Filipina one of the finalists in Japanese singing contest

Besting 11 others from Asia, a Filipino contestant has made it to the finals of a Japanese singing competition.

Krissha Viaje from the Philippines will compete in Nippon TV’s “I Can Sing in Japanese!” after her successful audition in Singapore. She bested other hopefuls from Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, reported Inquirer.

In her audition, Viaje, a longtime fan of Japanese shows, delivered a soulful rendition of the song “Precious” by Yana, theme song of the movie “Limit of Love Umizaru,” the report said.

Yuji Gobuichi, the Japanese director and creator of the program, reportedly said: “We are very impressed by the immense talent we have seen in the entries from Asia. I believe that Krissha is the next big thing in the making and that the rest of the contestants are also ready to take on other global singing competitions.”

“I Can Sing in Japanese” features non-native Japanese speakers who have passion for singing Japanese songs. The contestants are judged based on pronunciation, singing skill and emotional impact.

The show is slated for filming later this year, said the news portal.

“Singing in Japanese is not easy so we were surprised by the high quality of entries across South East Asia. The overwhelming response from aspiring singers reflects the popularity of Japanese pop culture in this region,” Inquirer quoted Virginia Lim, Senior Vice President & Head of Content, Production & Marketing, Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia, as saying.