A woman who wowed mallgoers and netizens when she was recorded singing impromptu in an Alabang mall in Muntinlupa said she aims to join the show “Britain’s Got Talent.”
On July 8, Anthony Ramos posted a video on Facebook of Josephine Aton singing Whitney Houston’s “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” with the accompaniment of a pianist at Alabang Town Center.
“Yung napadaan lang si ate at napasabay sa piano,” Ramos captioned the video, which became viral.
As of this writing, the video has garnered 6.6 million views, 277,000 emoji reactions, 11,000 comments, and 77,000 shares.
In an interview with Manila Bulletin on July 13, Aton narrated why she was in the mall and talked about her singing talent and her aim to join “Britain’s Got Talent.”
Aton, 46, who is from Cebu, has been living in Muntinlupa for the past two months and is working as a call center agent in Alabang.
She said she was at Alabang Town Center to buy eyeglasses for her husband.
“Inutusan kasi ako ng asawa ko na bumili ng salamin sa mata. Tapos naghanap ako ng makakain, ng waffle. Paikot-ikot ako hanggang sa may nakita ako na nagpa-piano (My husband told me to buy him eyeglasses. Then I looked for something to eat, waffle. I was going around until I saw someone who was playing the piano),” she said.
She added, “Nung nag-piano siya, sabi ko 'ay ang galing.' Nilapitan ko siya, sabi ko, 'Kuya, pwede ka ba tumugtog ng ‘If I’m Not in Love with You?’ Sabi niya sa akin, ‘Ay, kumanta ka na lang ng ‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All.’ Sabi ko, ‘hindi ko abot yun e.’ Sabi niya, ‘Sige na.’ Sabi ko, ‘Sige subukan ko lang.’ (When he was playing the piano, I said, ‘Wow, he is good.’ I approached him and said, ‘Sir, can you play ‘If I’m Not in Love with You?’ He told me, ‘Just sing ‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All.’ I said, ‘I cannot reach it . He said, ‘C’mon.’ I said, ‘Sure, I will try.’”
“Para bang lulutang na ako kapag may music na sa harapan ko (It is like I'm floating when there is music before me),” said Aton.
In 2010, Aton joined the show “Pilipinas Got Talent” but said she is reluctant to join singing contests.
Aton said she only auditioned for “Pilipinas Got Talent” because her child refused to sing without her. Despite her talent, she said she did not turned it into a career. She also joined “Talentadong Pinoy” and “Tawag ng Tanghalan.”
“Matagal na talaga akong kumakanta, pero sa bahay (I’ve been singing a long time but only at home),” she said.
Aton said she probably got her singing talent from her family that loves singing.
She said her coworker told her about her video that was on Facebook. She only uses her cell phone for calls.
When she saw the video, it already had three million views. She initially did not contact Ramos who uploaded the video.
She eventually contacted Ramos and asked him why he took her video and he apologized. She was happy and told him, “Hindi, hindi nagtanong lang ako kasi ang daming nanood. Thank you. (No, no I just asked you because there were many who watched it. Thank you),’”
According to her, she never dreamed of becoming a singer.
“I cannot explain but I’m holding back. Wala sa plano to pero palagi kong pinapangarap at dinadasal na sana magkaroon ng ‘Asia’s Got Talent.’ Hindi lang Asia, yun bang makapunta ako ng Amerika. Palagi akong nanonood ng ganyan. Sana makapunta ako sa mga lugar na yan. Mag-audition ako. (It is not in my plan but I always dream and pray that there will be an ‘Asia’s Got Talent.’ Not only in Asia but for me to go to America. I always watch that kind . I hope I can visit those places. I will audition),” said Aton.
She said if she is given the chance, she will audition.
“Oo naman, kung meron lang mag-sponsor. Kaya nga sabi ko, ‘Ay Lord, kung lahat ng viewers na ito ay may piso lang, nakalipad na ako dun (Of course if there is someone who will sponsor. That is why I said, ‘Lord, if all those viewers gave one peso each, I could have flown there),” she said.
Aton is eager to join “Britain’s Got Talent.”
“Sana lang, sana lang yun lang talaga yung pangarap ko. Aabot yung mga viewers, yung sponsors maglilikom, magkakaroon ng grupo at i-push ako dun sa ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’ (I wish, I wish, that’s my dream. Viewers will give, sponsors will collect, there will be a group that will push me to join ‘Britain’s Got Talent,’” she said.