In the tradition of epic vocal battles enjoyed by millions of viewers in its global franchises, the Philippine-viewing public will soon witness a more intense competition for the next Idol Philippines as ABS-CBN raises its stake for its highly-anticipated version of the reality competition as it recently unveiled its Top 12 Idol hopefuls.
After the grueling multiple rounds that led to the recently-concluded Solo Round, six male and six female aspiring singers will proceed to the live round where the hopefuls are set to perform in a weekly bout for the best in front of a live audience and impress the judges and the voting public.
Making it to the list are Dan Ombao, who is fighting for his second chance of becoming a singer, and Elle Ocampo, who is known for her unique style of singing and artistic expression. Fatima Louise also stays in the competition as she proves she is worthy of the coveted title, along with Lance Busa, whose singing experience abroad makes him a tough contender.
Also a step closer to their dreams are Lucas Garcia and Matty Juniosa, who both dedicate their fight for their doting mothers and who are both open about their sexual orientation; Miguel Odron, who hails from the US but went home to pursue his dreams; and Rachel May Libres, a youth ambassadress who possesses beauty and an impressive vocal ability.
With his unique voice and notable story, Renwick Benito also secures a slot in the Top 12, along with honor student Sheland Faelnar, who is mostly noted for her show-stopping vocals. Completing the list are two of the youngest contenders at 16 years old: Trish Bonilla, who, just like her mother, is a vocal powerhouse, and Zephanie Dimaranan.
The Top 12’s journey will get tougher in the live round now that the viewing public has the power to vote for their bets each week. Meanwhile, the Idol hopeful who gets the lowest votes will be eliminated and will no longer continue in the competition.
Who among the Top 12 will stay in the competition and make it to the finals? On June 29, the hopefuls are slated to perform to the iconic songs of mentor Ryan Cayabyab.