Gerald to talent search hopefuls: Sing to express, not impress

Gerald Santos —Leo M. Sabangan II

Gerald Santos, the former “Pinoy Pop Superstar” grand champion who has come home after his stint with the UK and international tour of “Miss Saigon,” says that talent-search hopefuls cannot just wing it and rely on natural talent alone.

“Work hard and continue honing your talent. Keep practicing. Huwag kang maging lax,” he says. “Listen to your mentors, coaches and voice teachers, because they have an idea what works and what doesn’t.”

What shouldn’t they do?

“They shouldn’t forget how important discipline is,” Gerald stresses. “And if things don’t go your way, you shouldn’t lose hope, because there are now a lot of ways to get noticed. Huwag kang panghinaan ng loob—keep trying.

“When I was just starting out, it wasn’t as easy for newcomers to get a foot in show biz’s door. Not anymore. These days, if you really have something to offer, at least social media can now be used as a tool to introduce yourself to your intended audience.”

Song choice is also crucial and could make or break a contestant’s chances, he says.

“Since it’s a contest, all I can advise is to perform songs that would showcase their voice quality, range and musicality. Of course there should still be a relatively high degree of difficulty and challenge with the songs they choose—and it’s better to choose a popular song people are familiar with.

“Make sure you can relate to what you’re singing about so that you can relay its message to the audience clearly and sincerely.

“Most importantly, sing from the heart. Sing to express, not to impress!”