Why pick on Zendee?
After watching Zendee being interviewed on a showbiz talk show a while back and seeing her break down emotionally as she was asked about the harsh criticisms she has been receiving from fans of other singers and particularly from fans of one that she even looks up to–that even the interviewer got teary eyed with her sudden outburst of tears–it made me think why “crab mentality” still exists? Why are there people who are so jealous of others that they make it their mission in life to make others as miserable as they are? Do these naysayers think they are doing something good by pulling down a new artist and trying to make her doubt her own capabilities as a singer??? Do these naysayers actually think it is in the best interest of their “idols” that no one else can come close to their stature or to even steal away momentarily the spotlight from them? Then these naysayers are doing a disservice not only to their “idols” but also for OPM as a whole because OPM will always need new singers like her. Why wait for the talent pool to be so thin?
How many times have I got to read negative comments and hateful messages towards Zendee online! It’s insane. I mean, aren’t we supposed to encourage young talents to come out and to make a name for themselves? But if young singers who are loaded with potential and who just need the right kind of mentoring will only get to see the kind of crap thrown at aspiring singers, aren’t these naysayers killing dreams even before these hopefuls have started chasing them? Oh wait, that is exactly what they want–these naysayers feed on the innocence and desire of young singers to make it on their own and sadly, it is not as though foreigners are the ones doing this. It is some of us who are doing this to our own countrymen.
Sure, everyone has the right to voice out their comments. But it should be within reason and I think there should be a limit to how far, or rather how low, one can go in criticizing someone because it can become personal attacks as what is happening now to Zendee.
In this case, there is also the “Charice factor” of course ever since Zendee appeared in “The Ellen Degeneres Show”. Naturally, her appearance has been compared to that of Charice Pempengco’s. There are those who say Zendee is a better singer than Charice ever was and some have even said that she is just following the latter’s example and doing what she did to become famous.
With all due respect to Charice and others, Zendee is not Charice Pempengco. They are just two young singers who have finally made it out of obscurity and found a way to become famous when the possibilities of becoming a successful singer were (often) denied them. And that is where the similarities end. How can we not be happy for the both of them instead of having two camps and sides arguing and bickering who is the better singer?
Haven’t we yet learned that the victory of one is a victory for all of us?! Because wherever Zendee will get to perform abroad and appear again in shows, she will be carrying the Filipino flag. She is a Filipino like all of us whether we were born here or naturalized. Isn’t it a shame that instead of giving her support or at the very least sharing her sense of pride, some of us are the ones wishing she will not succeed and instead of hoping to see her career flourish, we are wanting to cut it short in its tracks?
To fans who are so worried that their precious idols might lose their crown or lose their voice… Well, nothing in this world is permanent. Not one person can hold on to his/her crown forever and sit on the throne without any challenge from others. How many are we again in this country? How many times have we been in a mall and we would hear someone singing and we had thought it was a cd or a recording being played, only to see and discover it was usually some shopper giving expression to his/her love of singing. That is how gifted Filipinos are!
But since there aren’t a lot of available openings for young singers just like Zendee to make it to stardom through the available means, what she did was brilliant and she found a loophole to fame. She outsmarted the system and she is no longer some “random girl”. She is Zendee Rose Tenerefe–a name I hope we will be hearing a lot of more.
There will always be someone who will be better than all of us. There will always be younger and far more talented singers around. That is the way things are. It is the way they are meant to be and no one can stop that. In closing, Zendee has the right to pursue her career in singing. And if she doesn’t find it here, then there will always be another place where she will be appreciated and looked out for. But why wait for that to happen again?
Naysayers, realize this–you can spread all the false rumors, malicious mischief and hate mongering all you want. But you will fail BECAUSE the human spirit can’t be broken! Judge yourselves first before others. I’ll bet many of these naysayers can’t even sing if their lives depended on it. Unless of course it is people we already know. Then, that would be a different story!
Go, Zendee, make your mark!!!
