Meet the Filipino contestants on ‘Bolt of Talent’

MANILA, Philippines – Two Filipino contestants are part of singer Michael Bolton’s upcoming talent search series Bolt of Talent.

According to a press release, 8 singers from Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand went through a series of auditions and are now part of the show. The winner of the contest will get a recording deal and will be part of Michael’s world tour.  (READ: Morissette to co-host talent search series with Michael Bolton)

The 8 contestants will be narrowed down to 4 singers over the competition’s 7-week run. They will get a chance to peform, rearrange, and reproduce a song from Michael’s hits. 

Here’s a look at the two Filipinos in Bolt of Talent.

Hans Dimayuga

According to a press release from Star World, Hans is a 28 year old singer-songwriter, who tried working in real estate, IT, and the food and beverage industry over the last 10 years. He has mostly performed at weddings, hotels, and restaurants.

In the contestants’ introductory video below, Hans said that he was honored to be part of the show, adding, “I know that there are a lot of people who tried out for this, and I’m grateful for this opportunity.” He and fellow Filipino finalist Lance Busa speak at around the 0:30 mark.

Lance Busa 

Like Hans, Lance is also a singer-songwriter. He started singing at the age of 5. He also peforms in bars and small corporate events. He also joined a reality show on GMA, To The Top, which selected aspiring male singers to be part of a singing group.

In the video, Lance said: “Music has always been something that I really love. Any opportunity that would open a door for me is something really big.”

Other contestants on the show are: 

• Tsui Fang Chang (Dena)  Taiwan
• Wei-Chen Lou (Holly) – Taiwan
• Nawinda Sittatikarnvech (Mild) – Thailand
• Jutarat Mangkalarangsee (Paige) – Thailand
• Cassandra Anne – Malaysia
• Gregory Ramanado – Malaysia

In a statement, Michael, who is known for his songs such as “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You,” “How Can We Be Lovers,” and “Go The Distance” from the movie Hercules, said that he’s fortunate that the show has brought him to see different talents in Asia.

“Bolt of Talent has brought me back to Asia where I’ve performed and toured for over 25 years. Now I find myself deeply moved and inspired as I discover young singers with different cultural backgrounds, different family upbringings, but one primary thing in common – the pure love of singing,” he said.

He will co-host the show with Filipino singer Morissette Amon, Singapore’s Sandra Riley Tang, and Thailand’s Lydia Sarunrat Deane over the course of the show. 

Bolt of Talent airs on August 16 on Star World. – Rappler.com