Finding the next GMA Sparkle act from Cebu

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu seems to be a hotspot for talent agencies to discover new talent, not only because it’s one of the major cities of the Philippines but because there are so many untapped talents in the province waiting for their big break.

This is why Sparkle GMA Artist Center held their Sparkle Caravan open auditions in Cebu City last April 15 at Ayala Central Bloc where the Kapuso network was looking for new singing acts, whether they are soloists, duos, choirs, acapella groups, or a band, to be part of their in-house talent agency.

“Cebu has never failed to deliver in terms of talents. We all know that some of the best iconic singers in the industry are from Cebu. It’s a known fact that there are a lot of beautiful people in Cebu,” Gay Castro, Assistant Manager for Talent Recruitment of Sparkle GMA Artist Center, told The FREEMAN. She was one of three judges who watched the Cebuano hopefuls audition for their big break.

“GMA has seen a lot of Cebuanos emerge as grand winners of its singing competitions. Among them are Golden Cañedo, the first grand winner of The Clash, Dani Ozaraga also a strong contender at the Clash Season 1, and Jessica Villarubin, the grand winner of the Clash Season 3.”

Among the aspiring artists who auditioned were Sinulog Idol alum Kayla Barrientos (Season 7 and All-Star Season 13), Maverick Nineza (Season 11), and Kevin Tecson (Season 8) who auditioned with their renditions of “Saving All My Love” by Whitney Houston, “Punchline” by Aidan Martin, and “Each Day with You” by Martin Nievera, respectively. Despite being seasoned performers since their Sinulog Idol stints, they still feel nervous in every audition and Sparkle Caravan was not an exception.

“Every audition is nerve-wracking. No matter how professional you are, you feel nervous with every audition but once you are on stage and the song hits, it’s perfect and you did your best,” said Tecson.

What the judges are looking for from these auditionees is their full commitment to their craft as performers. “One thing that we look for in aspiring acts, apart from their talent, is the clear dedication and love that they have for their craft. It’s in the way they come prepared for the auditions, it’s in the way they fight their fear and step on that stage and perform, it’s the way they come back to audition again as a better performer,” Castro explained.

“From there, you will already know that their passion will translate into commitment and into working hard for their dreams. With the right opportunities, this will lead them to become the next Sparkle star.”

While the thought of auditioning in front of talent executives may encourage auditionees to dress formally on stage, some would take an unorthodox approach in their looks to showcase their personality while performing.

One of the auditionees from Lapu-Lapu City was wearing an ensemble that a pop star might wear and complemented it by doing an improv dance while singing. It almost looked like the auditionee treated the Central Bloc Activity Center as if it was a stage for “All-Out Sundays.”

A last-minute male auditionee from Brgy. Mabolo, Cebu City sang his song while wearing a basketball jersey. While it may look unprofessional to wear such in front of talent executives, he backed this up with his humorous remarks while talking to the judges. This auditionee could be both a comedian and a singer if he ever gets signed as a Kapuso.

These attributes may be what these judges might also be looking for from their auditionees. “[We are looking for] talent and star quality, or at least the potential to be a star. Someone who is rough around the edges is okay but that little sparkle has to be there,” Castro remarked.

When asked if they may have found their next sparkling performer, Castro responded, “I wouldn’t be surprised if that would be the case.”