Little Superstar Lyca is ‘The Voice Kids’ champ

CEBU, Philippines - Nine-year-old Lyca Gairanod of Cavite emerged as the first ever grand champion of “The Voice Kids” after garnering the highest percentage of text and online votes during the two-night finale of the top-rating and Twitter-trending singing-reality show.

Coach Sarah Geronimo’s bet led the public voting based on the Power Ballad, Upbeat Song, and Special Performance with a Celebrity Guest rounds and took home P1 million, a one-year recording contract with MCA Universal, house and lot, a home appliance showcase, a musical instrument showcase, and P1 million worth of trust fund.

Team Sarah’s Darren Espanto came in second, while Team Bamboo’s Juan Karlos Labajo and Team Lea’s Darlene Vibares placed third and fourth, respectively.

Lyca impressed the coaches and the audience with her rendition of Regine Velasquez’s “Narito Ako” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” Saturday night, but what brought the house down was her version of “Basang Basa sa Ulan,” which she performed with band Aegis on Sunday, earning a standing ovation from coaches Lea Salonga, Bamboo, and the audience at Resorts World Manila.

Even before “The Voice Kids” started airing, Lyca had already made a mark on netizens and viewers with her blind audition performance of Aegis’ “Halik,” which was used as a teaser for the program and became a viral hit.

As she fought through the Battle Rounds, Sing-Offs, and Live Semi-Finals, Lyca was dubbed the “little superstar” after she was likened by coach Lea to Nora Aunor. Lyca, a small kid with big dreams, became known for her heartfelt performances and humble background as a daughter of a fisherman who sometimes helps her mother scavenge junk to sell. Lyca also previously revealed that she would perform for her neighbors in exchange for cash or food.

Netizens also tuned in to the Sunday show to wait for the announcement of the grand champion, as #TheVoiceKidsChampion, #TVKDarrenForTheChampion, #WowAngGwapoNiLuis, Jhong Hilario, Lani Misalucha, Gary V and JK, You Are My Song, and other finale-related hashtags trended worldwide and locally on Twitter.

The star-studded Sunday finale, hosted by Luis Manzano and Alex Gonzaga, also featured performances from Darren and Martin Nievera, Juan Karlos and Gary Valenciano, and Darlene and Lani Misalucha. It was opened by a lively performance from the Final Four young artists, the three coaches, and “The Voice of the Philippines” Season 1 grand winner Mitoy and finalists Klarisse de Guzman, Myk Perez, and Janice Javier.

Since its pilot, “The Voice Kids” has consistently ranked as the most watched program in the country, and recorded its all-time high national TV rating of 37.6% last June 8.

The “The Voice of the Philippines” Season 2 for adults, meanwhile, is expected to premiere before the year ends. For updates on the program, visit thevoice.abs-cbn.com, like www.facebook.com/thevoiceabscbn, or follow @thevoiceabscbn on Twitter and @abscbnthevoice on Instagram. (FREEMAN)