Gerphil: No hard feelings towards Kris, Ai-Ai
David Foster’s words, “I promise you, the world is gonna know about you,” might still be ringing in her ears, but Asia’s Got Talent ( AGT) third placer Gerphil Flores said that nothing concrete was offered to her by the Canadian hitmaker/ record producer.
To recall, the 24-yearold classical singer received those “big words of encouragement” from the AGT judge after her hair-raising grand-final performance of The Impossible
Dream. She was already an early favorite though, thanks also to Foster who pressed the Golden Buzzer (an automatic pass to the semi-finals) for her audition performance at the start of the pan-regional edition of the Got Talent franchise. Then, when Gerphil was declared third placer, Foster — who has had produced classical albums for the likes of Andrea Bocelli and America’s Got Talent runnerup Jackie Evancho — went up the stage to personally give his message. What it was exactly is something Gerphil is keeping to herself.
All these fanned speculations among fans, but Gerphil was quick to downplay them during last Thursday’s homecoming presscon for all Pinoy finalists in AGT, including grand winner El Gamma Penumbra, Gwyneth Dorado and Junior New System.
She told The STAR, “Madami po kasing nag- eexpect na yung bulong ni David Foster sa akin ay contract-signing right away, pero hindi pa naman po. That’s why I said (to my followers) that it’s better if we pray for it (his words) to hopefully come true. Ang alam ko lang po, ang sinabi niya sa akin ay para bang encouragement, good feedback, not offers. Basta para sa akin, ayoko pong mag- expect. It’s better that way, rather than to expect something that might not come. Mas mabigat yung disappointment so para sa akin, ipag- pray nalang natin. Bahala na si Lord kung ano talaga yung plans Niya for me.”
Nevertheless, Gerphil (whose unique name is a combination of the words
Germany and Philippines, being a child of a German father and a Pinay mom) is open to pursue a showbiz career if given the chance. It would be interesting to see how Gerphil’s crossover classical singing would be maximized in the country’s pop-oriented music scene.
Since returning to the Philippines from her AGT stint in Singapore, she has appeared on several GMA 7 programs, including The Ryzza Mae Show, Unang Hirit, Eat, Bulaga! and Sunday All Stars. It was publicized that she would be in ASAP last May 17, but she extended her stay in Singapore and couldn’t make it to the ABS-CBN show. “Sabi ko kahit anong network, hindi po ako namimili ngayon. Kung sino po yung unang nagoffer, dun po ako. I’m just being professional. If given a chance, kahit anong network po, I’d love to be part of their shows.”
According to Gerphil, who does pop songs but mainly for fun and private functions, she will stick to the classical genre as she dips her feet in mainstream showbiz waters. “I see this ( AGT experience) as a big opportunity for me to spread and share more with the younger generations the beauty of crossover classical music, and hopefully, around the world representing the Philippines.” “As a classical singer, isa po talaga sa goal ko ay maibahagi sa mga kabataan ang beauty ng classical music through crossover singing — pwede kong kantahin yung mga modern songs through a classical approach,” she added.
Gerphil is just staying true to what she’s been saying from the time she first came to the attention of televiewers — when she joined Pilipinas Got Talent ( PGT) in 2010 but failed to advance past the semi-finals. There’s a YouTube video circulating that shows an emotional but determined Gerphil telling
PGT audiences and judges, including Kris Aquino and Ai-Ai delas Alas (who voted her off the show), that she would pursue classical music no matter what because that was her talent. (Kris and Ai-Ai had then praised her beauty and voice, but they advised her to sing songs that fit her age and are relatable to the young audience). The video had gone viral and generated negative comments against Kris and Ai-Ai, but Gerphil stressed that she has no hard feelings towards them at all.
“I want to clarify that I don’t have any hard feelings towards Ms. Kris and Ms. AiAi. Yung mga bad comments, I have nothing to do with them, galing lang po yun sa kung sino-sino lang po na followers. I don’t know if they are my followers or the followers of whoever. Talagang masasabi ko lang po na sila bilang hurado, they have the right to give comments based on our performances in Pilipinas Got Talent. So, everybody’s entitled to their opinion, and I respect whatever their comments were before.” She also said, “Nung time na yun, love na love ko po talaga yung classical crossover music at ipagpatuloy ko talaga kasi yun ang nasa puso ko talaga. No regrets! In fact, I’m very thankful for the experience that I got from Pilipinas Got Talent.”
If there’s any opportunity to meet again Ai-Ai and Kris, or appear perhaps in any of the latter’s shows like Aquino & Abunda Tonight, which recently guested El Gamma Penumbra and Junior New System, she will gladly take it. “Sana nga po para matigil na rin po ang mga bashers. I’m sure mababago ang pananaw nila.” Meanwhile, Gerphil said that her immediate goal right now is to finish her schooling at UP Diliman, where she is on her last year as a Music major. Delaying her studies for a semester was one of the huge sacrifices she had to make as she went after her dreams via Asia’s Got Talent. “Proud na proud po sila (UP). Nakakatuwa kasi nung isang araw pumunta po ako sa College of Music, nakita ko po may banner dun, congratulating me for landing third place.”
Another big dream of hers is to work with some of the country’s music icons. Gerphil named Gary Valenciano and Jed Madela from among the male artists, and Regine Velasquez and Lea Salonga, both of whom, incidentally, called on their followers to support and vote for Gerphil during the Asia’s Got Talent contest that was airing on AXN.