Last week was the 7th Monthly Finals of A Song of Praise (ASOP) Music Festival Year 5.  As the Grand Finals night draws nearer, the musical battle gets more intense.

As always, this month’s finals was another tight fight which requires  high caliber judges such as inspirational diva, Jamie Rivera, (who was dubbed as the female version of Doc Mon) singer/record producer Jonathan Manalo, and none other than Mon ‘Doktor Musiko’ del Rosario.

First off was Fernando ‘Ferdie’ Gardon’s original work, rendered by Kris Lawrence.  Judges commended the song’s clarity, simplicity and emotional appeal. As for Doc Mon, it was simple yet effective.

Next was “Born to Praise You” by Jay Alvin Consigo, and brought to life by Jennifer Maravilla.  The judges offered recommendations to clarify its story telling. Nonetheless, it was also a strong contender.

ASOP Year 4 grand finalist Cris Bautista returned to make it again to the Grand Finals night with his composition “Salamat sa Awa at sa Pagpapala.” His composition was sung by the Madrigal singers. Judges Manalo and Rivera were impressed by the song’s improvement.  Mesmerized, Manalo was left speechless.  Also, it was marked as another strong challenger.

In the end, simplicity trumps colorful metaphors and disciplined lyrical rhyming. “Patawarin Mo Ako” clinched victory with an average score of 93.33%.

Song Entry: “Salamat sa Awa at sa Pagpapala”
Composer: Cris Bautista
Interpreter: Madrigal Siblings
(Madz Milana/Photoville International)

Kris Lawrence
(Madz Milana/Photoville International)

Song Entry: “Patawarin Mo Ako”
Composer: Fernando Gardon
Interpreter: Kris Lawrence
(Madz Milana/Photoville International)

Song Entry: “Born to Praise You”
Composer: Jay Alvin Consigo
Interpreter: Jennifer Maravilla
(Madz Milana/Photoville International)

Jennifer Maravilla
(Madz Milana/Photoville International)

Panel of Judges (from left to right): Mon del Rosario, Jamie Rivera, Jonathan Manalo