PH, force to reckon with in int’l talent tilt

JED MADELA embraces his role as mentor to newbies. Photo by Alanah Torralba

The consistent and exceptional showing of our local representatives in the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA)—particularly in its singing categories—has made the Philippines one of the most formidable teams in the annual international talent competition, said recording artist Jed Madela.

“We usually stand out in singing. Whenever we go there, people from other countries would ask how many of us they’re competing against … We’ve become their barometer of sorts,” Madela, who won the Senior Grand Champion Performer of the World title in 2005, told reporters at a press conference.

Now in its 19th year, WCOPA is a contest held in Long Beach, California, for vocalists, dancers, instrumentalists and variety acts from 52 countries. And for the 2015 edition, which runs July 10 to 18, the Philippines will send over 40 performers from all over the country.

Madela, who was also inducted to the WCOPA Hall of Fame two years ago, now serves as a mentor to members of the local team. The challenge, the singer said, is to make sure that the country continues to reach the standard it has set in the past.

It’s a rather tall order, considering that Filipinos clinched the Grand Performer Champion of the World plum in both the senior and junior divisions in 2013 (Beverly Caimen and Ianna de la Torre) and 2014 (Xtreme Dancers and Lloyd Montebon). “There’s pressure to do better every year,” Madela said. “We have to focus on ourselves. If there are weaknesses, we’ll work on them.”

Born entertainers

Asked what he thinks makes Filipinos a talented bunch, Madela explained: “We are born entertainers … We naturally turn to music, film, arts to express ourselves,” said the 34-year-old singer, who was invited to open and close WCOPA 2015.

Meanwhile, Gerry Mercado, the national director of the Philippine team, said that there had been efforts to make the lineup of talents more diverse, adding that auditions for this year weren’t limited only to aspirants from Luzon and Davao.

“We also have contenders from General Santos City and Cebu,” he said in a statement.

Mercado, who believes that “we’ve succeeded in uplifting the Filipino brand,” said he is excited to showcase the new crop of Filipino artists they’ve discovered. “Now it’s a matter of preserving the good name we’ve earned on the global stage,” he said.

Among those who performed during the media event were Broadway-inspired singer Princess Virtudazo, vocal harmony group Zhalia, and acrobatic duo Zion. “They’re all good and I think they have a big chance of making it to the finals,” Madela said, adding that he’s always open to acting as mentor to industry newbies.

“I know how it feels to be a fresh talent—to have so much to give, but with so few opportunities. I hope to lessen their frustrations by helping open doors for them through WCOPA,” he said.

Supporting the WCOPA-bound delegates are the Department of Tourism, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Cravings/C3 Events Place and Secosana Bags.

The Philippine contingent is set to travel to the United States on July 8.