When MGCNL’s Got Talent 2.0 was first announced, posters and videos filled the social media streams of the Student Government. “A Star is Born'' is a continuation of the very first MGCNL’s Got Talent, which was hosted early last year [2020] by the Grade 12 students then. “The event was very well-received, but, unfortunately, it was abruptly cut,” explained Jamie Yap, the SG External Vice President. Early 2020 has seen the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic—leading the first MGCNL’s Got Talent to be postponed.
Despite the ₱20,000 cash prize, the SG faced some difficulties regarding the number of sign-ups. “At the start, there were low sign-ups. Two weeks after the sign-ups opened, only three people had signed up, so I, being the event head, was very stressed and worried that we wouldn’t have enough contestants to fill the event,” shared Jamie. “Fortunately, after much prayer, we were able to turn those three sign-ups into 20 sign-ups in a week’s time.”
This Got Talent’s finalists brought a vast range of talents, from playing various instruments to solving puzzles blindfolded.
Behind the scenes, each contestant had to overcome their own set of difficulties as they prepared for their performance. The lack of professional equipment and difficulties in recording and editing proved to be a common challenge for the musicians. “Ongoing construction around us, and the fire truck alarm passing by [was] so noisy. We [had] to wait after 10:00 pm or even midnight to record the video,” shared Kendrix Lin—who performed a violin and ukulele rendition.
More than simply showcasing one’s talent, creativity, and ingenuity is often considered a must to present a captivating performance for any audience, with MGCNL’s Got Talent being no different. This proved a struggle for some finalists as they prepared and searched for creative concepts to present their talents. “I’ve never been a conceptually creative individual. This naturally puts me at a disadvantage. Even starting with the first audition piece, I already had a hard time coming up with a concept worth submitting,” said Bianca Ong. Bianca sang her own arrangement of the songs from “The Greatest Showman.”
Despite the challenging nature of participating in MGCNL’s Got Talent, some finalists soldiered to support the outreach by showcasing their talents. “At the end of the day, all this is for the outreach ministry and giving back to God all the talents He gave us,” said Arron Lim, who played the guitar. When asked about what she hopes the MGCNLCA community can take away from MGCNL’s Got Talent, Jamie replied, “Be proud and confident of who you are, you shouldn’t underestimate yourself, or your capabilities, [and] develop the talents God has given you and use it for God’s glory.”
Like its predecessor, MGCNL’s Got Talent 2.0 aimed to donate the proceeds from the event to the less fortunate. The SG announced that the money received from A Star is Born was used in aiding areas affected by Typhoon Odette. The donations were given to different organizations and churches to help them recover from the devastation brought by the typhoon.
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