Elha gives Bamboo his 1st Voice win

“People didn’t expect her. No one saw her coming.”

This was how rock icon and The Voice Kids coach Bamboo described the victory of Elha Nympha, the 11-year-old banana cue vendor he mentored to become the grand champion of the program’s second season during its grand finals Sunday night (Aug. 30).

In many ways, Bamboo was right. Elha was essentially a dark horse pitted against three-chair turners Reynan, Esang and Sassa, whose blind audition videos have gotten millions of views on YouTube. Elha, on the other hand, only truly shone in the highly applauded battle rounds performance of Alamid’s Your Love.

But in the grand finals, Elha clearly stood out, becoming Bamboo’s first artist to win the top-rating singing competition.

She eventually ended up receiving 42.16 percent of the public votes versus Team Lea’s Reynan (31.64 percent) and Esang (18.16 percent), and fellow Camp Kawayan artist Sassa (8.04 percent).

“I’m happy and I didn’t expect to win. I’m very happy because it’s my first time to win in this kind of competition,” said Elha.

Coach Bamboo, meanwhile, remarked, “I thought she’s the most consistent, most natural performer. It’s amazing what this show can do. Her life is going to change, on her own merit, on what God has given her.”

As the newest The Voice Kids grand champion, Elha won a recording contract from MCA Music Inc., a music instrument package, a shopping spree, a family utility vehicle, a house and lot worth P2M, P1M cash and a P1M trust fund.

Asked what he thought he did right this season, Bamboo said, “I just truly believe she deserves it. The right thing I did this season was turn for her. I was the only one who turned for her (in the blind auditions). That’s quite a story. No one saw her coming, and then at some point, I knew I had someone very special.”

Not one to take credit for Elha’s success, Bamboo was all praises for his first-ever champion. “This is not about me. It’s about the artist, the child who did this. She did everything I told her. It’s mind-blowing what she can do. She’s very easy to teach and talk to. That’s how sharp she is.”

Even coach Sarah Geronimo agreed, saying, “You proved to us that you’re not just a belter. You sing with all your heart. You’re a good storyteller.”

Before performing her winning piece Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin, Elha impressed viewers with her mind-blowing rendition of Mariah Carey’s Emotions that showed off her whistle register, and sang with Jed Madela in the finale’s first two rounds on Saturday (Aug. 29).

Reynan, Esang and Sassa, on the other hand, performed with Your Face Sounds Familiar’s Gary Valenciano, Billy Crawford and Sharon Cuneta.

During the Sunday live show, meanwhile, coaches Lea, Bamboo and Sarah also performed for the first time Sariling Awit Natin, a soon-to-be-released song composed by Yeng Constantino in collaboration with Jonathan Manalo.

The second season of The Voice Kids was a phenomenal hit on Philippine TV as viewers nationwide watched the young artists share their dreams and sing their hearts out. It was the most-watched TV program in the country in June and July, and even recorded its all-time high national TV rating of 46.3 percent, based on data from Kantar Media.

Now that coaches Sarah, Bamboo and Lea all have singing champions in Lyca Gairanod and Jason Dy, Elha and Mitoy, respectively, viewers can only look forward to another exciting The Voice season.