Cebu played gracious host after Pinoy Pop Superstar (PPS) Year 3 made the Queen City of the South its last stop.
The event capped the almost two-month road show which saw Joyce Tañaña (Pampanga), Marvin Gagarin (Nueva Ecija), Jennie Escalada (Navotas), Maricris Garcia (Caloocan City), Miguel Naranjilla (Malabon City), Bryan Termulo (Bulacan), John Louie Abaigar (Olongapo City), April delos Santos (Pampanga) and Jae Buensuseso (San Francisco, California), all contenders in this year’s edition of Pinoy Pop Superstar, visiting key cities in Luzon and the Visayas.
In the two-day sojourn, the finalists were introduced to the local press and had a chat with their fans when they dropped by SM City Cebu’s record bar to promote their album, produced by GMA Records. The grand contenders stayed for autograph signing and photo-op, after which they were ushered to the V-Hire Terminal, venue of the main event.
Oblivious of the heat and tight space, Cebuanos came in droves and packed the V-Hire Terminal of SM City Cebu and eagerly waited for Joyce, Marvin, Jennie, Maricris, Miguel, Bryan, John Louie, April and Jae.
The finalists reciprocated the overwhelming welcome as they participated in on-ground games the production people prepared for the event and switched to their thrilling performance-level selves come show proper.
Cebu also welcomed PPS host Regine Velasquez with a lusty applause and surprised Jaya, Danny Tan, and guest judge Ronnie Henares with an equally hearty greeting.
Finalists were asked to perform ballads, allowing the regional audience to see their other side up close. The judges agreed that with the PPS finals just a few breaths away tomorrow, June 2, at the Araneta Coliseum, the contenders just kept on impressing them.
Regine lauded the finalists for their hard work and for surviving the grueling eliminations and semis.
She was joined by Jonalyn Viray and Gerald Santos, former PPS champions, who co-hosted the last leg of the regional mall tour with Yasmien Kurdi.
At the end of the mall show, Joyce and Bryan bagged the Superstar for the Night title.
The ratings garnered by the grand contenders will be included in their over-all rankings at the grand showdown.
It’s bound to be an exciting finale wherein the best of the best will battle against each other.