Talent, ratings soar in ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ grand finals

Talent was taken into a whole new level as four outstanding Filipino acts poured their hearts out on stage during the grand finals of “Asia’s Got Talent” (AGT) on May 7.

A photo of a performance by shadow play group El Gamma Penumbra

With all finalists stepping up their game, the Filipino contestants did not let themselves trail behind as they showcased performances that earned standing ovations from the judges and audience members alike.

● Fantastic 4 Filipino acts astound in ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ grand finals

Talent, however, was not the only thing that soared during the show’s grand finals.

The episode recorded the highest-rating performance of the show since the franchise first aired in March.

Data from Kantar Media showed the AGT grand finals garnered 3.93 percent in audience share—a 175-percent surge from the previous episode, making it the highest rating pay TV program of the day.

The May 7 episode also paved the way for AXN Asia to dominate the airwaves as it emerged the leading cable channel among 22 others on the airing date with a significant 93-percent share.

It was also the highest-rating English program of the day, free-to-air channels included.

The finale is now the highest-rating program episode that aired on AXN Asia in seven years. AGT’s fifth and sixth episodes are not far behind at second and third spots, respectively.

Gwyneth Dorado

Ten-year-old Gwyneth Dorado delivered a moving, laid-back rendition of the Sia hit song “Titanium.” With only the piano in the background, Gwyneth’s vocal quality surfaced over the accompaniment and connected well with the judges.

Indonesian rock icon Anggun described her performance as “nearly perfect.”

“You made us listen to the words of the song. You made us listen to every note,” she said.

Citing attitude and confidence, former Spice Girl Melanie C noted Gwyneth’s improvement since her audition.

“You really have blossomed as the competition went on, and tonight you were just incredible,” she said.

Taiwanese pop idol Van Ness Wu “fell in love” with Gwyneth’s delivery and told her “Mahal kita.”

Viewers can vote for Gwyneth by texting AGT3 to 2929 for Smart and Globe subscribers.

El Gamma Penumbra

Shadow play group El Gamma Penumbra showed entertainment and advocacy could go hand-in-hand as they performed a moving presentation about environmental conservation to the tune of “Colors of the Wind.”

El Gamma’s eye-opening number left Anggun teary-eyed.

“The possibility of messages that you can put is endless, and tonight you raised awareness on how important mother nature is,” she said.

Viewers can vote for El Gamma Penumbra by texting AGT7 to 2929.

Gerphil Flores

Classical diva Gerphil Flores did not fail to impress once again as she delivered a well-staged and emotional rendition of “The Impossible Dream.”

Clad in a golden dress while performing on an elevated platform, it appeared like Gerphil was embodying the meaning of the song and her personal journey on the show.

“To see the transformation you’ve made from the auditions, it’s an absolute pleasure,” said Melanie.

“You shined up there. You are already a beautiful girl, but tonight you’re just magnificent,” Anggun added.

Viewers can vote for Gerphil by texting AGT8 to 2929.

Junior New System

After their high heels dance number that carried them to the finale, hip-hop dance squad Junior New System rolled another trick up their sleeves with a football-inspired performance.

As in their previous performances, the group drew loud cheers from the crowd as they grooved to the tune of a medley. The stunts they executed worked well with entertainment factor, prompting the judges to rise to their feet.

Grammy award-winning musician David Foster said the group was able to take him to the Super bowl three minutes.

“I love the energy, I love the technical difficulty of your dance moves. It was just flawless to me,” Van Ness said.

Viewers can vote for Junior New System by texting AGT9 to 2929.

Apart from text messaging, fans may also vote for their favorite acts through the official AGT fan page facebook.com/asiasgottalent or the AGT mobile app that can be downloaded on Google Play Store and Apple Store.

Voting is now open and will end on May 11, Monday, 11:59 p.m. Other voting details can be found on asiasgottalent.tv/vote.

The first ever winner of “Asia’s Got Talent” will be announced on May 14.