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Meet the first Asian winner of ‘The Voice’ USA Season 26 Sofronio Vasquez, whose journey to wide acclaim reflects Filipinos’ relentless spirit
USA’s The Voice Season 26 finally culminated with Sofronio Vasquez winning as the first Filipino and the first Asian to win as champion. Here, we look back at his journey to the global stage.
Hailing from the popular singing contest Tawag ng Tanghalan, a segment in the hit noontime show It’s Showtime, Mindanaoan singer Vasquez has been known for his “velvety-rich tone” and versatility. He sings in almost every genre—pop, R&B, rock, standards, and jazz. He also isn’t shy about showcasing his rapping skills.
In his high school years at Misamis Occidental, Vasquez realised that his singing talent was extraordinary. He joined a singing competition for the first time in February 2016, no less than on the Tawag ng Tanghalan stage, in its second year on national television since its revival. He lost the competition and returned in 2017 during Quarter 3. He defended his title six times this time, advancing him to the semi-finals. He placed 7th in the competition, falling short of reaching the finale.
He got his third chance in 2019 as a ‘resbaker’, a local term for returning contestants. The competition’s iteration then gathered all the non-winners from the previous three seasons of Tawag ng Tanghalan. He finished strong in the competition by winning third place. Throughout the competition, we’ve watched him perform Michael Buble’s version of Feeling Good, Eric Benet’s The Last Time, and Lionel Richie’s Hello, among many beloved English and Filipino songs.
He later released an original single, Bakit Hindi Ko Sinabi, under Old School Records, a sub-label of ABS-CBN Music.
Vasquez established an online presence primarily as a singer, garnering millions of views from his covers of beloved songs like That’s What Friends Are For, and Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. In 2021, he received the Kumu Diamond Award for being one of the most-watched streamers on Kumu. Eventually, he was able to held a solo concert at Teatrino Greenhills.
After releasing two more singles in the Philippines in 2022, Vasquez moved to the United States to pursue his career on a bigger scale. He was in the middle of studying for his dental board exams to become a full-fledged dentist, but his heart must have been set on greater heights.
Now, Vasquez lives in Utica City, New York, and in an interview with local network WKTV, he shared how welcoming the Utica community feels for refugees and immigrants. According to his LinkedIn, Sofronio works as a dental assistant.
His motivation to continue pursuing a music career was his father’s passing in 2018 due to kidney failure. His father greatly supported him in honing and expressing his talent and would sometimes be seen watching him perform in Tawag ng Tanghalan. According to a write-up by NBC for the contestants of The Voice, Sofronio credits his father with instilling in him a love for singing. His father’s death compelled Vasquez to continue singing, with his elder brother aiding him in his gigs and competing days.
His work as a dental assistant for Dr Donald Flihan began in January 2024, after taking contractual work from June to October 2023 at CareerStep and while taking continuous internship at Mohawk Valley Health System for over a year now. He still tried his luck at The Voice Season 26, which began its auditions in September. Singing the classic RnB song I’m Goin’ Down, he earned a four-chair-turn from the judges and ultimately chose Michael Bublé as his coach.
Vasquez showed his prowess further, beating Aliyah Khaylyn in the battle rounds and Kiara Vega and Jeremy Beloate in the three-way knockout rounds. Garnering consistently significant votes in the playoffs and live shows, he performed Roy Orbison’s Crying, Elvis Presley’s If I Can Dream, and The Police’s Every Breath You Take, which brought him to a sure spot for the finals. One of the many highlights of the series was when renowned singer and The Voice USA and UK coach Jennifer Hudson threw her shoe at Vasquez for utter disbelief during rehearsals, sarcastically shouting, “You better sing!” When Vasquez returned the shoe to Hudson, the latter had nothing but praise to say.
During the finale, Vasquez sang his heart out with A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman, powering through its message of hope and ambition. He also gained much acclaim for his Unstoppable performance, which pretty much summarised his unwavering spirit throughout his journey on The Voice. With this, Vasquez made history, inspiring many people of colour to reach such an achievement and giving pride to all of Asia.
