X Factor Philippines Wrap-Up: 15 Best Performances

Today is X Factor Philippines Finale and yes, it was quite the season. And just like the other things that I blog here, I like to always end my "writing season" with a list of the Top 15 performances of the season. It didn't take me a long time to carve down a long list of songs into my final Top 15 - just because there aren't that many -  but whatever. I'll post my Top 15 and discuss why I think the performance deserves to be remembered.

So, without further ado..

Here are the TOP 15 Best Live Performances of X Factor Philippines Season 1:

15. Every Breath You Take

Allen Sta. Maria
Top 7
This was cool, current, and gave Allen the opportunity to show that swag once again on that stage. The rap at the beginning was a nice touch, she kept the pace of the song strong and didn’t rush to the end, which really helped to enhance the vocals. You see, I looked at Allen that night and I saw someone who could be a viable recording artist.

14. Make You Feel My Love

KZ Tandingan
Top 5
You see, it was already a given that a person who chose this song would do a bang up job. It’s just one of those songs that practically sings itself. As long as you respect the melody, you’re fine! Granted that KZ went overboard with the melodic liberties she took and ended up going sharp on a couple of noticeable occasions endangering her pitch, she was the only contestant that night who was consistently connected with the lyrics and made me look on with interest.

13. Lips Of An Angel

Jeric Medina
Top 10
I thought that this was a great material to begin with and it brought back the smoky quality of his voice that can pretty much make anything sound soulful. Quite frankly, there were a couple of notes early on that were just a touch flat, but when he finally hit his stride, Jeric's vocals soared. It was rich and genuine, and it left a mark.

12. Boyfriend

Gabriel Maturan
Top 4
This was a pleasant surprise from Gabriel. Watching him pull off some incredible dynamics from the soft talk/sing bit at the beginning to his transitions from chest voice to falsetto shocked me. His vocals weren't perfect especially when he tried to hit some of his high notes and there were weird looks and awkward dance moves that seemed to jar me, but it's a noble effort from someone who barely changes his vocal dynamics and stage performance. He has nailed his strengths and he hasn’t been this confident in weeks.

11. At Your Best

Joan Da
Top 9
Nothing earth shattering, but her distinct vocal tone was front and center here. I thought her performance showed some subtle personality, took some risks with the melody and mixed it up. It wasn't perfect vocally but she did a pretty good darn job with the song arranged in a very jazzy, sexy vibe.

10. Eternal Flame

KZ Tandingan
Top 7
Throughout the song KZ latched on to some incredible connection with the material and drove it home. The song did lack a little bit of intensity, but her strengths were on display. Her outstanding musical instincts were evident, excellent phrasing, and her tone was exquisite on this song. But, the vocals and overall presentation were pretty basic “KZ”.


09. Careless Whisper
Jeric Medina
Top 7
While Careless Whisper was one of those song titles that makes no sense to me outside of the realm of cheese, Jeric sold me this performance despite the uneven vocals because the ending, I thought, was brilliant. Somehow, he made the song work with his great natural tone and the connection to the lyrics, his phrasing and his interpretation were all spot on

08. Dreaming Of You

Take Off
Top 9
There was a part of me that felt like I was being tricked. Was I in bizarro land or was Take Off suddenly became a different act? Haha. Never expected to say this, but they actually did an excellent job! Their harmony improved A LOT, the arrangement was beautiful and I thought they showed some vulnerability on their vocals and that, to me, was a big step forward. Great song choice and thank God no one tried to hit a ridiculously high notes just like before. I'm going to begrudgingly say that Take Off had deserved to be part of this list.

07. This Is My Life

AKA JAM
Top 11
It was serene, haunting, perfectly rehearsed, and technically impressive from a pure vocal standpoint. There were a couple of rough spots when they started singing together and parts of it came off a bit shouty towards the end, but those were just minor nitpicks. I thought the staging was great and this allowed them to connect with a song on a visceral level.

06. All At Once

Daddy's Home
Top 9
Daddy's Home has always been a cannon fodder to me, but I was fairly impressed with their version of Whitney Houston's All At Once. They came out wanting to prove something and they were pretty successful with it. The vocals weren't perfect by any means, but the intensity and passion was palpable and it was probably the best they've ever sounded. I loved the way they effortlessly cascaded from low to high and back again and I liked the soulful arrangement of the song as it allowed them to let loose with some of the vocal melodies.


05. Hanggang May Kailanman
Allen Sta. Maria
Top 8
Slight articulation issues notwithstanding, this was very good and in fact, Allen's best performance yet. I thought that the song gave her a chance to show off a different side of her voice, the nuance and the vocal control that's incredibly impressive. She also did better this time in conveying some emotions. Yes, I liked Carol Banawa's clear tone on this song, but Allen's vocals were amazing.

04. For Once In My Life

KZ Tandingan
Top 11
Impeccable phrasing. Stunning tone. Fantastic dynamics. This, to me, was a brilliant song choice for her that started off slow and passionate with a merciful restraint to her voice, but then heated to a full boil with impassioned delivery. I kind of wish the band had never kicked in and that the performance had stayed small and intimate, but KZ pulled it off with this performance, and it was pretty spectacular to watch her get into the nitty gritty. Solid moment for her.

03. Nobela

Joan Da
Top 8
Interesting vocal choices. Soulful delivery. Incredible vocal restraint. Excellent phrasing. Lovely interpretation. Effortless vocals. One of the more interesting performances and possibly my favorite from Joan. When she sings softly and quietly subdued, she's just brilliant. No shouting or screaming or any over-the-top runs. She interpreted the song beautifully and everything was just wonderful. I felt the emotion pouring out of her and the vocals were lovely, restrained, nuanced and absolutely sublime.

02. Got To Be Real

AKA JAM
Top 12
Seriously. Who saw this one coming? I didn't. AKA JAM's version of the song was a rousing success! It was fun, infectious and it got me moving in my seat. Everything just worked mighty fine - the staging, the choreography, their harmonies, and even their solo bit. You know how I know this was a spectacular performance? I couldn’t stop smiling for two minutes straight, and towards the end of the number, I had to reach down and lift my jaw off the floor.

01. In The End

KZ Tandingan
Top 10
This literally assaulted every other performance of the season. Seriously. It grabbed everything we’ve seen on this show and slapped them into submission. The dynamics she showed on the verses were stunning, the effort she put into tuning the song to compliment her exquisite voice was very well done, the emotional connection was palpable, her phrasing instincts blew me away, and that arrangement was fantastic. Unreal.