Sing along with Solenn & Betong

MANILA, Philippines - We, Pinoys, cannot deny our love for singing with most of us spending leisure time belting a song or two on the karaoke or videoke. Small wonder that we never run out of excellent singers even with the mushrooming of singing searches on TV. 

If you also recall, the GMA 7 karaoke-themed game show All-Star K! was a consistent top-rater for its undeniable appeal to the young and old. It ran on-air for seven years. Now, the Kapuso network is presenting a new musical game show titled All-Star Videoke with Solenn Heussaff and Betong Sumaya as hosts.

According to Betong, the musical game show is an offshoot of All-Star K! hosted by Arnell Ignacio in the first season and then followed by Allan K and Jaya. “And now, it’s me and Solenn who will be hosting what we call as the ‘level up’ version. I hope maabot namin ang naabot nila.”

Solenn, for her part, says the show’s concept may be the same with the previous musical game show yet this time, there are technological innovations designed to create a fun and energetic vibe. “Since it’s already 2017, mas bongga like yung hinihila dati (pag nagkamali), ngayon they will fall (inside a 7-ft. pit trap) but we make sure that it’s safe.” The stage is also a lot bigger with colorful giant speakers on stage and 12 cameras are installed around the studio and below the stage where the pit traps are located.

Beginning Sept. 3, Solenn and Betong will have every week six celebrities as contestants. They are not necessarily good singers. All they need to do is supply the missing words of a given song in a videoke-style set-up. The contestant who gets the most number of correct answers, wins.

Televiewers will be delighted to see who among today’s stars are ready to take “the plunge” without feeling offended. Another fun part, Betong reveals, “’yung mga celebs na ’di mo inaasahan na kumakanta o magagaling pala dito mo makikita. It’s funny kasi iba-iba ng tono, iba-iba ’yung lyrics kaya nababago na ’yung lyrics ng kanta. And you can see their reaction instantly.”

However, Betong and Solenn admit that their task as hosts is never easy. The latter says she needs to polish her Tagalog since she will be telling the game mechanics and instructions to contestants. Thus, she has to do the talking most of the time without any script to follow. “We didn’t audition but I have this feeling that they (GMA bosses) want a tandem na comedy and sexy.”

Betong adds that there was a screen test to determine their chemistry and luckily, they looked good together “kasi nakita nila na balanse at maganda ’yung combination. Pareho kaming kalog.”

Although this is not the first time for them to work together, Betong considers their partnership as their first on TV. Both joined in the reality show Survivor Philippines and co-starred in the Ogie Alcasid- starrer Boy Pick-Up, The Movie.

“This is my first show as a host for GMA 7 so I am excited and at the same time nervous but in a good way because it pushes me to become better. Besides, this excites me more since I really like music and singing so I can do it in the show a lot,” says Solenn in delight, adding that the televiewers should watch out for their grand opening number.

Betong agrees and reveals that he will be wearing different costumes every week. “I will be known as Vicky-oke, Reyna ng Videoke.”

The hosts, too, are not new to singing. Betong grew up listening to The Beatles and Angela Bofill and has also joined singing contests in the past with his mom as his vocal trainer.

Solenn, on the other hand, has already released albums. She knows how to play the piano and saxophone.

Asked for their strategy in order to maintain the show’s fun and lively vibe, Solenn says it would be a learning process for them, too, adding, “For now, we are trying our best. Betong is loud and so am I. Sana mag work ng ganyan. We’ll see what will appeal to the audience. For now, hindi pa namin alam; we will change depending on how they see it.”

All-Star Videoke’s pilot episode will have Alden Richards and Jerald Napoles as celebrity judges, known as the Laglagers, assigned to determine who among the contestants will be booted out of the competition. Among the celebrities invited to play are Jak Roberto, Mikael Daez, Ken Chan and Barbie Forteza.

The winner will be named All-Star Videoke Champ and may walk away with cash prize of up to P100,000.

(All-Star Videoke airs Sundays after 24 Oras Weekend.)