(UPDATED) Born in Northern Mindanao, the singer’s historic victory is nothing short of inspiring
MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – The Philippines has made history! Filipino-American singer Sofronio Vasquez is the first Asian to win The Voice USA after 26 seasons, and his victory is nothing short of inspiring.
Crowned on Tuesday, December 10 (US time), Vasquez sealed his win with emotionally-charged renditions of Sia’s “Unstoppable” and “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman during the finale round. Competing as part of Team Michael Bublé, Sofronio garnered the majority of votes from America, earning a $100,000 cash prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group.
Humble roots
Vasquez, 32, hails from Misamis Oriental but his family later moved to Misamis Occidental. He grew up in a modest home in the slums that their family feared could be demolished anytime, he shared in a Vogue PH interview. However, he still described his childhood as “happy,” thanks to music, which brought his family together. Singing with his father was a cherished memory and would later inspire his journey into music.
Vasquez got a scholarship and obtained a dentistry degree at Misamis University in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, in 2015.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story reported that Sofronio Vasquez’s father died in 2022. This has been corrected.
In 2019, Vasquez pursued his dream and competed in the Tawag ng Tanghalan singing contest on ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime, earning him a following. He reached the semifinals, ranking third place. Vasquez had said in media interviews that was not able to take the dentistry board exam because of his TNT stint.
After TNT, Vasquez connected with fans regularly on the Filipino streaming app Kumu, earning him the Kumu Diamond Award in 2021 as one of its most-watched streamers. He also won multiple Kumu-hosted singing competitions, including Sing-it-Off, Raise Your Voice, Singing Royals, and Ang Galing Mo.
Beyond streaming, he also delved into songwriting, releasing his single “Bakit Hindi Ko Sinabi” in 2020 under Old School Records, a sub-label of ABS-CBN Music. In 2022, he followed up with two more tracks, “Bililhon” and “Mahalaga,” under Normal Use Records.
Vasquez told Vogue PH that he later thought a career in singing was not for him. In 2022, after learning about a program for international dentists in the US, he decided to pursue his dental studies there.
Vasquez settled in Utica, New York. He juggled multiple jobs there, including working as a dental assistant and honing his craft, not knowing he was preparing for bigger opportunities ahead.
Journey on ‘The Voice’
Vasquez’s The Voice journey began on a stellar note during the blind auditions in September. His soulful rendition of Mary J. Blige’s “I’m Goin’ Down” turned all four judges’ chairs (Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, Reba McEntire, and Gwen Stefani). He chose Michael Bublé as his mentor.
“Sumali na ako sa The Voice Philippines walang lumingon sa akin and ten years later, napasali ako sa The Voice America and the naging four chair (turner) ako. Dati pinapangarap ko lang sana kahit di kami lingunan, kahit 0.1 second lang makita kami sa TV,” Vasquez said, thanking It’s Showtime host Vice Ganda for “inspiring him to dream.”
(I joined The Voice Philippines, and no one turned for me. Ten years later, I joined The Voice America, and I became a four-chair turner. Back then, I only dreamed that even if no one turned for us, maybe we could at least appear on TV for even just 0.1 second.)
“Your mentorship is a blessing to me, my family, and to all the dreamers out there. You have opened up so many doors,” Vasquez addressed his mentor before he was crowned the winner. This is Bublé’s first coach win in his debut season.
Vasquez’s win is heavily rooted in community support; the singer has been backed by Filipino-American fans in the US and abroad. Social media metrics — six-digit views and thousands of likes — showed his videos consistently outperforming those of his competitors. As the first Filipino and Asian winner of The Voice USA, Sofronio’s achievement is a testament to resilience, talent, and the power of never giving up on your dreams. – Rappler.com
Got comments, questions, or insights about this story? Head to the pop-culture chat room of the Rappler Communities app, available for iOS, Android, or web. Access our chat rooms by tapping the Community tab on the app. See you there!
