Dreams are tricky—they excite you, frustrate you, and sometimes even break your heart. But for Sofronio Vasquez, the pursuit of his dreams was never about instant wins. It was about holding on during the waiting season, trusting that the universe was quietly weaving something extraordinary for him.

With guest appearances left and right after returning to the Philippines just this month following his historic win on the global singing competition “The Voice USA,” Sofronio is busier than ever, but he’s not complaining, because these moments were once just dreams.

Sofronio’s dad was one of the biggest influences in his life. As a kid, he would light up at the chance to tag along with him, eager to just spend time getting to know his father. He witnessed his wisdom and how he gave everything to support his children’s education and dreams. Despite his father’s imperfections, Sofronio saw a fighter—someone who faced life’s challenges head-on and taught him that no matter how rough a chapter may be, he always has the power to close it and write something better.

Sofronio’s dad passed away in 2018, when he was still searching for his place in showbiz, thus it felt like he didn’t have enough time to grieve. But he knew deep down that his dad would have wanted him to keep going, to keep chasing his dreams. So he decided to go back to work, but this time, as a cruise ship singer, which somehow served as a way to distract himself from the sadness.

This came after he joined “Tawag Ng Tanghalan” on “It’s Showtime” thrice and faced defeat each time. While he landed a role as a TNT vocal coach after he asked the program’s executives if they had any job openings, it wasn’t enough for him, being his family’s breadwinner. Then, one day, a friend told him about an ongoing audition for a cruise ship singer. Without any papers, appointment, or preparation, Sofronio decided to go for it. He showed up at the venue, and to his surprise, the casting director was kind enough to let him try even though he hadn’t been scheduled. However, he had to wait until all the scheduled auditionees were finished, which kept him waiting until around 4 p.m. Finally, when it was his turn, he was given ten minutes to study an impromptu piece, and it was “Feeling Good,” originally sung by Michael Bublé, who, as fate would have it, would later become his coach on “The Voice USA.”

Of course, working as a cruise ship singer wasn’t without challenges. He had to sing six times a week, each day tackling a different genre. He’d sleep tired and still wake up the next morning feeling sluggish.

The whole experience was a bit of a cultural shock too, as they had guests of different nationalities. “It was challenging in a sense na, ‘Ma-o-offend ko kaya sila ‘pag ito ‘yung i-jo-joke ko?’ Kasi when you sing on stage, you are not just a singer, you perform and entertain them, so sometimes you have to think kung ano ‘yung magiging patok,” he explained.

On top of that, homesickness would hit hard, although he managed to adjust over time by finding a sense of ‘family’ with his fellow OFWs on the ship.

Sofronio only worked one contract on the cruise ship, and he didn’t even get to finish it. He returned to the Philippines in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and once again, his career crashed with no entertainment scene to turn to. With gigs and side hustles gone during the lockdown, he had to get creative and started making biko, which he would sell online to his followers and even celebrities, like “It’s Showtime” hosts Karylle and Amy Perez. He made a little money from it, but honestly, the earnings didn’t match his effort. He also tried singing on platforms like Kumu, but that didn’t bring him the fulfillment he was looking for. It was around that time that Sofronio started thinking that maybe staying in the Philippines isn’t going to bring him the success he’s been dreaming of.

When the lockdown finally started to ease, Sofronio decided to focus on his dental career instead (he graduated with a degree in dentistry from Misamis University in 2015, though he never got to take the board exam because of ‘Tawag Ng Tanghalan’). He went to the USA, worked as a dental assistant, and thought he had found his path—until he chanced upon another singing audition. It was for “The Voice USA Season 26,” where he went on to make history as the first Asian and first Filipino to emerge as the champion.

“Hindi ko alam kung bakit,” he said, shaking his head when asked why he held on. He admits that the waiting season before reaching this level of success felt incredibly long and frustrating. Others might have easily given up. But there’s something about Sofronio’s dreamer’s heart, as if it’s made of steel and couldn’t be broken. Through ups and downs, plot twists, failures, and detours, his dream, love for his family, and passion for music were his compass.

In hindsight, it all makes sense how the universe was orchestrating everything behind the scenes. “Pero minsan mapapatanong ka, ‘Paano Niya ginawa?’ Kinukulit ko Siya nang kinukulit talaga, ‘Lord, bigay Mo na sa akin.'”

Now, looking at where life has taken him, it all makes sense how his dad’s journey shaped his own. Through his father’s life, he learned the power of bouncing back from adversity, and that’s what he did every time he lost a singing contest or didn’t pass an audition.

Sofronio calls himself “ambisyoso.” He’s ambitious in the sense that he knows how to dream big and will stop at nothing until he achieves it. However, it’s never easy, and in hindsight, he realizes that everything happens at the right time. He knows some people might get jealous if someone else succeeds after just one try, but he prefers to look at it from a different perspective—that maybe you just need to push harder, and perhaps you need to keep knocking on God’s heart.

“Kulitin mo rin Siya,” he smiled. “Ipakita mo na gusto mong paghirapan ang gusto mong mangyari sa buhay mo because He will give it to you at the right time. In His time.”

And now, it’s his time to showcase Filipino talent on the global stage. It still feels surreal; he can’t believe he’s done all this. Just knowing that a Filipino talent was able to sing in front of Michael Bublé, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, and Reba McEntire is already amazing. And then winning takes the honor much, much higher.

Sofronio is grateful for the support of his kababayans, especially Filipino communities in the USA, who rallied together to help him win with high viewer votes in the competition. He witnessed that the Filipino “bayanihan” spirit is alive and well, even abroad, when he had a homecoming as part of the show and saw just how much Filipinos were cheering him on, taking pride in knowing there was a Pinoy contestant on “The Voice USA.”

With great power comes great responsibility, they say. Sofronio admits that sometimes the fame can get overwhelming, “Itong recognition na nabibigay sa akin ngayon, ang bilis makalaki ng ulo. Kasi at one point, inasam kong mapansin at never akong nabigyan ng pagkakataon. And I was frustrated. So at one point, sinabi ko, ‘Pag ako talaga manalo, feeling ko, who you sila sa akin.'”

That’s why he always prays, so he can hear God’s voice and stay grounded through it all. He’s thankful that after achieving what he once only dreamed of, divine guidance made sure he’d remain humble. “When I won, nagbago talaga perspective ko. Sabi ko, ‘Hindi pala kailangang gano’n.’ Kailangan mo pala talaga maging grateful.”

“Lahat naman kayo sumali sa isang pangarap to win and you all manifested it everyday, pero ikaw ‘yung nabigyan ng pagkakataon, kaya I don’t think there is any reason, even just a smallest point of reason, na magyabang ka,” he reflected.

“Araw-araw, may pinapanganak na mas magaling sa atin,” Sofronio said, with humility. That’s why he believes inspiration is a cycle. He finds it crazy when people say he inspires them, because deep inside, he’s just as inspired by people who are motivated by their dreams. At the end of the day, we’re all dreamers, and we all learn from each other.

“Sometimes you just have to keep the ball rolling. Marami kang balls na pwedeng i-juggle, but sometimes kailangan mo lang ng isa para umikot,” he said.