Sinulog Idol Season 11 broadway night: Jedu is Star of the Night, as Lloyd bids goodbye

CEBU, Philippines — After a no-elimination first night, the 12 finalists of Sinulog Idol Season 11 felt the pressure on the second evening of the competition as they tackled Broadway songs which the judges felt many of them were unable to internalize.

For his performance of “Why God Why,” one of the songs from the theater musical “Miss Saigon” by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, Jeduthun “Jedu” Ligan of Barangay Tisa was hailed as Star of the Night.

The 21-year-old told The FREEMAN that he chose the song because it was close to his heart.

“There are a lot of questions. I think at some point kay maka-relate ko ni Chris [the character in Miss Saigon] and there are a lot of questions in my life nga walay answers. It’s really up to me kun unsaon pagpangita og answers on what will I do and what’s next to find enlightenment sa situation,” Ligan said.

He said it was so fulfilling to be part of the Top 3 for the second night since he saw his competitors up their game.

“We really are competing for the grand prize and so am I. If Star of the Night ko ron and nanindutan na ang audience, imagine Coach Jay Unchuan na ang miingon nga ‘You’ve moved me’ and I think next time kinahanglan pa nako nga mas ma-move pa nako siya and ang mga nagtan-aw ug naminaw nako,” he expressed.

“Pressured at some point kay dapat mas molabaw pa imong performance on the next nights. I’ll challenge myself more kay I really want to be the next Sinulog Idol though kami tanan nag-eye man gyud ana nga title. Paninguhaon nako nga dili ko mataktak kay para makuha nako ang akong goal.”

Maintaining their spots from the first round and trailing closely behind Ligan in the Top 3 were Chreystle Gealogo and Thea Monterde.

Also not moving from their Bottom 3 rankings from the Idol’s Choice Round were Shandee Hafeel and Stephanie Dugaduga, who were once again in danger of ending their Sinulog Idol journey early on.

In the end, it was 18-year-old University of San Jose-Recolotos student Lloyd Abesia who got the boot.

“Ultimate Vocal Coach” Jay Unchuan told Abesia that his hand gestures while singing Abba’s “The Winner Takes It All” was distracting and that he was unable to give justice to the song.

The bubbly Abesia, who had two minutes to absorb the announcement, lamented not being able to show his full potential in the competition.

“Sayang kaayo ang akong genre kay naa pa unta sa third and fourth night. Sa Broadway kay mao gyud akong weakest gyud,” Abesia said.

Still, he was thankful to be part of the Sinulog Idol Season 11 batch because he said not everyone is given a chance to perform in front of a large crowd in the heart of Cebu City.

For Unchuan and his fellow judges Ryan Mark Borinaga and Apple Abarquez, they felt majority of the finalists had a hard time in internalizing their songs. Borinaga told most of them that they did not seem to understand the song and were just belting out sans storytelling. They advised the hopefuls to work on their emotions and give justice to their pieces.