PHILIPPINES-SINGING TALENT From slums to stardom in the Philippines, via singing

Record ID: 136205

  • Title: PHILIPPINES-SINGING TALENT From slums to stardom in the Philippines, via singing
  • Date: 10th October 2015
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (SEPTEMBER 22, 2015) (REUTERS) RESIDENTS IN SLUM SIMILAR TO THE SHANTY GAIRANOD USED TO LIVE IN PEOPLE SORTING THROUGH TRASH PEOPLE STANDING IN A SLUM
  • Embargoed: 25th October 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6HGNP4ONI0KLQ032SSM1911Q1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ten year-old Lyca Gairanod was a favourite to win the 2014 season of The Voice Philippines, but it was not only her talent that captured the public's hearts. It was also her story.
    Giaranod used to live in a shanty in a fishing village with her parents and eight siblings. To contribute to her father Hilario's meagre income as a fisherman, she would help her mother Maria Nessel scavenge garbage dumps for recyclable bottles and newspapers in her home in Cavite Province, the young singer said.
    Gairanod loved singing at an early age, and would even go around the streets, singing for people in exchange for cash or food.
    Urged by her older brother, she overcame stage fright and auditioned for The Voice last year, standing out from thousands of other children. At stake was a house, which she said she wanted to win for her family.
    As she progressed in the competition, she worked hard on her singing. She used to practice while immersed in the ocean - singing under water in an effort to strengthen her vocal chords- and woke up early to memorise unfamiliar songs, she said.
    Coached by pop star, Sarah Geronimo, whose fans threw their weight behind the singer, Gairanod won the championship and the much coveted house.
    "I'm very happy. First of all, I was able to get a house a like this. We no longer live in a small home, it no longer floods when there's a typhoon. And my siblings are able to go to school, and me too, I go to a good school. And I was able to buy our own car," she said from her home in a quiet neighbourhood in General Trias, Cavite Province, south of Manila.
    Her winnings included a 1-million peso (22,000 US dollars) trust fund, home appliances, and a recording contract.
    Since winning The Voice, Gairanod has appeared in numerous television shows including one where she played herself in a dramatised story of her life.
    Despite her success, the Ariana Grande and Maroon 5 fan said she has not forgotten her roots.
    "I haven't changed from what I was before - when I was scavenging. I haven't turned snobbish. I'm so blessed that God gave me this, and that he gave me a chance to stay the same," she said.
    All around the Philippines, singing is a popular past time. Videoke stalls can be found in malls, resorts, and even amidst shanty communities. Singing starts at an early age, and it's not uncommon for children like Lyca to join local competitions.
    Gairanod's first solo album "Pwede Nang Mangarap" (One Can Dream) was launched on May 29, 2015, and has sold thousands of copies so far, her record company, MCA said. Her fans, who call themselves Lycanatics, flock to her shows, her latest one in a shopping mall in Bacoor on Friday (October 9).
    However, Gairanod said her dreams do not stop at singing- she aspires to become a doctor and a teacher too.
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