LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT !Pinay singer looks forward to second straight PH win in Japanese singing contest !

MAGAZINE
Published February 18,2017
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Last year, Filipino singer Michael David Bodin won the popular singing competition show, “I Can Sing in Japanese!” which focuses on non-native Japanese speakers who have a passion for singing Japanese songs.

This year, Filipina singer Krissha Viage is looking forward to duplicate Bodin’s feat after she recently bested 11 other finalists from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines to advance to the final round of the unique talent search.

A native of Pasig City and currently a Star Magic artist, Krissha is no stranger to singing competitions, having won first runner-up in the now defunct talent contest show “Little Big Star” in 2006. From there, she went on to make her mark in television commercials, musical theater productions and as a solo artist with two albums under Universal Music Japan to her credit.

She was also a member of the group Oh My Girls with Ylona Garcia and Alexa Ilacad for the show “We Love OPM: The Celebrity Sing-Offs” and the GirlTrends of “It’s Showtime” also for ABS-CBN.

Krissha is a longtime fan of Japanese shows. In winning the invitational auditions held in Singapore, Krissha impressed judges at the audition with her soulful rendition of “Precious” by Yuna Ito, the theme song from the movie “Limit of Love Umizaru.”

Although the high calibre of the other finalists, including fellow Filipina Ana Marie Enriquez Alforte, made it a tough competition, Krissha stood out with her precise diction and expressive singing, which judges said they were immensely moved by.

“Singing in Japanese is not easy so we were surprised by the high quality of entries across South East Asia. The overwhelming response from aspiring singers reflects the popularity of Japanese pop culture in this region,” noted Virginia Lim, senior vice president and head of content, production and marketing for Sony Pictures Television Networks in Asia.

“We are very impressed by the immense talent we have seen in the entries from Asia. I believe that Krissha is the next big thing in the making and that the rest of the contestants are also ready to take on other global singing competitions,” added “I Can Sing in Japanese” creator and director Yuji Gobuichi.

Krissha Viage/file photo

For her part, Krissha was overwhelmed to be representing not only the Philippines but also the rest of Southeast Asia for the coming finals of the competition slated in Tokyo, Japan later this year.

“I am so excited for this chance and I cannot thank the judges enough for selecting me as the winner. I am looking forward to doing my country proud at the ‘I Can Sing in Japanese!’ competition,” she said shortly after her victory.

Krissha added that she had high hopes of winning, she was also very much aware that her fellow contestants in the Singapore auditions were also very good.

“But I think my strength lies in my passion for performing and I always sing from my heart,” she said.

The singer added that her victory has boosted her confidence in a big way and that she is counting on her Filipino supporters to cheer for her in the competition’s penultimate round.

“I will be bringing my best self to the competition in Tokyo so I hope all of you will continue supporting me,” she vowed.

A Nippon TV production, “I Can Sing in Japanese!” is available to Filipino audiences through the Asian entertainment channel GEM, which can be accessed on SKYCable Channel 116.