Kim’s long, hard climb

She can be seen as anything but reluctant. Young Kim Flores is brimming with so much talent that is waiting to explode. Just recently, she won five golds at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held in Hollywood, California USA.

At a tender age of two, Kim’s parents knew their daughter had singing talent. "Since two years, may sign na po na pwede akong kumanta. My mom said I mimicked commercials on TV," Kim reveals. One may find this typical, as there are thousands of young girls who play with mics and who mimic TV commercials in their infancy. But Kim’s skill is extraordinary. She just doesn’t sing well, she sings extraordinarily.

Whenever she sings, her passion for music evidently shows with every word that comes out of her mouth. Her eyes sparkle as she narrates her experiences in the WCOPA competition. "It’s not only the voice that they consider, also the performance," adds Kim.

But the journey to the top is not an easy climb. Kim remembers the first time she auditioned at age 11. "I wasn’t accepted, because I was too young," recalls Kim. After two years, she came back and was accepted. Then everything fell into the right place with TV appearances, concerts, an album under Ivory Music and now five golds from a fiercely contested world singing competition.

"I’m proud of my album," she says. The album entitled Something at First Sight was a collaborative work between award-winning producer and prolific songwriter Edith and Margot Gallardo. It features compositions by Moy Ortiz of The CompanY, among others. Soon, Kim is set to record another album also from Ivory Music.

But it was her joining the WCOPA that became the turning point of her career. Her uncle Jimmy Flores told her about the competition and convinced her to join. Kim then headed to Ida Henares to audition, and the rest as they would say is exciting history.

For several days, Kim had to sacrifice a lot of things while in Hollywood. She had to take care of her voice. She had to wake up early in the morning and head to the competition’s venue. Imagine the stress and the hard work that a young 15-year-old had to go through. But in the end, her passion and talent triumphed.

Her rendition of With One Look from Sunset Boulevard made her win in the Broadway music category; Thanks to You for Gospel; Somewhere Over the Rainbow for Pop; and You Are My Song for the Original category. Kim got home a total of five golds and three plaques: Gold Medal for Solo Vocal Pop; Gold Medal for Solo Vocal for Gospel; Gold Medal for Solo for Broadway; Gold Medal for Industry Award for Music; Overall Junior Division Solo Vocal, Plaque for Champion of the World; Overall Junior Division for Vocal Pop, Plaque for Champion of the World; Overall Junior Division for Vocal Broadway, Plaque for Champion of the World, Overall Junior Division for Vocal Gospel.

"I owe my victory to a lot of people," she says. Before leaving for America to join the contest, Kim took voice lessons under Annie Quintos of The CompanY. "I learned a lot from her. I learned how to take care of my voice, how to breathe properly and how to reach and maintain the high notes." As for her diva idols, Kim looks up to Lani Misalucha, Kelly Clarkson and Regine Velasquez.

Kim is a young lady in a hurry. She wants to do so many things at the same time. Writing is one. She plans to take up Creative Writing at the Ateneo de Manila University. She also wants to be in the big league of musical stars.

In the meantime, she is enjoying the ride to stardom.

A pyro musical show at SM Mall of Asia

Starmaker, one of the major players in the pyrotechnics industry, mounts a pyro musical show at the SM Mall of Asia. The fireworks are synchronized with music through the Fireone Digital Firing system. The mechanism enables the fireworks display to be choreographed with music. The show which is seen every Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m. lasts for about five minutes. Every weekend, mall-goers are entertained to different types of fireworks ranging from low, mid and high level fireworks.

Starmaker provides outdoor fireworks like aerial fireworks display during holidays, weddings, concerts, fiestas and music events, indoor fireworks like waterfall fireworks, cable rockets, crackling fountains, flash bombs, jet sparks, confetti effects of different colors such as confetti bombs, cannons, streamer cannons and disposable confetti cannons, garden fireworks, air dancers and air tubes and consumer fireworks which are used during New Year celebrations. It also exports fireworks to its Asian neighbors like Europe, Middle East and Australia.

Established in 1995, Starmaker is backed by Japanese technology. It participated in the 13th Macau International Fireworks Festival in Macau. The pyro musical show on display at the SM Mall of Asia is of international standards.

Starmaker was responsible for the fireworks display in the largest Millennium celebration held at Fort Bonifacio Global City, the First Globe Independence Day Fireworks Festival, the Fourth World meeting of the Families, among others. At the 2003 Fireworks competition in Bulacan dubbed as Pasiklaban Sa Bulacan, Starmaker was adjudged the 2003 Fireworks Champion and was the first non-Bulacan company to win the crown. Starmaker was also presented the Award of Excellence as Pyrotechnics Manufacturer of the Year by the Philippine National Police.