THE SIAM-METER: WHY GAYLE SHOULD HAVE WON STAR IN A MILLION

Every single person who watches Star in a Million has a favorite candidate which they would want to win. There are Marinel fans, Sheryn fans, Johann fans, Gayle fans (GO GAYLE!) etc. Who knows, there might even be Teresa fans (all two of them, namely Teresa and her alter-ego)? The point is that not everybody will agree on who should win and be declared as the Star in a Million, because we all believe in our hearts that our bet is the best, and bugger with the rest.

Well, I would like to introduce everyone to my latest invention, which would hopefully make everyone agree on one candidate and everyone would walk away happy (but this is highly unlikely, so why taunt? ^_^) I call this my SIAM-meter, and with it we can measure a SIAM candidate if he/she/it deserves to win the competition. Each contestant is rated in the following categories: First Impression (preview of the candidate), A Second Look (insight on their talents), Strengths (just what it says), What's the Problem (Major Weakness), Yay or Nay (Win or Lose and why, and the things they could do if they lose) and Final Score (Score system ala SIAM). With that in mind, let's begin!

Postcript: If you don't like Gayle or would want Teresa to win, please press the "Back" button in your browser now. You will just be severely disappointed. You should have read the title first before barging in here, dummy.

Candidate # 1: Christian Bautista

• First Impression: A strong singer. He'll blow you away with his Broadway rendition of Josh Groban songs.
• A Second Look: Uhm... why is he still singing Josh Groban songs? What's that? They're the only ones he could sing? Ok...
• Strengths: Christian is the type of singer who knows his stuff. He knows where his strengths lie, in operatic songs like "You're Still You" and "I Dreamed a Dream". He's Andrew Lloyd Webber's dream come true. And Christian capitalizes on this knowledge by only singing songs in his forte. Cheesy, it's true, but effective, since he's one of the top five finalists. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he's goodlooking and projects the "Sakristan", goody-two shoes image.
• What's the Problem: If we were in New York? Not a thing. But we are in the Philippines, where there are only two seasons: Hot and Hotter. Where FPJ is a potential President of the Republic. Not that I'm saying Filipinos do not have the upbringing and elan to appreciate Christian's type of music. It's just that we're more embroiled in the here and now. I'm sure some people like Christian for his voice, not because of it's quality, but because it's "cute" (in the way Miriam Defensor Santiago's voice sounds "cute"). And things like that, novelty stuff, do not last very long in the Filipino psyche. Without variety, the listening audience would easily lose interest. Plus, because of his packaging as a "good boy", he comes across as B-O-R-I-N-G.
• Yay or Nay: Nay. Christian has the potential to be a good product endorser. And he'll probably be a good host for ASAP Mania. But ASAP hosts do not merely sing broadway songs. They do not even merely sing, period. They often dance too. Have you seen Christian's "Ocho-ocho"? Enough said.
• Final Score:8.0

Candidate # 2: Patrice Gayle Dizon (Okay, get ready for some HEAVILY BIASED, GAYLE FANATIC rants ^_^)

• First Impression: Blah. It's just a short girl. What could she possibly offer?
• A Second Look: What the... was that her voice??? WOW!
• Strengths: Gayle thrives on the R n B school of music. Her voice lends itself to upbeat, catchy tunes, coupled with some heavy respiration touches. She can do some extremely soulful songs, where the impact of raw emotion hits you like a wave of water: cool and refreshing. If you don't understand what I mean, get out your copy of the SIAM soundtrack and listen to her cut. If you feel depressed, just listen to the song. Even though the intrinsic message of the song isn't that joyful, you'll come out feeling better. Try it. Plus, here's another finalist who was groomed with the image of a nice girl, but you can tell from her basic nature that she's not the perpetual saint. A nice girl with a naughty streak is VERY attractive.
• What's the Problem: I honestly can't think of anything. HONEST! Some people say she's the least pretty of the female finalists (and this is the lighter version of what was really said), but I BEG TO DISAGREE. Sure, she's not model material. But neither is Marinel, or some of the other candidates. Plus, she's very cute! Look at her pics at the SIAM soundtrack cover, and I'd daresay she looks cuter than Michell.
• Yay or Nay: Yay, yay, YAY!!! Why? Just try reading my other Gayle essays in this site to know why, okay?
• Final Score: 10!!!!! 20!!!!! 10000000000000000000000000000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Candidate # 3: Czarina Rosales

