Who's got talent deserving of the P2M grand prize?

After weeks of searching for the best acts in the country, only one can take home the whopping P2 million cash prize and become the first grand winner of the country’s biggest nationwide talent-reality show “Pilipinas Got Talent.” Who will it be?

“Pilipinas Got Talent” was launched in February 2010 with Luis Manzano and Billy Crawford as hosts. The show conducted auditions in Batangas, Cebu, Baguio, Cagayan De Oro, Davao, and Manila in search for the finest talents in the country, wherein judges Kris Aquino, Ai Ai Delas Alas, and Freddie M. Garcia aka FMG screened the contestants.

More than 200 hopefuls passed the auditions but only 36 made it to the semi-finals after undergoing an intense judges’ deliberation. The semi-finalist round gave the 36 contestants the chance to show their talents anew, before and the competition got narrowed down to 12 finalists.

The 12 finalists vying for the top prize and the honor of being the first Pilipinas Got Talent grand champion are Batangueño singer turned You Tube sensation Jovit Baldovino, ventriloquist Ruther Urquia, magician Allan “Alakim” de Paz, Fil-Norwegian crooner Markki Stroem, guitarist Keith Delleva, breakdancing siblings Velasco Brothers, Ezra Band female vocalist Kaye, balladeer Sherwin Baguion, The Luntayao Family (who gave tribute to Pinoy music), violinist Jeline Oliva, dance group Baguio Metamorphosis and Broadway siren Ingrid Payaket.

At the press presentation of the finalists, we interviewed the Fil-Norwegian crooner Markki Stroem (who is also being managed by Erickson Javier, the manager of Sam Milby). Markki is said to be strongest contender, as he’s seen as the total package already. The 23-year-old singer said that he feels flattered being compared to Sam but while he isn’t inclined to enter showbiz as an actor at the moment, he’d like to make a go of his singing career.

“I am not closing my doors. But singing is my passion. If ever I’d become an actor (he’d surely be), I enjoy the dubious side of myself so I’d say I’d like to work with Angelica Panganiban. She’s great. I love kontrabidas because they are capable of acting any possible role. When you are bida, you are nice and paawa. But when you are kontrabida, that’s when you know you can act,” said Markki.

He said he wants to focus on the singer-songwriter mould if and when he gets to embark on a singing career here, something that he’d like to pursue seriously.

Markki is also being talked about because of the appearance of his sexy photos in the Internet. He joined the Bench fashion show at the Fashion Week last year where he walked down the ramp in his undies. “Back in Norway, people are very, very open about going sexy. Coming back here in Manila, the people are rather conservative. It’s been very, very different for me because the culture is different. We’re open. My dad is very open,” said Markki, adding that he knows the “Pink” (gay) market is very, very big here.

“They are very big group of lucrative individuals, and they are very, very strong in this day and age and it would be unwise not to target the Pink market,” he said.

Would he be willing to accept an offer to do a sexy billboard for Bench, for example? “That would be great. I don’t dream about it but that would be nice. That could mean an extra income for me and that would be nice because I plan to put a karaoke restaurant bar business,” said Markki, who’s also having Tagalog lessons to brush up on the language. 

 “I know Tagalog when I was high school but the problem is I went to Europe to study. Nawala talaga ang Tagalog ko so when I came back, I am trying to learn it again kasi I know my Tagalog is a bit rough,” he said.

Among the local actors, Markki idolizes (aside from Sam, of course), Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz (he watched his movies with Bea Alonzo). He considers Sam as his close friend and a brother as well since they have the same manager.

Is he really going to pursue a singing career over an acting career, when he could very well make it? “Yes, that’s why I came back. I want to cultivate and hone my singing talent. I didn’t get to study singing. I consider it a passion,” said Markki.

What does he think of his chances on finals night?

“Oh, it’s not about the chances because there are a lot of talented individuals. I am not expecting to win but I’d like to win. They asked if I am expecting to win that’s how they phrased the question. But if they asked if I would like to win, I’d like to win that’s why I joined in the first place. I am not expecting to win. I am expecting to do the best I can and I’d like to say may best man or woman in the finals win,” said Markki.

Don’t miss the final performance night of “Pilipinas Got Talent” this Saturday (June 12), 8:45 PM, at the Araneta Coliseum and the final results night on Sunday (June 13), 8:15 PM, still at the big Dome to be aired live on ABS-CBN. Studio 23 will be airing these episodes a week after every Saturday and Sunday, at 6 PM. Watch to know the text syntax to use to vote for the next semi-finalists. Visit http://pilipinasgottalent.abs-cbn.com,teamkapamilya. multiply.com, and follow abscbndotcom on Twitter.