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Charmie Joy Pagulong - The Philippine Star
April 29, 2025 | 12:00am
‘Sing Galing’ semi-finalists Maricel Park and Shanen Garciso admit that performing the songs that they are not familiar with is the toughest part of the competition.
Performing the songs that they are not familiar with is the toughest part of TV5’s “Sing Galing,” according to its “Bida-Oke Star” semi-finalists Maricel Park and Shanen Garciso.
“The nerve-wracking part of the competition is that you wouldn’t really know the song that you would sing. That’s the flow of the competition,” Maricel told The STAR in a virtual chat.
“The lesson that I’ve learned from this, is you couldn’t really back out because you’re already here. It’s like, ‘Shucks, I don’t know the song.’ But you couldn’t turn your back, so bahala na. But I’m already here, so I will do this.”
For Maricel, it is vital that one should have a broad repertoire of songs. “For now, yun lang yung nakikita ko na kahit papanong maka-survive in the competition. You have to study every after episode or discover a new song, whether it’s OPM (Original Pilipino Music) or pop.”
Maricel named Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Beyoncé as her musical influences. She admitted that she has a limited knowledge of OPM songs.
She began singing at the tender age of four. She became a band vocalist when she was 16 and has performed abroad as a band singer.
Moreover, Shanen shared the same sentiments with Maricel. “Yung pag-familiarize po talaga ng mga kanta. It’s very important to study the piece that they give you because ‘pag mapunta sa’yo yung kantang sobrang hirap, wala ka ng magagawa (laughs). So, you really have to study it.”
She reiterated, “If that particular is not your genre, it would be better to study that first. It is important to prioritize the songs that are not your strength because you wouldn’t know yung mabibigay sa’yo on the spot. You have to be ready anytime.”
Shanen’s brand of music is soul and R&B. She acknowledged that “birit” songs are not really her core strength.
She developed her passion for singing when she was four. Both her parents are singers. She had her first gig when she was five. As she recalled, “My mother let me join a singing contest. She asked me to perform a Michael Jackson song. Pinapasayaw niya ako. I was in Cebu that time and they called me little Michael Jackson (laughs).”
Nevertheless, Maricel and Shanen are relishing their moments in the show and were ecstatic to be part of the semi-finals round.
(“Sing Galing” airs Saturdays at 5:45 p.m. on TV5.)
