American stylist-singer Richie Rich and New York-based talent agency chief Cicero Oca – who were tapped as guest judge-reactors during Wishcovery’s Grand Finals held on March 27 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum – were impressed by the musical prowess of the online singing competition’s Wishful 5.

“I’m blown away by the talent, it’s amazing. Judging them was difficult because there’s so much talent out there. Looking at them, I wanted everybody to win. They were all so confident,” Rich commended.

The two foreign reactors scored one of the five Wish rounds during the finale of the Wish 107.5-launched talent search. The said battle was where Carmela Ariola, Kimberly Baluzo, Hacel Bartolome, Louie Anne Culala and Princess Sevillena staged a medley of purely OPM pieces they have rendered throughout the competition.

On Filipino Music

In the special sing-off among the five finalists, Oca and Rich were able to hear some of the finest and most well-loved OPM classics.

Bartolome, a band vocalist from Cavite, lent her emotion-laced vocals and delivered a medley of “Dahil Mahal Na Mahal Kita,” “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin,” and “Harana.” Meanwhile, Ariola’s sweet trills resonated at the Big Dome with her performance of “Maghihintay Sa’yo,” “Mahal Naman Kita,” and “Ako’y Sa’yo, Ika’y Akin Lamang.”

Louie Anne Culala, Hacel Bartolome, Carmela Ariola, Kimberly Baluzo and Princess Sevillena (L-R) compete in five Wish rounds during the grand finale of Wishcovery staged on March 27 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Sevillena thrilled the crowd next with her renditions of “Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin,” “Pangarap Na Bituin,” and “Nais Ko.” Baluzo, the youngest contender among the Wishful 5, proved her worth with a laudable medley of “Basang Basa Sa Ulan,” “Bakit Ba Ganyan,” and “Sino Ang Baliw.”

Lastly, Culala, who hails from Bulacan, shone in her stunning versions of “Oo,” “Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita,” and “Ikot-Ikot.”

According to Oca, Filipino music “transcends borders and culture.”

Echoing the same sentiment, Rich remarked, “It’s all about the vibe. In our hearts, it’s all about music – no matter the language.”

On What Awaits the Grand Champ

After going head-to-head with other Wishfuls, Metro Manila contender and wild card finalist Sevillena was hailed as the Wishcovery grand champion. As part of her exciting prizes, she will be receiving a total makeover by Rich, and will be flying to New York to undergo a two-week musical training with Joe Barros.

Barros, who has worked with Hollywood singer-actress Vanessa Hudgens in the Broadway staging of the musical “Gigi,” is one of the talents managed by Oca’s OnQ Talent Agency.

Known for her flawless belting out and emotion-stirring performances, Metro Manila’s Princess Sevillena wins Wishcovery with a whopping final score of 96 percent.

“We’ve prepared a lot of things for the winner. We want her to be able to compete in the New York and international stage. We have the talent, we just need to hone it,” Oca shared in an interview.

“[She’d also need] to build stamina to be able to tour and do live performances…It’s a lot of work, and it entails a lot of perseverance. You [also] have to have an amazing team behind you – no man is an island,” the high-profile talent agent further pointed out.

On Wish 107.5’s Endeavors

Besides commending the talents of Wishcovery’s finalists, the foreign reactors also recognized the efforts of Wish 107.5 to help Filipino artists reach the international arena.

Upon learning that the Wish 107.5 Bus is set to have a counterpart in Hollywood, both Oca and Rich have expressed their excitement about the project.

“This is great for Filipino artists. It’s about time for the world to see Filipinos – that they can perform and that they are very talented,” Oca stated.

Meanwhile, asked about a word of advice to other hopefuls, Rich enthused, “If you’re aspiring to be a singer, a designer or anything in the arts or even in life, just go out there and do it.”

Foreign reactors Richie Rich (left) and Cicero Oca (right) are beamed on the huge LED screen at the stage as they share their comments after the performance of each of the Wishcovery grand finalists.

“If you know what you want, you [must] work hard for it. You go out with the right people, you rehearse, practice and perfect your craft. You can be talented, but you need to hone it,” Oca seconded, while also emphasizing the importance of keeping oneself grounded.

During the grand finals, Baluzo was named 1st runner-up, while Culala emerged as the 2nd-runner up. Ariola and Bartolome were declared 3rd and 4th runners-up, respectively.