“Whenever I retell my journey from a boy living in the slums of Ozamiz to being mentored by Michael Bublè and winning Season 26 of The Voice USA, my tears just keep on falling from my eyes, so I apologize, Miss Giselle, for crying in front of you," recalls grand champ Sofronio Vasquez during a recent interview.

Tears did fall from the eyes of Pinoy Pride Sofronio Vasquez, as he tells me in an exclusive interview with the Voice USA Champion. Sof, as he would like to be called, just arrived from Los Angeles with his American handlers.

After a courtesy call in the Malacañang, Sof flew to Cebu for his first Philippine concert set before the Sinulog Fiesta on Dec. 18, 2025. 

“I am thankful for this sold-out concert in Waterfront Cebu. I also would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Filipinos and every race that voted for me in the Voice and our Utica Mayor, Mayor Michael Galime in Upstate New York, who went house-to-house to campaign for my win in the Voice USA. Before this flight, Miss Giselle. I just came from 'Showtime.' I could not believe it because after auditioning seven times in 'Tawag ng Tanghalan' on 'Showtime' and not making it, this time I was sitting at the judges' table; I was now a 'hurado.' Memories of me falling in line in ABS-CBN from 2 am, only to get to sing at 2 pm and not make it, just flashed before my eyes, and I cried again during It’s Showtime. I also joined The Voice Philippines, and no judge turned around for me. So I am thankful to Michael Buble in the Voice USA, who turned around for me and mentored me till the end. Mr. Buble' also campaigned for me, accepting interviews from AbsCbn to vote for me. He is not only my mentor but also my angel, sent by God to help me fulfill my dreams," Sof tells me on the flight to Cebu. 

I had to make my interview short and sweet because I wanted to make him rest on the plane going to Cebu before his concert. This also gave me time to sleep since I was the celebrity to hop on the Homemaker Furniture Cebu Float for the grand Sinulog Parade.