First is Sor Apao, a nursing graduate from Davao who’s quite a belter and has been singing since she’s 4 years old. Then there’s teener Hainna Udin, the first Talentadong Pinoy Middle East winner who has competed in last year’s World’s Championship of the Performing Arts (WCOPA.)
But our personal bet is Rina Forbes, who beautifully sang “New York State of Mind” when the finalists were presented to the press at TV5’s studio on Broadway Centrum last Monday. Rina has gorgeous mestiza good looks. She’s honest enough to admit to us that she’s already 33 years old, but she looks so much younger than her age.
“I actually started kay Kuya Germs sa ‘Walang Tulugan’,” she says. “I was using the name Ynah Pangan then. Pangan talaga ang surname ko. Forbes is from my mom. I’m of Spanish German descent. Sumali rin ako noon sa ‘Sing Galing’ and ‘Philippine Idol’. Then nag-abroad ako. I was a lounge singer sa Oman Grand Hyatt Hotel. Nang bumalik ako dito, sumali nga ako sa ‘Talentadong Pinoy’ at pinalad naman.”
Does she do “birit” numbers? “Yun talaga ang ginagawa ko, ang bumirit. But I was told ayaw raw ng judges sa ganun, lalo na si Direk Joey Reyes, dun sa tili ng tili, so I had to tone down my voice. I now do pop and jazz numbers, pero puede pa ring bumirit.”
How come she never made it the first time she tried showbiz when she can even be an artista? “Siguro dahil wala akong manager. Baka may mairerekomenda ka.”
She admits having a boyfriend, Bridge Sibug of Bagaberde. So what will she be singing on finals night? “I’ll do two songs na pinagsama, ‘Girl on Fire’ ni Alicia Keys and ‘Firework’ ni Katy Perry.”
To Rina, good luck! We hope you make it.
