Sinulog Idol Season 11 Karaoke Night

Chreystle shines brighter, Shandee gets the axe 

CEBU, Philippines —  Consistency is the name of the game for consecutive Top 3 finisher Chreystle Gealogo who was hailed Sinulog Idol Season 11’s Karaoke round top scorer for her rendition of Lea Salonga’s “Reflection.”

“Blessed to have this award and kahilakon ko everytime nga naa ko sa Top 3 kay nakita sa mga judges and sa mga tawo nga I really put my heart to my performance every night,” Gealogo told The FREEMAN. “I always sing from the heart and mag-contemplate ko before I sing. That’s what it takes for me gyud to pull off a performance.”

The 25-year-old bank teller said she made sure to apply to her performances all the lessons imparted to them from their Sinulog Idol workshops.

Resident judge Apple Abarquez noted that Gealogo has been improving at a fast rate since she became part of the 12 finalists.

“Since the start of her journey, you can see her growth. She has the ability to turn on and off and by that I mean to turn on her problems when she needs to face them and to turn them off when she is on stage. Lahi gyud siya og amount of growth and she is very truthful and she has the intensity to win even if she is very shy. You see that she has the will and capacity to win this competition,” Abarquez said.

Gealogo admitted that her mind has been torn with all the current commitments she has to attend to: her day job, being a Sinulog Idol finalist, and being one of the interpreters for the 40th Cebu Popular Music Festival happening this Friday at the IEC Convention Center. She is part of the group The Basics Acapella and they will be interpreting the song “Sugbuanong Musika.”

“To be honest lisod kaayo siya pero kinakaya. Thankful gyud kaayo ko sa tanang tawo nga kanunay nga anaa nga nagsuporta nako,” said Gealogo, whose favorite artists include Lea Salonga, Kyla, Sarah Geronimo, Celine Dion, Kristen Bell, Tori Kelly, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran and Michael Buble.

Gealogo is not resting on her laurels, as she considers the upcoming genres to be out of her alley.

“Sa mga musunod nights kay it’s crucial for me kay naay mga genres nga dili akoang genre,” she shared, “pero maningkamot gihapon ko nga maka-perform ko ug mahatag nako kun unsa ang gi-require sa song.

Also part of Sunday night’s Top 3 was Thea Monterde who sang “Two Less Lonely People in the World,” which was revived by her ultimate idol, KZ Tandingan.

Abarquez said, “She is very young but what makes us proud of her is that the fact that age is not a hindrance to truly create a beautiful story out of a beautiful song. On stage she can perform very well and off stage she is such a bebe girl.”

Jehramae Trangia, a 16-year-old Talisaynon, rounded out the Top 3 for Karaoke Night. She sang “Sino Nga Ba Siya” popularized by Sarah Geronimo.

After securing the Star of the Night award on the second night, Jeduthun Ligan, 21, fell to the Bottom 3, along with Marichar Labado, 22.

They were still saved from the axe though, as it was 23-year-old call center agent Shandee Hafeel who ended her journey after singing “Till My Heartaches End” by Ella Mae Saison.

Hafeel was consistently part of the Bottom 3, because according to the judges that also include BANAT News Hugyaw Editor Ryan Mark Borinaga and Ultimate Vocal Coach Jay Unchuan, she still has a wall between her and the people around her.

“Naa pa siya’y ikabuga pero mahadlok pa lang gyud siya ipakita. Mahadlok pa gyud sa kun unsa ang mahitabo niya,” said Abarquez. “It is time for you to let go of your inhibitions. Buhii na na tanang nag-pull down nimo. Step up your game.”

Ten finalists remain in contention and Abarquez is hopeful they can pull off the most crucial genre in the competition which is the Bisaya Night.

“The remaining 10 just have to understand their songs. Bisaya is one of the hardest genres in this competition bisan pa og mao ni siya ang atong ginalitok on a daily basis. Inig kanta nako sa Bisaya kay lain gyud and Binisaya, duot gyud sa bukog mao nga kinahanglan gyud nila nga sabton,” Abarquez quipped.