MANILA, Philippines — A 10-year-old Filipina singer advanced to the semifinals of “Asia’s Got Talent” on Thursday after receiving the Golden Buzzer from judge David Foster with her performance.
Eleana Gabunada, an aspiring Broadway singer, performed Barbra Streisand’s “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from the 1964 musical “Funny Girl.”
“Oh my goodness! You’re like a baby Streisand! That was a very difficult song. And you did it, you performed it super well,” judge Anggun said after Gabunada’s performance.
Judge Jay Park likewise applauded the young singer. “It was a really solid performance, I mean, you’re very very talented.”
“There’s a lot of people much older than that could sing that song, but they don’t understand the genre, they don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing,” Foster told Gabunada.
“But somehow at age 10, you understand your mission, you understand your job. And there is no doubt in my mind that if you wanna be on Broadway one day, you will be,” he added.
When Foster was about to decide whether it he votes for a “yes” or a “no,” the record producer and composer stood up and pressed his allocated Golden Buzzer press to Gabunada.
This is the second week in a row that a Filipino contestant received a Golden Buzzer in the talent show.
“Hand shadow artist” Shadow Ace, whose real name is Philip Galit, received a Golden Buzzer last week from Asia’s Got Talent hosts Alan Wong and Justin Bratton. /muf
WATCH: Filipino ‘hand shadow’ artist gets Golden Buzzer in ‘Asia’s Got Talent’