COMEDIAN Rodfil and vendor Fe during their performance of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” She was asked to drop him if she wanted to advance in the competition. “But he’s my partner,” she said. screengrab
“HINDI na po ako noon sumasali sa mga singing contests (I didn’t join contests anymore back then),” said Felicitas “Lola Fe” Garcia, “Asia’s Got Talent” contestant, of not pursuing a music-related career after she got pregnant at 16.
In an e-mail interview, Fe, now 54, told the Inquirer that she got to sing in public only when she attended Mass. The vegetable vendor was discovered by Rodfil Obeso, half of the comic duo Moymoy Palaboy, who performed as her partner in “Asia’s Got Talent.”
To resounding cheers, Fe sang Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” while Rodfil provided backing vocals and comedy in the March 19 episode of the AXN show, airing Thursdays, 8:05 p.m.
“Age in this case doesn’t matter at all,” said Canadian music producer David Foster, one of four judges, praising the grandmother. When he asked if she was willing to “drop the funnyman” to get to the next round, Fe responded, “But he’s my partner.”
The Grammy-winning judge gave a “no,” but the three others—singers Anggun, Melanie C and Van Ness Wu—voted in the affirmative, sending the duo to the next stage of the competition.
Rodfil, a cast member of “Bubble Gang,” revealed in the e-mail interview that he discovered Fe on Facebook, which led to videos of their duets, posted on his YouTube channel “roadfill” in 2013.
“I saw her on my timeline, singing an Aegis song,” Rodfil said. “We did some covers and, later, I asked her to be my partner for the audition… the judges at the Mall of Asia were foreigners, so they weren’t familiar with us.”
On their unlikely partnership, Rodfil said, “A grandma singing an Aegis song is a rare find. Being odd partners works; would you expect a lola and a weird guy to perform a duet? I risked mixing comedy with music and I’m happy that majority of the judges said yes.”
Aside from Bonnie Tyler, Fe said that she admires R&B singers Chaka Khan and the late Whitney Houston, and a couple of local pop artists, as well. “[Apart from] the band Aegis, I’m a fan of Sharon Cuneta and Sarah Geronimo,” she said. Some favorite songs include Heart’s “Alone” and
Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.”
Rodfil said that he was “OK” with David’s suggestion. “I was willing to leave if that was the only way Lola Fe could advance. It was a big honor just to be there and perform,” he said. “It’s a good thing Lola Fe impressed everyone. Mr. Foster had a point, though, and I respect his opinion.”
If she gets offers to perform full-time in the Philippines, Fe said, she will not hesitate to leave her job. “Mahina na ang bentahan sa palengke; marami na rin ang nagtitinda at saka pangarap ko naman talaga ang maging singer (It’s very competitive to sell stuff at the market now and, besides, I’ve always wanted to be a singer),” she said.
Rodfil recounted how lucky he felt when they were chosen to compete: “I saw many talented people at the Mall of Asia; I had seen some of them join contests on TV. When we were picked, I said to myself, there must be a [bigger] reason that our partnership was formed.”
He hopes to see Fe get more opportunities, whether they win or lose in “Asia’s Got Talent.” “I hope she pursues a singing career. It feels great to inspire others, regardless of age. It’s never too late to dream.”
Now that she’s gotten people’s attention through her singing, Fe likewise hopes to be given that big break. “Gusto ko… magkaroon ng sariling album para mapa-renovate po ang bahay namin (I want to record an album so I can get my home renovated),” she said.