Focus on Philippines: Indian student wows in new Philippine reality-singing show

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Courtesy Star Cinema / Gulf Film

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An Indian student made a big impression on the second episode of the latest ­reality-singing programme to debut on Philippine television.

Addy Raj, who moved from New Delhi to Manila to study for a university degree, impressed the judges and live audience of I Love OPM, a new reality show on which foreign singers compete against each other in performing Filipino songs.

On Sunday's episode, Raj sang ­Hinahanap-hanap Kita (I Yearn for You), which was a hit for young crooner Daniel Padilla.

“Welcome – it’s great that you’ve moved to the Philippines,” said celebrity judge Lani Misalucha. “You know us Filipinos – we always welcome our visitors with open arms.”

Fellow judge Toni Gonzaga said: “You can definitely be a celebrity here. I was actually distracted by your good looks, and for a while there was not even listening to your voice. You’re a total package.”

Martin Nievera, considered one of the country’s most popular performers, told Raj: “You’re very comfortable on stage.”

Presented by Anne Curtis and Eric Nicolas, I Love OPM is broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays in the Philippines.

It is broadcast worldwide, including the Middle East, on The Filipino Channel.

4th Impact in talks with The Filharmonic

Filipino girl group 4th Impact have revealed they are in talks with all-male Filipino-American a cappella group The Filharmonic about a collaboration.

"We are looking forward to this because we idolise The Filharmonic," Almira Mercado, the eldest of the four sisters, told CyberPinoy Radio. The Filharmonic is a six-­member group of Filipinos from Los Angeles who finished fourth on US reality-TV a cappella singing show The Sing-Off in 2013.

They recently appeared in the film Pitch Perfect 2 as a singing troupe called Manila Envy.

The sextet confirmed that they have been talking to 4th Impact.

“We’ve been e-mailing back and forth with them, discussing, brainstorming stuff, brainstorming how to do this while we’re in the United States and them in the UK,” the band said. “So, we don’t have any concrete details yet, but hopefully very soon.”

4th Impact, who finished fifth on the latest season of the British edition of The X Factor, are on tour across in the UK with their fellow finalists from the show.

Rumours emerged this week that the sisters had signed a contract with Columbia Records, though they have not confirmed this.

This month, they told reporters they were negotiating with two recording companies over their debut album.

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Filipino celebs compete in Kids’ Choice Awards

Four Filipino actors have been nominated for the Favourite Pinoy Personality Award, a new category in next month’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

Television and film actors Kathryn Bernardo, Enrique Gil, Maine Mendoza and James Reid are in the running for the gong.

Basketball player Jeron Teng also received a nomination, for Favourite Asian Sports Star, competing against athletes from Indonesia, Malaysia and ­Singapore. Fans can vote on www.nick-asia.com or by using the #KCA hashtag on Twitter.

Hosted by country singer Blake Shelton, the 2016 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards will be held on March 12 in Inglewood, ­California.

Imbisibol wins top prize in France

Imbisibol (Invisible), a film about undocumented overseas Filipino workers in a small village in Japan, won a top prize at the 22nd Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, which was held in France last week.

Directed by Lawrence Fajardo, Imbisibol received the ­Network for the Promotion of Asian ­Cinema (Netpac) Award.

The jury, including producer Mevlut Akkaya from Turkey, filmmaker Kan Lume from Singapore and producer Donsaron Kovitvanitcha from Thailand, cited the film’s “effective use of comedy and multiple strands of narrative, culminating in a dramatic ending that hits home its message with sublime power”.

Fajardo told the ­Philippine Daily Inquirer that the festival's audience was "very much receptive" during the film's screening.

“Viewers were taken in by the issues raised in the film – particularly, the current plight of OFWs and the pressing economic situation of our country that led to the OFW phenomenon.”

Imbisibol stars Bernardo ­Bernardo, Ces Quesada, Allen Dizon and Ricky Davao.

The festival's main prize was awarded to Chinese filmmaker Tema ­Tseden's Tharlo, while the Grand Jury Award was given to Iranian director Vahid Jalilvand's Wednesday, May 9.