OPM champions unite: Martin, Jed, Sofronio, Jona, Klarisse take over Valentine’s night

Five singing champions share their journey from auditions and rejections to Valentine’s magic at Newport World Resorts.

Martin Nievera, Jed Madela, Sofronio Vasquez, Jona, and Klarisse de Guzman, the performers of the Valentine’s Day show “Champions of the Heart,” have all faced auditions, rejections, and tough competitions to reach where they are today. 

For one night at Newport World Resorts, they come together on stage, not just as performers, but as proven champions of music and perseverance.

For Martin, the journey began far from the Philippine limelight. “Before there was ever any kind of reality contest on television, the reason I became a singer—aside from following in my father’s footsteps—was because I joined a singing contest,” he recalled. 

Martin as overall champ

“The one I won was the California State Talent Competition in Santa Fe, California. You had to win the first day to compete the next, the third day to reach the championship, and on the fourth day, you competed with other champions to see who would be the overall champion. Parang “Tawag ng Tanghalan.” I became the overall champion in 1981. That contest helped me decide I wanted to be a singer.”

Jed offers a different perspective, one focused on inspiration. “One of the experiences that solidifies you as an artist,” he said, “is when a young performer comes up to you and says, ‘Sir Jed, I joined this contest because of you. I wanted to become a singer because of you.’ Just knowing that you inspired someone to get on stage and believe in themselves… that’s unforgettable.” 

Jed was also the first Filipino to win the Grand Champion Performer of the World title at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in 2005.

Sofronio as first Asian winner of ‘The Voice USA’

Sofronio, winner of “The Voice USA Season 26” (2024) and the first Filipino and Asian to take the title, believes being a champion isn’t only about winning a trophy. “Before I won ‘The Voice,’ I took part in a lot of competitions here at home,” he said. “People expect that you get to be a champion if you win, but even if you always try but don’t make it, that also makes you a champion.”

Jona as first ‘Pinoy Pop Superstar’ winner

For Jona, the memory of being champion is inseparable from those who supported her along the way. “My pinaka-favorite moment of being a champion isn’t focused on myself,” she shared during a recent media gathering at Newport World Resorts. 

Jona was the grand champion of the very first season of “Pinoy Pop Superstar” in 2005. 

“It’s about the person who championed me when I was still trying my luck in contests, my third-year high school adviser, Ms. Edith. She offered me a place to stay near GMA 7 so I wouldn’t have to commute from San Mateo, Rizal to Quezon City every day. If not for her generosity, I might not have succeeded in that journey.”

Klarisse reflects on the journey more than the destination. She was the grand winner of “Your Face Sounds Familiar Season 3” in 2021 and first runner-up on “The Voice of the Philippines Season 1” in 2013. “The whole process before I got to that point—my experiences, the friends I met who now join me on stage, and even the rejections I experienced after joining other contests—those are my favorite parts of becoming a champion.”

The show, to be held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, Newport World Resorts, on February 14 at 8PM, is produced by Full House Theater Company with Starmedia Entertainment. Tickets are on sale via TicketWorld and the Newport box office.

 

 

Just knowing that you inspired someone to get on stage and believe in themselves… that’s unforgettable.

Jed Madela

 

 

READ: