Introducing The First Four Celebrity Contestants Of 'Your Face Sounds Familiar, Season 2'

THE FIRST SEASON of “Your Face Sounds Familiar” was a big hit, so it’s not surprising that ABS is quickly bringing it back to replace “Voice Kids”. Billy Crawford is still the host, with 1st season winner Melai Cantiveros as a co-host who’ll be interviewing the eight new celebrity contestants in the course of the entire show. The judges are still Sharon Cuneta, Gary Valenciano and Jed Madela. And here are the first four performers (we’ll feature the rest in our next column):


SAM CONCEPCION, The Absolute Performer - Turning 23 on October 17, Sam emerged as the champion in “Little Big Star” in 2006. He then became a hot teen idol who did lead roles on stage in musicals like “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, “High School Musical” and “Peter Pan”; in movies like “I Do Bidoo”, “Way Back Home” and “Shake Rattle & Roll 13”; and on TV in “Super Inggo”, “Mirabella” and the forthcoming “You’re My Home”. He has also recorded and released his own albums, including “Pop Class”, “Forever Young” and “Infinite”. Asked about his breakup with Jasmine Curtis Smith, all Sam would say is that Jasmine will always be special for him.


KZ TANDINGAN, The Soul Supreme - KZ (for Kristine Zhenie) zoomed to fame when she became the grand winner in the first “X Factor Philippines” in 2012. She started as an acoustic band vocalist in her native Digos, Davao and is now much sought after as an interpreter of original Filipino music love songs. Star Records gave her an album and her hit songs include “Puro Laro” and “Mahal Ko o Mahal Ako”. She won as best new female artist in the Aliw Awards and she also became a champion in “The Singing Bee” winning P1 million.

MICHAEL PANGILINAN, The Harana Prince - He was only 15 years when he joined “X Factor” and made it only up to the top 20. Jobert Sucaldito pushed his career as a professional singer and last year, he became popular when he recorded the song “Pare, Mahal Mo Raw Ako” in Himig Handog Love Songs contest. He didn’t win but the song is now turned into a movie and he stars in it in the lead role. Now 19 years old, he is currently part of Harana, a boyband, and is also trying acting in theatre in a play for Gantimpala Theater. He sings great ballads, especially the songs of Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight and Luther Vandross. He also admitted he’ll be a dad soon as his girlfriend is now 5 months pregnant.

KAKAI BAUTISTA, The Dental Diva - Katherine aka Kakai is better known as a comedienne who was once linked to Thai actor Mario Maurer. But she actually started as a theater actress in the musical “Alikabok” at the Music Museum in 2001. She now stars in the hit PETA musical, “Rak of Aegis”. She was given the tag the Dental Diva because of her prominent and very noticeable set of teeth. A bonafide scene stealer, we won’t be surprised if she’d eclipse some of her co-contestants in “Your Face Sounds Familiar” because of her training as a no hold barred standup comic.

The new season of “Your Face Sounds Familiar” starts airing on September 12.