Regine kicks off The Clash auditions in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — GMA’s upcoming show is about to put singers from all walks of life together in the search for the country’s next music idol.

“The Clash" – the Kapuso network’s latest offering and hosted by the one and only Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid– had its first public screening over the weekend from morning until the last hopeful sang for their worth late at night on Saturday at Gaisano Island Mall Mactan.

The contest is open to all male and female Filipinos, age 16 and above.

But unlike most singing competitions, “The Clash” is open to both amateur and professional performers.

“Walang limitation masyado yung contest. If you are a semi-professional, you have a manager, even if you actually got to have a career before but it didn’t flourish then you can try it again and join this contest. Who knows? Although may ibang generation na, there are still others who have always joined competitions na mas gumaling pa through experience and time. Pwede pa rin,” Regine quips during an interview Saturday at Pino restaurant in Lahug before a meet and greet with fans who were at the auditions.

Another interesting part? You get to choose your opponent.

“It’s different from all the singing contests that GMA did in the past. Although merong elimination component and you defend your title, what's more exciting for me is yung may one-on-one. Pipili ka kung sino sa tingin mo ang kaya mo. If you want to challenge yourself, then you pick the best contender," Regine explains, and then jokes how she would play it safe by picking a contender she thinks she can beat.

The show, which will be airing twice a week for 14 weeks, still has no confirmed time slot and air date since auditions are still on going. The team will be visiting Davao and Baguio to complete the competition’s nationwide screening, with another screening in Metro Manila.

During auditions, directors Bert de Leon and Louie Ignacio, and singer-songwriter Jay Durias are in charge of sifting through the auditionees.

Actress Ai Ai delas Alas, singer Christian Bautista and Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha serve as “The Clash” panel—a vital component for quality control aside from heeding the usual viewer’s choice.

Regine prefers to have as little to do with the contestants as possible to keep her from developing favoritism and biases. Her job is to host after all.

But she is more than willing to help them out should they ask for advice, which they never fail to do anyway, knowing that she too was in their shoes once.

Pinoys are no strangers to  powerhouse belters; it seems the country has an entire arsenal of these kinds of singers. But as Regine sees it, “The Clash” is a level playing field for all kinds of singers and voice ranges so long as you are undeniably good.

“Not necessarily dapat biritera,” Regine shakes her head when asked about which kind of singer possibly has the lion’s share of chances to win “The Clash."

“I’ve noticed that the new generation’s kind of music is different from say, five years ago. That’s how quick the change was. Five years ago, everyone was making birit. I’ve noticed now na kumokonti, parang nagre-relax tayo and we want to hear good singing naman,” the singer offers, adding that presence and the way you perform are equally important as talent.

She also notes that the network is looking for the next big star—someone who can hopefully crossover to doing movies and soaps, and who can compete in the multimedia game eventually.

But first thing’s first—they’re looking for somebody who can really sing.

With P 1,000,000 at stake, Regine notices the stark difference between competing in singing contests in her time and today. Aside from a cash prize, and ever ending bragging rights, today’s competitions– with no exemption from the semi-reality show “The Clash”– also value the contestant’s learning curve with constant training throughout the competition.

When you think of it that way, it’s not an entire loss when you’re sent home packing.

“Pinapalabas din natin yung what they [contestants] go through. They practice and they are mentored so they are prepared before sila isalang. As a former singing contest baby, that didn’t happen to us. Noong araw, noong ako, sumabak lang ako eh. It’s not like that anymore. Ngayon, if you join a contest, you are being prepared. You actually gain knowledge, you gain experience. You gain so much more na hindi mo na iisipin kung mananalo ka. Hindi lang sa singing– may dancing pa yan, how to perform, and when they finish a singing contest parang ang dami nila pwede gawin after. Meron silang paglalagyan after kasi ang dami nilang nakuha na info. Kung baga, ang dami nilang natututunan by joining,” she says.

But then, Regine still presses that you have to keep your eye on the prize, knowing full well how competitive these singers can be. 

Among the changes she’s seen in the survival show landscape, it's the fighting spirit of konteseras that never change.

“Noong nag-start ako, competitive talaga. When you come from joining amateur singing contests, you carry that with you regardless of what aspect in life. It doesn’t really go away. When you’re competing, there will always be that blood in you that will never disappear even if you’re already a professional and doing concerts. You’ll always have it. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing but I guess in this business, okay naman to have that [competitiveness] but keep in mind na hindi parati, kompetensya lahat. Friendly lang,” Regine justifies.

The singer also notes that the “The Clash” production and music researchers will always be there to lend a hand to its future contestants. For one, they help find a song for each contestant given that in reality, these performers only have a handful of songs in their keep. She also advices these hopefuls to be open to learning more songs because no matter how many times that piece won you singing contest trophies, in TV, you can’t sing the same tune every week to defend your title.

“When I started, I only had like three songs memorized and those are the three top songs that I sing in all the contests. Pero nung nag ‘Ang Bagong Kampeon’ ako I had to learn kasi nasa TV ka eh, hindi ka pwede kumanta ng ‘Bakit Ako Mahihiya’ every week. Hindi ko nga nakanta yan sa show. So I had to learn new songs but they did ask me if I was comfortable singing a new song. But I had to learn. You have to be prepared because when you go professional, that’s what you do. You can’t do a concert with just one song,” she notes.

Being a product of a singing competition herself, Regine empathizes with those hoping to get their big break. Because of her talent, skill and sheer nerve, Regine was able to launch herself to stardom, excelling in all sorts of media platforms, brought pride to the country, and inspired entire generations of singers.

She just released another album last year, launched a concert series last month, just headlined a Valentine's concert, and is still kicking with 32 years under her belt.

All that she was able to do because she was herself. So she encourages this new generation of singers to be themselves and make their own mark instead of trying to become a new version of a star that has already risen.

“Dati pa yan sinasabi kung sino ang susunod na Kuh Ledesma and they never find the next Kuh Ledesma. They didn’t find the next whoever. Up to now, wala pa namang pumapalit kay Sharon Cuneta because wala talaga. Kasi isa lang yun eh. You never find anyone, not the next Martin Nievera, not the next Gary Valenciano, not even my husband,” Regine argues, adding that she and other artists are lucky to still be around to do concerts and release records.

She believes that we are all made different, and that means that our careers will have different paths as well.

“You make your own mark in the industry just as we have. Ako wala naman akong sinundan, I make my own mark, and the new generation– they will also make their own mark. They have their own throne, they don’t need somebody else’s,” Regine claims.

“They will have their own throne.”