Wobbly start, victorious finish for Sinulog Idol 9 champ

CEBU, Philippines — Bouts of rainfall didn’t dampen the spirits of Cebuanos as they gathered at Plaza Independencia Saturday night to witness the final stage of the annual Sinulog Idol singing competition organized by Soundtraxx Production Studios.

Out of more than a hundred auditionees who were trimmed down to 40, and eventually scaled down to 12, only six were left standing to perform at the finals of Sinulog Idol’s ninth season.

The top six finalists made up of Angelica Maranan, Arnold Badana, Claire Ann Yongco, Jeyvee Danao, Justine Mae Mantua and Shenahia Postrero had to sing their way through two rounds.

During the first round, each contestant prepared three songs they wanted to sing. After picking a judge’s name from a bowl, the said judge is then tasked to select which among the three songs they prefer the finalist to perform. Only three out of the six proceeded to the second and final round in their last chance to prove themselves worthy of the Sinulog Idol 2018 title.

Banat News Entertainment Editor Ryan Mark Borinaga, vocal coach to the stars Jay Unchuan, and “Pinoy Dream Academy” scholar and WCOPA champion Apple Abarquez were tasked to critique the performers according to musicality, stage deportment and star appeal.

In the end, 18-year-old Arnold Badana stood out and was hailed the night’s grand champion.

Surviving night after night of rigorous training and elimination, Badana was ecstatic with his victory. He had a rather wobbly start with Borinaga commenting that for his skill, Badana’s repertoire for the occasion had been “weak” and could have been better for a night as crucial as a championship. However, the same judge excitedly proclaimed him part of the top three after his rendition of “Who Believes In Me.”

 “It’s okay. I’m alright with it,” Badana, a resident of Barangay Inayawan, said when asked how he felt when he heard the judge’s comment.

 “They always advise me to be myself and that’s what I did. I followed what they said. I chose those songs because when I join contests, they were my winning pieces.”

Badana’s, whose father and siblings have always joined singing competitions, began singing at the age of six, travelling near and far to face off with local performers every now and then.

He adds his Sinulog Idol Season 9 grand champion title to his Gaisano Metro Idol Champion and Minglanilla Idol first runner-up feats.

It had been a wild journey for Badana, whose competitors have become family, and whose skills have been put to the test time and again which is why he didn’t know what to think when he found himself at the top two, waiting for the final results.

 “Libog kaayo, mixed emotions akong na-feel,” the Inayawan Night High School student said, almost out of breath as he relieved the moment.

 “I honestly didn’t know if I would make it, if I would place. The fact that I got to stand on the stage is already huge for me. This is really unexpected, this is an extreme moment for me and I’m extremely happy today,” he said of his victory, adding that he didn’t even have the head space to worry about how his performances would turn out because all he wanted to do was perform well and bring the audience, especially the judges, as much joy as he could.

Badana’s version of “The Search Is Over” won him a trophy and P50,000.

Finishing as first runner-up and earning a P30,000 cash prize was 19-year-old Angelica Maranan with her rendition of “This Is My Now.”

Radyoke Shining Star 2017 Champion Shenahia Postrero placed third runner-up for her performance of “This Is The Moment.” She received a cash prize of P20,000.

Seventeen-year-old Claire Ann Yongco, IT major Justine Mae Mantua, and Leyte Idol Season 8 third placer Jeyvee Danao are at fourth, fifth, and sixth place, respectively.

Top 12 finalist Aljay Camingao of Toledo City won the People’s Choice Award.

Performances from first Sinulog Idol winner Jacky Chang and Sinulog Idol Season 8 Grand Champion Aian Vincent Uba also regaled the crowd that night.

Proud mentors

The judges are proud to have seen the contestants transform throughout the course of the competition. As Abarquez put it, each of the contestants are capable and possess potential. The finals night, she said, is but “a battle of the nerves, and a battle of heart.”

 “It was very hard to choose a winner. This is a competition with three judges and three different opinions. In the end, we all had to agree. When it comes to choosing, the first thing is to respect my co-judges. This is not an ordinary competition, we’re talking about the journey from day one until grand finals night,” Unchuan said.

Speaking of journeys, Unchuan added how it was a pleasure to see the contestants grow in skill and confidence.

Many of the contestants themselves have felt a change in outlook and character since joining Sinulog Idol. A lot of them had entered the competition to prove themselves, test their limits, and see where their risks take them.

Maranan had been shy and unsure given that Sinulog Idol was her grandest stage yet. Claire Ann Yongco, the youngest contestant at 17, proved that her age wasn’t a hindrance, while Postrero said that she had learned to be more receptive and not be complacent in her skills.

 “It’s not just Arnold, but every one of them changed a lot. But with Arnold it’s like seeing a stone nga hugaw but when you wipe it, it’s a beautiful diamond, a gem. I hope that as a judge and as a mentor I was able to impart something beautiful to them. The competition is just one night, and the Sinulog Idol reign is just one year but I hope I was able to impart something for life,” said Unchuan.

For Sinulog Idol hopefuls, the judges say that attitude is everything.

Abarquez revealed that during the final deliberation, they didn’t only look into the grand finals performances but recalled how the contestants behaved during the auditions, rehearsals, workshops, trainings and daily performances, as well as their attitude.

 “We’re happy with what we were able to come up with. Arnold has a very good heart, same with Angel and Sheena,” said Abarquez.

 “We looked into many aspects because when you look for a Sinulog Idol, you don’t just look for the ultimate performer, you look for the ultimate person who you can call an idol.”