Nyoy, Jed wear the mentor hat

MANILA, Philippines — Nyoy Volante and Jed Madela wear the mentor hat in the latest edition of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. Nyoy was first runner-up in the show’s first-ever regular season, while Jed sat as a judge for two seasons. They are tapped for their experience and expertise in recording (Nyoy and Jed) and musical theater (Nyoy).

“This time, we’re mentors. I’ll be in charge of (the kiddie stars’) voice, while Nyoy is with (their) movements (performance),” said Jed in a recent presscon for the Kapamilya show’s weekend premiere on May 5 and 6. The singing-impersonation-reality TV program had Georcelle and Annie Quintos as choreography and voice mentors.

“We’re trying to integrate the direction of fun and interactive (on the show),” Nyoy hinted the kind of learning the mentors and mentees will have off-stage. Of course, this will be documented and aired. “Right now, it’s still in the works, pinapakiramdaman pa rin namin (we’re like testing the waters)... Definitely, we’re trying to make it as fun as possible.” The mentors guide kids to up their game — their cute transformations. They have to somehow “mirror image” the artists assigned to them. This requires hard work and will be set in a fun environment.

“I think they’re well-equipped with the idea that they’re in a contest,” said Nyoy. “Maybe before they joined the show... people around them (had) instill(ed) in them (or had given them a heads up) that this is a competition.”

Based on his experience as a contestant, looking at Your Face Sounds Familiar as a fun place — and not a competition, Nyoy said, will work to the advantage of kid impersonators. “If you have noticed, our group remains very tight up to now,” shared the singer, who had Edgar Allan Guzman, Melai Cantiveros and Jay-R as fellow celebrity-impersonators. “Yung hindi namin pagkita na competition (ito) ay mas lalong nakatulong sa amin. I think more than it being a disadvantage, it will turn out as advantage. Although I’m not putting aside the spirit of competition, but I think it will be healthier if they just go there and do what they have to do (in a light, fun way,) ng magaan at masaya, parang feeling ko mas makakatulong yun sa kanila. That is based on what happened to us in the first season.”

Putting competition or fun in the equation of Your Face Sounds Familiar staging can be seen as productive and counterproductive. This, however, depends on how one views it.

Jed, for his part, had this to say: “It’s different when you are around with kids. You look forward to something you know that is fun than, let’s say, teaching them in a classroom type, you know, ‘Kids, just sit there and this is how you will do it.’ Siyempre ang dating ay di masaya but if it is done in an interactive way, wherein there are games and gimmicks, magiging masaya ang means of teaching namin. They will look forward to every shooting day.”

The kids who will try to follow in the footsteps of grand winner Awra Briguela are: Onyok Pineda as Bibong Astig; Chun-Sa (Bulilit Kikay); Marco Masa (Anghel ng Masa); Esang de Torres (Kiddie Kontesera); Sheenna Belarmino (Inday Wonder); Noel Comia Jr. (Poging Lodi); Krystal Brimmer (Precious Darling); and Francis Concepcion, Mackie Empuerto and Keifer Sanchez (Bigshot Trio). The Tawag ng Tanghalan Boys will perform as one act (three-in-one), an innovation that the show is trying out in this edition. According to program executive Lui Andrada, the kids auditioned to earn a final spot and have the potential to be a total performer. He added that one of the show’s objectives is to discover talented stars. The kids will be seen doing Miley Cyrus, Bamboo, Meghan Trainor, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Sarah Geronimo, Michael Jackson and Bee Gees.

“We have a new set of kids,” said Jed of the exciting things audiences will look forward to. “All of them are so talented in their own right. Sobrang gaganda ng boses, sobrang galing nilang umarte, sumayaw (Their voice is sensational, they are very good at both acting and dancing). We’re excited to share with you their hard work.”

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