THE VOICE OF THE PHILIPPINES: Voice Over Looks?

I am quite addicted to watching The Voice of the Philippines. Like a moth to a flame, what draws me to it is my curiosity as to how the contestants will impress the judges with their singing ability and song of choice, and how the judges will react to them. What kind of song will each contestant sing? Who among the judges will press the button? I am not that interested though in finding out which judge a contestant will pick, since all the four judges are good in their own right anyway. It does not matter to me anymore which team a contestant would want to become a part of. The important thing I guess is that the contestant made it to the list, period.

Blind Auditions

I particularly like the idea of the so called “blind auditions”, wherein the judges’ backs are turned initially against the contestants. The rationale behind this set up is very obvious – the contestants are to be judged solely on their singing ability, and not on how they look. Whether we admit or not, a beautiful or handsome face can somehow compensate for an unimpressive singing voice, which could sway a judge's decision in favor of the one with better looks. The tables are turned this time in The Voice, a good singing voice can compensate for a not so good looking face and body. I just hope that after the blind auditions or when the show is already on its contest proper, the show will continue to adhere to its mantra of voice over looks. This we will see in the weeks to come. Will face value get in the way? How about popularity?

The Judges

The set of judges for me is an interesting blend of talents and personalities. Apl provides the show with some international zest or flavor. Lea brings with her her professional sophistication that radiates every time she speaks and assesses a contestant’s performance. She can be very straightforward too without sounding offensive if I may add. Bamboo supplies the show with some rock-flavored energy.

What about the other judge? At first, Sarah appears to me as the odd man out. But on second thought, I realized that she is very deserving of her chair for the reason that she provides their group with an air of freshness and youthfulness. This is not to mention the local or masa appeal that she brings to the fore. And let us not forget her loyal fans that I think comprise majority of the studio audience.

 

A Concern

My concern about the The Voice is that it allows professional singers to join the contest. With their professional experience and exposure to various music stages, it cannot be denied that they have an edge over the neophytes, which brings all of them to an unequal footing. It will be a big embarrassment if Radha or Thor, for example, will be outlasted by the amateur ones, and conversely a big triumph for the latter over the former. During the blind auditions, I have witnessed some pros not getting the nod of the judges which for me, is a bit of an embarrassment since they were not able to impress not even one of the judges despite being professional singers already.   

Talent or Looks?

          To conclude, I sincerely hope that the The Voice will be able to stick to its mantra of voice over looks until its last airing. A lot of things can still happen between now and the later stages of the competition. The concept of total package – voice and looks, will hopefully not find its way in the vocabulary of the judges, audience, and the station airing it. Which do you think will prevail in the end, talent or looks? Take your pick.