• First Impression: The Exotic Beauty! The Alluring Siren!
• A Second Look: Her voice sounds like pop, but isn't actually pop.
• Strengths: In her defense, Czarina tried her best to get into the finals of SIAM. Plus, she could carry a tune, and she has this exotic look which is very alluring. Her voice tends to be sultry without apparent effort, so that's a plus.
• What's the Problem: Physical beauty can only carry you so much in a singing competition. And there are times when it's sounds like she's straining to reach easily reachable notes. I don't know if it's just part of her style, but if it is, honey, I'd recommend you get yourself a new one. Plus, she needs a refresher course in the basics of the english grammar. In her dedication on the SIAM CD, she thanked the "crews" of ABS-CBN and ASAP Mania. Czarina, crew is a PLURAL noun. You say, "Thanks to the CREW". It's a pet peeve of mine if I see badly edited stuff from big names like Star Records. Hoy Star Records, naubos na ba sa mga audio personnel ang budget niyo kaya hindi kayo nakakauha ng english-major na mage-edit ng maayos? A LOT of the dedications in the album was WAY BADLY WRITTEN!
• Yay or Nay: Nay. At the end of the day, her efforts don't bring her anywhere near the level of the top finalists like Sheryn or Marinel. But that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve her spot in the finals. She should try to get more training and I'm sure there could be good plans for her.
• Final Score: 7.5

Candidate # 4: Marinel Santos

• First Impression: Uhm, she certainly does not fit the VISUAL image of what a Star is, right?
• A Second Look: Hey, I thought Lani Misalucha works for SOP? Why is she in ASAP Mania? What? That's Marinel?
• Strengths: My, mom's favorite, Marinel can belt it out like Asia's Nightingayle (I know, it's Nightingale. But I'm a Gayle fanatic, remember?). And she never hesitates to use her powerful dives. I remember when I first listened to the CD of SIAM. She sounds just as good as Lani Misalucha! And for a newcomer to be compared to one of the country's premiere singers, that's just great. Based on the VTR from the first episode (the one where she cried), I can say she's a very honest person. I remember when she said (paraphrased), "Eto na talaga ako. Tanggapin nila kung sino ako." (This is who I am. They should accept me for who I am.). Not everyone could act the way they really are and get away with it so kudos to Marinel for that.
• What's the Problem: It seems that the other contestants think she has an attitude problem. Notice I said "it seems", since ABS CBN might have fabricated the whole thing by piecing together VTR's of VERY MILD comments from the finalists. Plus... uhm, I'll put it simply. She has bad skin. And the camera does not do her any favors by FOCUSING on that aspect of her face every chance it could get. It's nothing that a little trip to Dr. Vicky Belo couldn't fix, plus she's the surrogate for the mold-breakers who do not fit the preconcieved notions of beauty. I know how she feels, since I have scars myself. It is devastating to somebody when they judge you based on a single zit pit. But Marinel shrugged off all negative comments on her appearance and managed to land at the top. She's an inspiration to everyone who deals with self-image problems. Let me just insert in here that MARINEL LOOKS GOOD. She just had a bad luck of the draw, but her beauty shines beneath all the trappings.
• Yay or Nay: Yay. Next to Gayle, Marinel is one of the other candidates I admire.
• Final Score: 9.5

