical but who cares? His voice has not limits! It will be very tough to see him battle against Radha!

Coach Lea's decision: 60%

Public's decision: 44.11%

Kamp Kawayan's up next and I am pumped up to see what his team can bring tonight. People have been really mad at Coach Bamboo for always saving Lee Grane. He saved her twice. And people on the social media are wishing that hopefully Coach Bamboo will make up his mind and also for Paolo Onesa to give a good job.

Lee Grane was the first one to perform, I was excited while watching her VTR because she said she'd sing a faster song, but when she sang it, I was like, you have got to be kidding me. It is still the same as before! Same attack every time. I was really disappointed. At this time, I was just hoping that Paolo will really perform great.

Coach Bamboo's decision: 40% (FINALLY, COACH =) you made a lot of people believe in you again after this decision)

Public's decision: 18.76% (The public has really spoken. Pretty sure the fans of Dan and Talia also joined force in saving Paolo)

Not the flashiest performance of the night but I would to say that Paolo did his job last night. He gave justice to the song Skyfall and the fans obviously loved it. My only concern for Paolo is I hope he opens up more, loosen up more. He has the talent. He just have to start believing because people believe in him.

Coach Bamboo's decision: 60%

Public's decision: 81.24% (Paolo Onesa fans + Dan&Talia fans + Lee haters made this possible)

It was Team Apl tasked to be the last to perform and I must say, this was also one of the hardest. His team is just loaded with a lot of talents and that's good for all of us! This is the battle of the two most consistent singers on Team Apl!

Penelope is also one of the more underrated contestants because of too many talented artists on Team Apl but she really is a star. Her voice is magical and I must say, crazzzzzzyyyyy clean. And that's where I also had a problem with her, maybe she was too concentrated on the thought that her performance should be perfect so she lacked giving emotion on the song.

Coach Apl's decision: 45%

Public's decision: 35.28%

If you will sing a Stevie Wonder song, you gotta think twice or thrice before doing it. First, as a singer too his songs are hard and really needs a lot of emotion and power. But Thor just blew it all! He was amazing, I can really feel that he is offering his every performance to his late mother. I honestly see myself in him, I hope I can be like him next year.. Haha. He is really one of my favorite singers aside from JayR, and others. 

He took the song Lately to a different zone. He did it really, I mean really really well. Outstanding.

Coach Apl's decision: 55%

Public's decision: 64.72%

In all honesty, Penelope did great. Really great. It's just who did better at that time and I think the public got it right when they saved Thor. 

One of the highlights of the night was really the performance of Ms. Lea Salonga and THE Patti Austin! It was amazing and I really felt that Patti was impressed with our local talents!

The coaches, and most especially the public got it right this time! I really hope we can still be like this come our National Elections! Can't wait for next week!

Anyway, the studio versions are available on iTunes :) Go buy and support them!

Credits: ABSCBNBestProgram for the videos. Google for Photos.

Keep The Faith.

Paolo

The Voice Of The Philippines: Live Shows 1

This is how you do it! I gotta give it to The Voice Of The Philippines team for giving us a world-class set, music and performance! I was surprised to see the set! They did it!! From all the constructive criticisms they received from the blind auditions to the battle rounds, I'm pretty sure everyone's all contented with what they saw! Credits to the team!

I would like to congratulate the whole team for their collective efforts! I wish I could watch live! :) Great opening number too! I must say, the coaches really did their job as mentors! Who made it and who got booted out? Let's find out! 

I will do my review a little different, I will rank the 12 performances and explain whether they deserve what happened to them last night. I will start with the worst performance of the night:

(This is just my own opinion. Chill :) )

12: Corazon Dela Cruz - Nosi Balasi (Team Apl)

No doubt the worst performance of the night. She was struggling vocally and I can personally feel her nervousness. I get that Cora is really a rocker type of a singer but I would have liked to see her other side. She was always doing her signature kick then head bang move but that's it. Nothing new about her performance. She really performed bad last night. If ever she performed better, she was also unfortunate enough to be matched-up against Thor and Jessica who are two of the strongest members of #TeamApl. 

11. Talia Reyes - You Oughta Know (Team Bamboo)

This is hard since after Cora, I really thought all of them did quite good last night. :| I chose Talia because in that performance, I did not felt the desire to last in the competition. I know you need to perform but I felt that she lacked something; in my opinion her song doesn't have a big moment where she will really shine. But, in the good point, she really has a good tone. Original. Unique. 

10. Junji Arias - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing (Team Sarah)

Surprised? So am I. I was 70% sure that the other slot would be a battle for Morissette and Mommy Eva since Junji kind of made his mark early in the competition. We expected that he will be the last man standing for Sarah. I don't know what happened, it maybe the nerves or too much excitement but that was definitely his worst performance we've ever seen. Too bad that it came at this point and even made it to the expense of his elimination. I have very high respect for Mr. Junji and I hope that we see more of him in the future.

