Clinching the stellar deal–the second time around

STROEM. His ascendancy in the biz hasn’t been as strong and brisk as it should be.

“We Love OPM” should be credited for showcasing some good singers who haven’t quite made it yet as stars. Hopefully, this “reminder” the second time around will renew the viewing and listening public’s interest, and thus finally clinch the stellar deal for them.

For instance, Klarisse de Guzman struck us as a promising newbie when she joined a singing tilt some seasons ago, but she still hasn’t come into her own. After the “OPM” competition, she could finally emerge as a certified stellar comer.

Ditto for Markki Stroem, who not only sounds good but looks great, as well. He’s been rediscovered and relaunched from time to time, but his ascendancy in the biz hasn’t been as strong and brisk as it should be.

Happily, on “OPM,” he’s been coming across more confidently and convincingly, so 2016 could be Markki’s year—to make his stellar mark!

Jovit Baldovino impresses in other ways, including his seriousness of purpose and resolve to even surpass his winning talent tilt performance of yore.

Other standouts, for differing reasons, include Bailey May, Ylona Garcia, Marlo Mortel and Alexa Ilacad. Thanks to “OPM” for giving us another chance to appreciate their potentially stellar “K”—on second thought and listen.

Pesky problems

On the other hand, the show is encountering some pesky problems of late, and they should be addressed before they pull it down some more:

First, there are too many “vacations” being taken from the show, like mentors and team members going on leave for “commitments” elsewhere, etc.

Even if the leaves are “authorized,” they shouldn’t happen—because, in a talent competition, all factors must be present and accounted for—and working at maximum level.

If there are gaps or glitches in the talent mix, it’s a sorry and amateurish sign that some people aren’t taking the tilt as seriously and professionally as it has to be.

Producers faced with occasional absences should have said, “Too bad, so sad, but we’ll get other people, instead!”

Another no-no to guard against happened last Saturday, when a team member blanked out in the middle of a number and stopped singing.

It’s a good thing that his colleagues doggedly went on with the number as best they could, until he was able to rejoin them.

Definitely, the hapless singer who had the potentially “show-stopping” mental block and glitch didn’t want it to happen. —But, the fact that he reacted so badly to it is another sign that the show and some  of its components aren’t as professional as they should be. Whatever happened to the age-old show biz mantra, “The show must go on?”

Finally, the fact that the studio audience is given a lot of clout in voting for the best team of the week has opened the tilt up too much to subjective and therefore unreliable verdicts.

Yes, popular appeal is a factor in determining a performance’s relative success and effectivity, but past experience has shown us that momentary popularity doesn’t convincingly mean quality.