Marlisa Punzalan: The winner was a loser

Three weeks after she emerged champion of The X-Factor Australia, Marlisa Punzalan said that her winning has yet to sink in.

“I still can’t believe it,” Marlisa told Funfare in an exclusive phone interview, her accent very Australian (but of course!). “I think it will take time before it sinks in.”

It was a stiff competition, with two other Filipinos (one of them a band called Thrill that made it to the Top 12) eliminated early on, and when her name was called as winner, Marlisa recalled being in shock.

“Honestly, I did not expect to win,” continued Marlisa who doesn’t speak Filipino. “I was just enjoying the whole experience. When my name was called out I said, ‘Oh my goodness! Thank you so much, Lord!’ That was all I could say.”

Her winning song was The Beatles’ Yesterday (composed by Paul McCartney) which Marlisa sang with all her heart and soul, as if she was living every word of every line of the song which was declared Song of the Century.

“Do I love old songs?” she asked. “Oh yes, I do! Aside from Beatles song, I also love a lot of David Cassidy songs. Among contemporary singers, I like Celine Dion.”

Her mentor, Ronan Keating (the Boyzone member who revived When You Say Nothing At All, used as theme song of Notting Hill starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant), was himself overwhelmed by Marlisa’s “unexpected” victory. 

“Ronan has always believed in me,” confessed Marlisa, 15. “He always reminded me to just believe in myself, and to go out and be confident. He really supported me all the way. I just trusted him completely. I’m very glad that he helped me choose my songs because they were all good songs.”

Before The X-Factor Australia, Marlisa competed in Australia’s Got Talent last year and reached only the live auditions. “Unfortunately,” she sighed, “I didn’t make it.” But it didn’t discourage her from trying again. “I was disappointed, all right, but I used it as a motivation to work harder. It was a great motivation for me because I became stronger and I wanted to prove to the people that I could do it.” 

For somebody so young, Marlisa has a powerful voice that seemed to shake the X-Factor Australia venue (check it out  on YouTube).

Asked how she got it or how she developed it, Marlisa said, “It just takes a lot of practice every single day. I have voice lessons fortnightly. You know, I’ve been singing since I was three years old and I think I simply kept on improving as I grew up.”

Does she remember the first song that she ever learned?

“I guess it was Let It Be, another Beatles song.”

Asked if she knew the background of the song (also by McCartney), Marlisa said, “I’m not sure. I think it’s something related to…Jesus?”

I corrected her. The Mary immortalized in the song is not, contrary to what many people think, The Virgin Mary but McCartney’s mom named Mary to whom he dedicated the song that he wrote immediately upon waking from a beautiful dream — When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be…I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be…

“Oh I see,” commented Marlisa. “Now I know.”

Although born and raised in Sydney to both Filipino parents (Hipolito and Andrea Punzalan from Samal, Bataan), Marlisa did visit the Philippines once. She has an older brother, Martin, 19. “No, he doesn’t sing but he plays the piano.”

“I was there in the Philippines in 2009. It was my first trip.”

And how was it growing up in Australia?

“Well, it was really, really fun. I had a really good childhood and a lot of Australian friends who were really nice to me. Australia is multi-cultural so I made a lot of Filipino friends as well. And Japanese friends, and Chinese friends. There is just a big variety of nationality.”

Since she said it’s difficult to go back to a regular school, Marlisa is into home schooling, taking up music. After X-Factor Australia, she said she couldn’t go around without being recognized. And she just loves it.  

“Not too long ago, I was just a normal girl going to school. Now, my life has turned around. It’s a challenge to adjust to my new life but things are just great, everything that’s happening to me is just wonderful!”

She has just recorded an album for Sony Music Australia (to be released in the Philippines by Sony Music Philippines). Any chance for her to visit the Philippines again maybe to promote the album?

“I really hope so,” she said. “I’d love to be able to perform there. But right now, I’m concentrating on my album which is coming out this month.”

Included in her plan is a tour around Australia with Guy Sebastian, first winner of Australian Idol and a former judge of the same talent search.

“I can’t believe all this is happening to me,” Marlisa ended our interview  with a girlish giggle.

To paraphrase part of her winning song, yes, indeed, it seemed only yesterday when she was just like any teener dreaming of stardom.

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