9. Lee Grane - Make You Feel My Love (Team Bamboo)

We all expected a lot from Lee Grane. Coming from that very controversial Battle Round with Dan Billano we all thought that Lee Grane will really put on a good show come Live Shows. But....... She did not.. I did not understand the majority of the words she's singing and I kind of expected she will sing another slow song. I hoped she thought of doing something different. Her popularity on the show is slowly sinking and I don't know if it's just me or Coach Bamboo's the only one believing in Lee Grane. I really hope Lee Grane does something new next time, an upbeat song or any number without her guitar?

This is very hard from this point. The remaining 8 singers did their best last night.  

8. Jessica Reynoso - I Believe (Team Apl)

She did great, it's just that I've heard the song I Believe a lot of times and it's hard not to compare her version with them. We don't have to be negative at this point, Jessica's really great. I am very impressed with Jessica, at 16? Her voice and looks will take her to places! Only comment on her is to really pick her song choice from now on, every performance is very crucial so she has to really think and pick the right song for the right time. :)

7. Darryl Shy - Danny Song (Team Lea)

I was right when I predicted that he might be the dark horse on Team Lea and even on this competition. During one of the seasons of The Voice US, Nicholas David(who I think is Darryl's counterpart there; same genre and get-up) even reached finale and made it as the runner up on that season. A lot of people really love this kind of laid back songs and I think Mr. Darryl is here to stay. He really sounds authentic and heartfelt. This was his breakthrough performance so far. People will start to know him more.

6. RJ Dela Fuente - I'll Stand By You (Team Lea)

Coach Lea said what I want to say for RJ, the biggest improvement of them all. He is still shy and not that comfortable at the stage but his voice got more confident and became more controlled. I was really impressed with his version of I'll Stand By You since we've known this song as the song of Carrie Underwood. He definitely did all he can do with this song. He did really really really well. It's sad to see him go but that's how life really is. We win some and we lose some. I did my part as a supporter and voted for him like crazy, I am sure this is not the last time we will be hearing from him. I just wished he stayed much longer. 

5. Radha Tinsay - River Deep Mountain High (Team Lea)

What more can I say? PRO. PRO. PRO. Over qualified. :) She is more than ASAP ready than anybody else. She's really great. I don't know what to say really, she will be as great as she is from this point so all other singers must really watch out for her. The only thing I think that might actually cause her to lose is that the people might think that she is too good for this show, that she already had her time, she should give chance to others and etc. But as what Radha said on her blind audition, Kanya Kanyang Trip yan! :)

4. Thor Dulay - Narito (Team Apl)

PARTIDA. PARTIDA. PARTIDA. Hahahaha! He looked sick but he did not sound one! True professional! I was really shouting at home when he was performing. Call me bias but he is really amazing! He is my idol way way before he entered The Voice and this is the only time that I can really support him this much! His song choice is perfect and his vocal range is just limitlesss! Sky is the limit for Thor! I cannot wait t o see him in the finale! This is his time!!!

You might ask why I did not put Thor on the top spot, it's just the others really stepped up and surprised me. Thor will still be my #1 bet for this season!

3. Myk Perez - Isn't She Lovely (Team Bamboo)

Maybe I was too harsh for Team Bamboo on my other blogs but Myk clearly changed my mind. He was amazing. Great song choice, great performance, greatness at its finest. He was on point, he knows what kind of artist he wants to be. He deserves to be with Bamboo until the end. In my opinion, Myk Perez >>> Lee Grane. I am excited for his next performance, will we see him with the guitar again? I am rooting for you buddy!

2. Eva Delos Santos - So Far Away (Team Sarah)

Biggest surprise of the night! I personally did not expect that at all! She looked like a pro! She sounded like one too! That version of So Far Away was one of the best! From the piano to her vocals, it's perfect. She might be one of the more un-appreciated talents but I really believe in her talent. Imagine how she would have sound like when she was younger! This is pure talent that we are seeing. Mommy Eva still proving to us that she still has it like everybody else! Respect :)

1. Morissette Amon - Jar of Hearts (Team Sarah)

This is how you close a show! After this performance, people are now talking about her more. She isn't just a Sarah look-a-like but she is making a name for herself. Sarah really did her part on this one, I can see that they have a connection and Sarah's styles are being learned by Morissette! Hands down, best performance of the night!

Conclusion:

This night belonged to TEAM SARAH! Other teams must really double their efforts in keeping up with her team. She still has Maki for next week! Another advantage of the members of Team Sarah is their coach has the biggest fanbase among the four of them. No doubt. This just keeps the show more exciting! Props to the music band too for playing great music!

