Cebu City’s SM Cinema 1 curtains rolled up and the lights went off to herald Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) Season 3’s regional audition that sunny Wednesday, May 25, 2011. It wasn’t surprising at all when there was a huge turnout of hopefuls since the Queen City of the South has been known as the bulwark of innately born and potential singers. A 20 year-old nursing graduate walked confidently and owned the center stage with an impressively quaint-sounding vocal after the usual intro-interview by the judges.
If the audience already went obstreperously jocund in just merely a few bars as if bolstering the ego of their very own pride, how much more the judges who nearly dropped their jaws in amazement and disbelief in what they were hearing.
The instant “celeb” inspiringly rendered “Through the Rain” and sounded unerringly like its original artist, Mariah Carey. The voice timbre, the pitch, diction, and breathing technique were all perfected with precision but what unnoticeably pushed everybody at the edge of their seats was the fact that the contestant was a man. Yes, a full grown man doing a false impression of a female voice via a falsetto.
The rendering was unquestionably thin at some points but not lacking in intensity and volume. .. and the vocal production had less airy sound sans break or jump that could mistake him for just doing a lipsynch due to his faultless laryngeal mechanism that was closest to the original recording.
Suffice it to say that the contestant needed no extra effort to convince the panel of critics and got a triple nod from the program’s regular jurors: comedienne-performer Ai-Ai Delas Alas, the Queen of all Media Kris Aquino, and ABS-CBN’s former President and independent director FMG (Freddie M. Garcia).
The judges’ comments were like melodic compositions sung to him in no other way but also in falsetto.
“Ang galing-galing…ang linis mong mag-falsetto…ang linis mong mag-shifting…!,” commented Ai-Ai.
“Ginulat mo talaga kami…!,” retorted FMG.
But Kris Aquino, in her innate tactlessness after praising him, straightforwardly asked: “Don’t be offended….itinanong ko rin ito kay Marcelito (Pomoy, another PGT alumnus)… are you straight or gay?”
The contestant, without neither being insulted nor took some time to muster enough courage, cleverly responded: “Slight lang…hindi masyadong showy…” With an additional side remark from hosts Billy Crawford and Lucky Manzano who commented in unison: “Hindi pa masyadong showy ‘yon, ha…nag-Mariah Carey na, hindi pa siya showy ‘yong lagay na ‘yon!”.
The phenomenal discovery of the moment was none other than Geo Ed Rebucas, a new-found talent currently creating waves and slowly making a name in the entertainment circuit not only around the Metro Manila and the farflung areas in the Philippines but across the seas, as well.
Winning the initial round during PGT’s Cebu audition came opportunely that it ignited the dormant ember within him long waiting to be rekindled. He may had been regularly performing as host and comedian during weekends at 22nd Comedy Bar along Mango Avenue in Cebu City for three years (since he was 18, second year in college up to the time he graduated) but getting noticed and lauded by PGT’s judges more than gave him that much-needed confidence to pursue further his singing career.
Fair skinned, standing averagely at 5’6” and tips the scale at 64 kilos, Geo is the youngest among a brood of three boys and two girls born to George A. Rebucas, Jr. and Concepcion L. Rebucas.
“I was just lucky to be born to a family of singers,” the low-keyed rising celeb voluntarily divulged. “My Mom and Dad had both acoustically performed in Malaysia while my siblings have joined local amateur singing contests and were invited to entertain in several events.”
Born on the 16th day of October, 1990 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur, Geo’s claim to fame via his divergent singing capability started when he was barely 4 years old when he sang “The Greatest Love of All” using his head voice or natural singing voice.
It was when Geo was a sophomore in high school when he fully utilized his falsetto voice to its fullest range when he dished out Regine Velasquez’s “Shine” and Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way it Is” in a school program and since then his name became synonymous to powerful voice impersonation. His joining the UC-TWC (University of Cebu Theater Workshop Company) for four years under the directorship of Rudy Aviles formally honed not only his singing voice but also tapped his acting prowess.
It’s widely accepted that only male voices have a true falsetto but how was he able to perfectly deliver such atypical female vocal impersonation?
“Actually, at the start, I just imitate the sound and the melodious flow of the music. Then through constant practice the entire song sticks to my mind until it comes out so natural,” Geo reveals.
Learning a new song entails a whole lot of dedication especially when imitating an original recording in falsetto. The variability of every piece becomes a standing challenge for Geo since he doesn’t actually use his head voice when performing. In the course of time he has astoundingly developed his own technique in achieving the mastery of the art of singing in falsetto.