Candidate # 5: DK Tijam

• First Impression: Looks good and has a good voice. Star potential, and a strong chance at winning the eliminations for that week.
• A Second Look: Call the doctor! He's having an ASTHMA attack! What? That's the way he really sings? But he's heaving!
• Strengths: Dean Kristoffer knows his niche: R n B. But not Gayle-style R n B. He has a whole genre by itself. It's a mish-mash of R n B, Pop, New Age and Gregorian Chants. Plus, he has the chutzpah to pull it off. It's important for new artists to have easily-recognizable music. And when you hear his voice over the radio or on the TV, you'll immediately think to yourself, "That's DK Tijam.". That type of recall isn't easy to make, but it comes naturally to him.
• What's the Problem: It sounds like he hasn't eaten for days! And because he's very, very hungry, he eats the words of his songs! I have seen many ways in which his style has been called: Asthmatic, Naghihingalo, Nasal, Voodoo Chanting. PLUS, there are rumors floating in certain quarters saying he and Gayle have started to like each other and now a relationship is developing! NOOOOOHHHHH!!!
• Yay or Nay: Nay. He's good at what he does, but not enough to crack that top five. Besides, I think it's okay with him, since he already has a legitimate music career singing at comedy bars. I'm sure we'll hear more from DK. Plus, it's not like Star Records trashed him when he got eliminated. In fact, like Gayle, he has a cut in the album "Weekend Love" where he sang "Till My Heartaches End" very well. Top notch, but I still can't forgive him for stealing Gayle away.
• Final Score: 8.5

Candidate # 6: Michell San Miguel

• First Impression: The Singing Sweetheart really is a sweetheart. Plus, she has a sweet voice to match.
• A Second Look: Her vocal range isn't all that good. She's pretty much limited to what she can sing, but at least she tries her boundaries.
• Strengths: Michell naturally projects a sweet, innocent image, but that nose stud says otherwise. Like I said, a nice girl with a naugthy streak is VERY attractive. Lemme say that again for emphasis: A NICE GIRL WITH A NAUGHTY STREAK IS VERY ATTRACTIVE. Like the little choir boy who keeps on saying cuss words and it sounds cute because he can't possibly understand what he's saying. She's very pretty, and like DK she has a legitimate music career. Her voice is soothing when she sings the right songs.
• What's the Problem: But it's the exact opposite when she sings the wrong ones! It's irritating! Her vocal range is limited to a few songs with minimal high notes. She's not one for sustained birit-bouts. It makes her sound like she's trying too hard, and that's never a good thing.
• Yay or Nay: Nay. She should learn to pick songs more wisely. Although she's not in the caliber of the high-tier finalists, I think she too has a future in the entertainment business.
• Final Score: 8.0

Candidate # 7: Teresa Garcia

• First Impression: What a beautiful girl!
• A Second Look: PJ:(Five seconds into her song) What a beautiful girl!
  PJ's Mom: She is, isn't she?
  PJ:(Her songs is about to finish) What a beautiful girl!
  PJ's Mom: Is that all you'll ever say?
  PJ: WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY???
• Strengths: She's a beautiful girl! Oh, and she can sing in an Alto voice.
• What's the Problem: Everything but her beauty!!! She has the tendency to reach for the stars in her songs, but she inexorably and painfully plops back down to earth. Sure, she has the chops for alto vocals, but what about the rest of the song? I was watching her sing this Lani Misalucha song for the second episode of SIAM (the FATEFUL EPISODE where Gayle was booted off) and I was laughing my ass off while she sang. She looked like she was heaving her last breaths and she was fitting-wet to die! Her arteries were popping out, and a few more seconds of that tableau and she would have fainted dead away... or got aneurism. I still couldn't understand why she's made it all the way to the Top 5 while Gayle got 9th place. Plus, everybody hates her, so I feel a little vindicated.
• Yay or Nay: Nay, nay, NAY!!! I hope she just sticks to product endorsements where she could wash the dishes with a fabric conditioner, soak the clothes in mouthwash and gargle with a dishwashing liquid. That'll fix her voice.
• Final Score:10... divided by 10 minus 11 = -10 minus 10^nth = -100000000000000000000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Candidate # 8: Sheryn Regis

