FILIPINO singer Sofronio Vasquez, an alumnus of “It’s Showtime’s Tawag ng Tanghalan,” has made history as the first full-Asian artist to win the US edition of “The Voice.”
Vasquez claimed the title in the competition’s 26th season, representing Team Michael Bublé, and secured the majority of America’s votes during the finale on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time).
The 32-year-old, originally from Ozamiz City and now based in Utica, New York, won a $100,000 cash prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group.
Sofronio Vasquez INSTAGRAM PHOTO/ITSSOFRONIOVASQUEZ
He emerged as the season’s champion from a field of finalists that included Danny Joseph (Team Reba McEntire), Jeremy Beloate (Team Snoop Dogg), Shye (Team Michael Bublé) and Sydney Sterlace (Team Gwen Stefani).
For the finale held Monday night, Vasquez performed Sia’s “Unstoppable” and The Greatest Showman’s “A Million Dreams.”
“I am going to have to go suck on a lemon after that so I can stop smiling. We talk about superheroes. You’re a sweet, humble, very quiet guy offstage, and you just go to the phone booth and become Superman,” Bublé commented after his “Unstoppable” performance.
After Vasquez performed “A Million Dreams,” Bublé told him, “I need to borrow Reba’s Kleenex. My wife and kids are home tonight, and that song was a choice for both of us because it meant a lot to both of us in my family.
“To watch you do that and to be in the moment like you were, that’s all we’ve got. We can’t control what we can’t control. All we can control is being present. I love you. I’m proud of you,” Bublé added.
Vasquez’s journey began with a standout audition, described by NBC as a “dazzling voice” that prompted an instant four-chair turn. Performing Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Going Down,” Vasquez impressed coaches Bublé, Snoop Dogg, McEntire and Stefani, leading to a heated competition to secure him for their teams.
Before his “The Voice” win, Vasquez gained recognition as a semifinalist in 2018 “Tawag ng Tanghalan.”
He also built a strong social media following with viral covers such as “That’s What Friends Are For,” which has more than 9.5 million views on Facebook, and “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” which has more than 1.3 million views on TikTok.
