Phl joins singing tilt in Berlin

MANILA, Philippines - This year, when the ninth edition of Euro Pop Contest Berliner Perle gets underway, the Philippines will have the chance to showcase the talents of six budding Filipino singing artists. “This is the first time that the organizers of this yearly competition is inviting participants from this part of the world. We’re so happy that the owner of this popular singing competition personally invited the Philippines to be part of it,” reports Charie Vega, managing director of Vega Entertainment Productions — the outfit responsible for getting the Philippines into Euro Pop.

Euro Pop is the brainchild of the enterprising music aficionado Viktor Leis. In 2005, guided by the vision of promoting the vast and varied musical talents of young European singers, he formed Euro Pop Contest. He gathered singers from Germany, Russia, Austria, England, Italy, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Romania, Malta, Spain, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Armenia, Belarus, and the Czech Republic. In 2009, what started as a European competition grew even bigger to include singers from neighboring countries such as Kazhakstan, Aizerbaijan and Israel. This year, Leis looked even further and discovered the rich pool of singing talents in the Philippines.

Why the Philippines? “It’s probably because Mr. Leis and the other members of the organizing committee discovered the incredible amount of singing talent in the Philippines,” surmises Vega. “I was already talking to Mr. Leis last year and he expressed his interest in including the Philippines in the contest. So this year, we are participating.”

Held annually in Berlin, Euro Pop contestants compete in three age group divisions — 10 to 13 years old, 14 to 17 and 18 to 24 — where they are required to go through two compulsory performances of a world hit song and an original composition.

The Grand Prix winner will bring home 500 Euros and get to spend two days in Berlin to record the winning song. The recorded song will be presented in all top music internet portals and sold in major music stores in Europe.

“But more than the prize,” adds Vega, “the contestants gain the experience and the distinction of having represented the country in a major singing competition in Europe. The honor of putting the Philippines once again in the spotlight is a rare opportunity and provides a springboard for a great singing career later on.”

This year’s Philippine representatives have been handpicked by Vega herself after a rigorous series of auditions. “I personally chose them for their talent — the quality of the voice and the level of performance. These talents will undergo further training to hone their skills and bring them to an even higher level because we want to present the best that our country can offer as far as singing is concerned,” she says.

The representatives to the Euro Pop Contest Berliner Perle that have already been selected are Chacha Canete (10-13 years old division) Gleenette Gaddi (14-17 years old division), and Ana Katrina Ramsey and Gian Marla Gloria (18-24 years old division). Vega is searching for two more representatives: One for the 10-13 years old division and one for the 14-17 years old division. Once the team is completed, the singing talents will be introduced to the public through a series of mall shows before they leave for Berlin.