Proving that music is best done together, 15 groups with the most perfect harmony from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are now advancing to the regional finals of Taiwan Excellence’s first-ever online singing contest, “Your Song of Excellence.”  

These groups did not just wow the celebrity judges, but they have also managed to capture Bituin Escalante, Jay Durias, Frenchie Dy, and Paulo Zarate’s hearts with their shared passion for making good music. 

“I felt inspired because despite the pandemic there were still a lot of contestants who joined,” noted Durias, who also lauded the contestants’ resourcefulness despite the lack of access to professional musical equipment.

Get to know the 15 talented bands and duos who made it to the cut! 

From Luzon there is Iskala, Virtus Lennon, Monel Mari Herrera from Laguna Province, This 789 from Laguna Province, Ferdinand Andes from Cavite City, Giarell Apolona from Las Piñas City, Carlo Cardino from Muntinlupa City, Hannah Castillo from Quezon City, Maria Innah Camille Chico from Cavite City, and GG Babes from Tarlac. 

Coming from the Visayas region, there’s Regine Karmel Gozo from Cebu City and Yanni Arizobal from Masbate City. Finally, from Mindanao region there is Jeanelle Mae Bustero from Tagum City and 4Core Official and Diomafra Acoustic, who are both from Davao City. 

After wowing the judges for the first screening, these regional group finalists would have to gather support from the Your Song of Excellence audience to make it to the next round. The public may vote for their favorite group to advance to the regional finals at the Taiwan Excellence Facebook Page (https://m.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph). They may support their chosen group by commenting on the hashtag of the finalist together with the contest’s official hashtag: #YourSongOfExcellence. 

All 15 group finalists would then be judged based on the following criteria: 40 percent online audience impact, 25 percent voice quality, 25 percent creative musicality and 10 percent stage presence. 

The 3 most excellent regional group performers out of the 15 will receive P10,000 each and will take on the Your Song of Excellence finals night stage this coming October 30. Apart from the prizes and the prestige, the regional finalists would also get the chance to be mentored by Your Song of Excellence host singer Floyd Tena and The Clash Season 1 contestant Jasmine Fitzgerald.  

In the end, three grand winners will be chosen per category and will receive a recording deal from Ivory Music. To top it off, they will also be taking home half a Million Peso prize pool composed of cash and gifts. 

“We knew how passionate Filipinos are with music when we launched this campaign. But it was raised to another level when we saw some of the entries. The participants' dedication in showcasing their skills despite their limited equipment was admirable. This event made us realize and appreciate how excellence thrives even at the most inopportune moments. For that, we would like to congratulate all the participants for a job well done,” said Mr. Clement Chen, Director of Taiwan Trade Center Manila. 

Who will be the three lucky regional groups finalists? Find out soon by following the Taiwan Excellence PH Facebook page (https://m.facebook.com/TaiwanExcellence.ph). 

“Your Song of Excellence” is organized by Taiwan Excellence together with its premiere partners Aromase, a brand that prides itself in ensuring the wellness of the people’s scalp with products that offer lasting effects, and Ju Tian Cleantech, a company that is dedicated into transforming natural wasted resources into eco-friendly and useful materials. Also joining Taiwan Excellence in this endeavor are its major partners ACER, Annie’s Way, ASUS, FECA, Johnson Fitness & Wellness, PC Express, Predator, Republic of Gamers, Tatung and Transcend.