MANILA, Philippines - One cannot underestimate the kids’ capacity to perform. Young as they are, the kiddie talents of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids (YFSFK) can do equally well as their adult counterparts previously seen in the first two seasons of ABS-CBN’s reality talent show.
The third season of Your Face Sounds Familiar started with a bang, as “eight cute and small celebrity kids with big time talent” faced the celebrity judges — Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valenciano and Ogie Alcasid — on the show’s pilot weekend.
The kids can impersonate not just the voice and dance moves, but also the nuances of the artists they are mimicking. On the pilot airing, the kids started with their idols, so they were familiar with the material.
Breakout child star McNeal “Awra” Briguela, who made his mark in the primetime soap, Ang Probinsiyano, came out as the first winner after the pilot airing. Awra was a hit as he copied Mommy Dionisia for the first time and sang Wrecking Ball, complete with the latter’s thick Visayan accent and noted quirks.
Dance sweetheart Andree Camille “AC” Bonifacio, who was the other half of Dance Kids grand champion (with Lucky Ancheta of Lucky Aces), was a strong second placer after she sang and danced to Britney Spears Baby, One More Time.
Young belter Ehla Nympha, who previously won the grand prize in The Voice Kids Season 2, was in third place after she belted out Beyoncé’s Love On Top. Digital TV host Sam Shoaf, the talented son of singer Arnee Hidalgo, was a hit as fourth placer when he aped Bruno Mars in Uptown Funk.
The Voice Kids first winner, young diva Lyca Gairanod, rendered for the first time an English ditty, Katy Perry’s Roar. The Voice Kids 3 runner-up Justin Alva danced and strutted to King of Pop Michael Jackson’s Beat It.
Daytime princess Xia Vigor, star of the afternoon soap Langit Lupa, rendered I Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez. Xia rose to fame as the young Selena Gomez, when Xia became the grand winner of the noontime program, Showtime segment, Mini Me.
Guys can come out as girls and vice versa. Awra was Mommy Dionisia, but for the second week, Sam was challenged to do Alicia Keys. Meanwhile, Xia was Taylor Swift. Lyca was Lady Gaga, Justin was Adam Levine, Alonzo did Rico J. Puno, Ehla was excited as Sharon Cuneta, AC went Korean to do Sandara Park and Awra was challenged all the more as Daniel Padilla
Credit the make-up team for the spectacular transformation of the kiddie talents in Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. Viewers amazingly witness the young celebrities copying, imitating and close to cloning adult celebrities. In fact, first-time jury member Ogie Alcasid had his “baptism of fire” on the show when he came out as young orphan Annie and rendered Tomorrow.
Every week, teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy, founder of G-Force, acts as the trainor for movement and choreography, who guides the kids during rehearsals for their performance onstage. Meanwhile, Annie Quintos of The CompanY helps the kids in their vocal training.
Hosted by Billy Crawford, Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids will award P2M grand prize, with P1M going to the winner’s chosen charity. Previous winners of Your Face Sounds Familiar are Melai Cantiveros (Season 1) and Denise Laurel (Season 2).