• First Impression: This girl is going places.
• A Second Look: What did she say? For goodness' sake, somebody fix her diction!
• Strengths: Let's face it. Unless Sheryn loses her voice or she made piyok in the finals, she's gonna bag the title. No matter what Marinel or Erik does (the two who I believe will compete for 2nd and 3rd), Sheryn will just bat them an eyelash and a well-placed throat-thumping and diagphram-heaving and they'll blow away like smoke. To say that Sheryn's voice is amazing is an understatement. I stand by my first impression (which is rare). Sheryn will go places. I can see her squaring off with Regine Velasquez. Give her some high hair and a pretentious accent like Regine and she's all set to be the next Asia's Songbird.
• What's the Problem: Not to denigrate our Visayan brethren. I love Visayas! The culture, the kind and polite people (as long as they aren't drunk), the happy and joyful people (as long as they are drunk), it's great! But Sheryn needs to do something about the way she speaks. Some ASAP Mania talents are prime snobs, and if she wins, she'll have to face a whole crapload of taunts. There's even a practical reason for this, because sometimes I find her unintelligible when she speaks. Here's a funny thing: Sheryn is Cebuana while Sarah Geronimo is not. When Sheryn speaks, she has an accent, and Sarah has none. But when she sings, Sheryn could belt out the english lyrics with ease and with a smooth finish, while Sarah suddenly turns Bisaya. Sarah has a really bad grasp of diction and pronounciation while singing, which just nudges the song from excellent to above average. But I digress...
• Yay or Nay: Yay! As I said, I think Sheryn will grab the title. Go Sheryn!
• Final Score: 10

Candidate # 9: Johann Escaņan

• First Impression: He seems a little hesitant and shy. He's unsure of himself.
• A Second Look: I really feel sorry for Johann. He's got it all except for the personality.
• Strengths: Johann has a powerful voice. You wouldn't expect such a full voice to come from such a small guy (I think Czarina and Teresa are taller than him). Especially when he sets his feet on the ground, you can hear how robust his voice is. And I noticed he does it as easily as he breathes. I mean, Erik has a great voice, but he has to bulge his neck and give it his all to reach those notes. Johann just stands there and sings like he's waiting for a cab. That in itself is a feat. Plus he's as cute and neat as a button and seems to be one of the more pleasant finalists. And his speaking voice is really attractive. Sort of like an acquired foreign accent, but it's Bisaya pala!
• What's the Problem: He has the stage presence of a fish! He's tuod, he's bland, he has no personality. He's a background, he's a doormat and he seems comatose. When standing beside the other finalists, you wouldn't recognize him unless you were specifically looking for him. I remember that back-up singing challenge (again, that FATEFUL EPISODE). Johann fit the bill exactly. He's so dull and bland that he had no problem being ignored.
• Yay or Nay: Nay. But this could change. He just needs a little personality development and he's all set. I would have hoped that the judges would give him the opportunity to open up and get to show the world who he really is, but they cut him off before he got comfortable enough in the show. A few more weeks and he could have asserted himself more aggressively. Oh well.
• Final Score: 8.5

Candidate # 10: Erik Santos

• First Impression: Why didn't he tie with Johann in the eliminations?
• A Second Look: It takes a really secure man to do the things he does.
• Strengths: Erik has a great and flexible voice. He can sing different genres so he's not limited in his selection of songs. He can be a big name in ASAP, since they lack in male vocalists right now. I think he should have tied with Johann instead of running the gauntlet one more time, but it occured to me that Odaleah, that Leukemia Girl, was given an opportunity due to her unfortunate condition. I'm sure they already wanted Erik in, and made the last elimination round a pretense. Sayang, I thought Miko Lazatin should have been given a chance as well.
• What's the Problem: Erik moves very fluidly and very expressively. He has great stage personality and knows how to flesh out his performance. To put it bluntly, he's like bading, not that I denigrate gay people. But in a macho culture where gay people are treated as crap, it might affect his popularity with the masses. Whether he really is gay or not is not my concern. It's his business, and that's the way it has to be with everyone. But in real life, it's not.
• Yay or Nay: Yay. I think that he's even better than Marinel.
• Final Score: 9.5

Final Tally:

• Gayle Dizon: 10000000000000000000000000000!
• Sheryn Regis: 10
• Erik Santos: 9.5
• Marinel Santos: 9.5
• Johann Escaņan: 8.5
• DK Tijam: 8.5
• Michell San Miguel: 8.0
• Christian Bautista: 8.0
• Czarina Rosales: 7.5
• Teresa Garcia: -100000000000000000000!

Well, there you go. The SIAM-meter has done it's job and Gayle should have won. But then again, I'm no Mel Villena or Cherie Gil or Nanette Inventor, so I'll just wait until Gayle get's her own album.

PJ
December 2003