Pinoy Pride In Japanese Show "I Can Sing In Japanese" Airs On GEM!

Krissha Viaje

There is no doubt in the talent of Filipinos in the international stage. Though we usually hear about them from the western hemisphere, but it is quite rare to encounter Pinoys winning in International Asian events like Japan. However, just recently Team Philippines won the top prize in the spring edition of "I Can Sing in Japanese!".

This show has been around for years now which brings people from all over the world to see who can impress Japanese music icons, the public, and the world in singing Japanese songs. The program, hosted by Masahiro Nakai of SMAP fame and actress Nishio Yukari, has been broadcasted by Nippon TV in Japan since 2011 and by GEM in Southeast Asia since 2016. The series is also airs on GEM.


The Team Philippine All Stars are composed of Michael David Bodin, Bernard Palad, and Krissha Viaje, who sa ‘Winding Road’ by Ayaka x Kobukuro in the first round, followed by ‘Chiisana Koi no Uta’ by MONGOL800 in the finals. Their performance was lauded by the judges who are very known in Japanese music industry like Nanase Aikawa, Tokiko Kato, Kosetsu Minami, and Shigeru Matsuzaki. 

We were able to talk to Krissha Viaje, who was part of winning trio. She said that she had her first audition in 2017 where she won the regional completion for South East Asia in Singapore and was sent to Tokyo to compete. However she did not won on that round. But she did not give up and tried her luck again to join the spring edition of 2018 of the competition where she is joined by Michael and Bernard Palad. 

Krissha shares that she started her love for Japanese song when she was young and loved anime, particularly Inuyasha. She is a member of GirlTrends which appears on It's Showtime doing singing and dancing. She shares that her two teammates already lives in Japan and had to practice online, but they found their harmony when they met personally for the first time.

Michael, Krissha, and Bernard

This August, proud fans in the Philippines will be able to watch the trio’s winning performance for the first time. ‘I Can Sing in Japanese! Spring 2018’ premieres  on August 12, Sunday, at 7.30PM, first and exclusively on GEM. 

GEM is available on SKYCable Channel 116 in Metro Manila and on Channel 222 in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio, as well as other cable operators nationwide.