If you will rank the performers last night, what's the arrangement of your top12? Tell me!

Credits: ITHEVOICEPH for the videos.

Keep the Faith.

Paolo

The Voice Of The Philippines: The Battles Round 1

Now we are on the stage which I can consider the best part of the competition. The Battle Rounds! This will be the biggest test for them. They will either win or beaten alive by their opponent. Having a 4 chair turn on your blind audition is not a guarantee that you will be the instant favorite of your coach. This is also the chance for those who only got 1 chair turn to prove that the other judges made a mistake by letting them go. This is the survival of the fittest. This is the battle rounds! Anything can happen!

First up for battle are #TeamApl's Tristhan Perfecto and the Lorenzana Duo. Coach Apl tapped the help of Journey's frontman, our very own Arnel Pineda to help the team prepare for this battle. Coach Apl picked Stevie Wonder's Sign, Sealed, Delivered to be their song. Being the first to perform is really nerve-wracking that's why I did not expect that much of a battle from this one. Tristhan clearly ate the Lorenzana duo alive. Tristhan's advantage is really his high and clear range while on the other hand, I think Lorenzana duo lacked harmony together. They could have done really well with this song since this is an upbeat one, but they didn't maximize their skills. Coach Apl was right on this one. 

Note: I can see Tristhan spoiling this thing from Thor and Janice. The two clearly are the front runners for Team Apl but I have this feeling we might see Tristhan giving them a run for their money!

    Tristhan winning against the Lorenzana duo

Kamp Kawayan's frontrunner Lee Grane will be paired up against Dan Billano. If we will just base our assumptions on who will win this one, your guess will be as good as mine. Lee Grane. NO DOUBT. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. But after Bamboo chose the song One by U2, I already had a doubt for Lee Grane since this is a man's song and this is not her genre. Bamboo was accompanied by the respected musician Mr. Joey Ayala.

Lee Grane winning against Dan Billano

True enough, Lee Grane was clearly out performed and out sang by Dan. Dan knew he has the advantage on this one so he made the best out of all the chances he have. Dan performed really well that surprised the judges as well. Lee Grane knew this was not her best performance. But to everyone's surprise, Coach Bamboo still picked Lee Grane. 

I know,  you guys will say it's quite unfair for Dan since he did his best and all, but I think Bamboo still made the right decision. Why? I think Bamboo knows that Lee Grane is more mold-able than Dan. Bamboo has a vision for Lee Grane. He knows what he can do with Lee Grane. Bamboo also has that special emotional connection with Lee Grance because of her blind audition. I must say, this is not the first time that this happened. Since I've been watching the US version of The Voice, I've seen this happened too. It's really with the coaches vision and strategy on how he will complete his team. It just sucks that we still don't have the benefit of Steal since this is just the first season. 

I did not agree with this decision since Dan clearly won that battle, I hope Lee Grane picks herself up come Live Shows and prove us all wrong.

Team Sarah's Morissette Amon and Lecelle Trinidad are up next to perform for Sarah's vote. As what I have said on my blog regarding Team Sarah, it is just now that I realized that Sarah clearly has a very strong and well rounded team! It is because of experience, that Sarah picked Mr. Gary Valenciano as her co-mentor. The two ladies will be performing Donna Summer's "No More Tears(Enough is Enough)". I was really impressed with this performance. Props to Coach Sarah on this one! This is what you call a battleround! This is war! They are making us feel like this is really a war! 

One of the best performances of the night: Morissette vs Lecelle

This is Morissette's battle to lose for me. She clearly has the advantage on this one. Her voice is just big and well composed. Lecelle was good, but this was a no-brainer for me. Morissette clearly won that battle.

Thought we got what we want? Team Lea's Mitoy Yonting and Chien Berbana ends the show for us. After I found out that their song will be Alone, I had to worry for Chien! This is Mitoy's song! He can sing this song anytime, anywhere! Ms. Lea tapped the help of her brother Mr. Gerard Salonga to help Mitoy and Chien prepare for this battle.

Mitoy vs Chien

To my surprise, Chien actually did quite good. He did not let Mitoy beat him that bad. She stayed focus and did her parts well. It's just a case of too much to handle for Chien. I am sure Ms. Lea didn't even break a sweat on choosing who will advance to the next round. 

I am very happy that The Voice welcomed past and seasoned artists who believe they still have it, they just need to have that chance, and their chance is now. 

So far, I got it all right, do you agree with the judges decision? :)

Credits to the Youtube Channel: ITHEVOICEPH for the videos! :) Thanks!

Keep the Faith.

Paolo