“Once I heard a song (which) I knew will fit my range I tried everything to “own” it…constantly practicing…hitting high notes effortlessly without straining my voice. I apply kinaesthetics or learning through feeling and mnemonics which is a technique to improve my memory as I have to be particular with the lyrics and diction,” he confessed trustingly.
One should listen to Geo’s own vocal rendition of Beyonce’s “Love on Top,” Mariah Carey’s “Mine Again” and “Butterfly,” Brian McKnight’s “Home,” Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper,” James Ingram’s “I Don’t Have A Heart,” The Carpenters’ “Close To You,” Janet Jackson’s “Let’s Wait A While,” Michael Jackson’s “I’ll Be There,” and a lot more to be fully convinced that what you’ll hear is nothing but a sound-alike or be in a state of confusion.
Far from being humiliated with his sexuality, Geo could only shrug his shoulder and laugh it off. “As long as I don’t step on other’s shoes or use other people for my own benefit, I don’t care to what they think about me. What they see is what they get. My actuations and nuances on stage are assets to an effective performance. I have learned to love this job and it’s my life!,” he candidly declares.
Although he wasn’t fortunate enough to snatch the top plum (won by Maasinhon Trio from Southern Leyte), Geo still considers himself lucky for having had explored the world far and wide through his versatile falsetto talent.
“Maybe, God has other plans for me…just like when I was 8 years old and got drowned in a pool. The attending physician had pronounced my death but my Mom didn’t give up. And true enough, I woke up early dawn…with an arid throat. All I initially asked for was a cup of noodle soup. This is my second life and surely He’s constantly here by my side,” he added.
“I always consider my home as my citadel…although not every member of my family is supportive of my career. As long as I’m on the right track and I could augment the family income in my own way, nothing affects me,” he laments in a low tone. “I want to stay long in the business and I’m doing every possible way to hone my talent and strongly stamp my mark to add credence to whatever legacy I may leave behind.”
Now 24 and just recently migrated to the US, specifically in Lancaster, California, Geo sees a bigger opportunity in his newfound home despite abandoning his already established moniker in the Philippines where he was aptly dubbed The Philippines’ Male Mariah Carey.
“It’s hard to leave a place where my talent bloomed and enjoyed the rewards of what I have toiled for …but they say that the grass is greener where better opportunities await. So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed…and hopefully I surpass what I have achieved back home,” he said.
Geo plans to review and take the Nursing Board exam, work as a fulltime nurse, but clinging onto his passion—performing while taking a new step to his musical path… but still imitating his idols, the singing divas Mariah Carey and Beyonce, and entertaining people with his distinctive falsetto style.
Between Mariah and Beyonce, who has a vocal range, singing style, and melisma that are hard to achieve?
“I should say, easily, it would be Mariah. Her melisma is way too much curly and unpredictable,” he opines with certainty.
With his enviable singing style with mellifluous surge and series of hard-to-imitate melismas only he could render, Geo’s fans and supporters could only wish for him to attain stardom from his own merits and deviate himself from being a mere copycat. He has the makings of a great falsetto artist like the famous Derrick Harriott who was unique in the annals of falsetto singing in Jamaican popular music having crafted hits with both falsetto and natural voices… something similar with the vocalists of the Chipmunks, Stylistics, and Delfonics of the 60s band era. One cannot foretell on what really is in store for Geo but his talent is a rarity and the possibilities are limitless.
Currently, Geo is making the rounds of every entertainment venue in New York City and Jersey City through the auspices of his Tatay Vynz (Vince Gesmundo of Vynz-NY Entertainment). His weeklong sojourn this side of the northeast enables him to perform and entertain his kababayans with his unique singing style and his own brand of comedy. After his standing ovation performance at the 4th TOFA-NY event at the Carnegie Hall in NYC last Saturday, October 25, 2014, he was booked for an intimate gig at Payag Restaurant in Queens, NY on Monday, October 27 and on Wednesday, October 29, he performed before a full house crowd at Pal Inasal Grill in Jersey City. Incidentally, both shows were jointly produced by Vynz-NY and JB Entertainment Productions.
Last Thursday, October 30, Geo flew back to California to rejoin with his family, celebrate his father’s birthday, and start laying the “cornerstones” of his new life beneath the US skies.
Follow Geo Ed Rebucas: twitter @iamGeoEdRebucas and instagram @geoedrebucas
Photo credit: Mike Florendo
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