This week episode 5 of the popular Chinese show “Singer 2018”, the Filipino 25-year-old singer KZ Tandingan won #1, with her "Rolling in the Deep" performance, beating the international singer Jessie J in the competition who performs "Ain't Nobody".
Tandingan went into the contest as the eighth contestant. Aside from Jessie J, representing England, the other contestants are Wang Fen, Juno Su, James Li and Hua Chenyu from China; Tien Chong of Hong Kong and Angela Chang of Taiwan.
The studio audience determines the rankings. Tandingan performed her own version of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” She changed the tempo of the song, a talent she is known for starting when she won in “The X Factor Philippines” in 2012.
Tandingan made Adele’s hit more dancey. Tandingan even rapped in the middle of the song using her Tagalog language. The other contestants were impressed, some bobbing their heads and dancing with their hands. Jessie J called her “that’s my girl.”
In the end, Tandingan debuted at the top of the rankings and kicked Chong, who got the lowest score, out of the competition. Jessie J, who sang Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody,” ranked second.
Fans would think that Jessie J’s international fame would put her at the top spot all the time, but the 29-year-old “Flashlight” singer was also in the runner-up position last week.
Chenyu topped the contest last week. But with Tandingan’s entry, he was down to the third spot. Tandingan’s cake had an icing, too. It turned out, she does not just know Jessie J as the “Price Tag” singer; she is also a huge fan.
When Tandingan joined the contest, Jessie J came out to visit her before the performances. Tandingan was so surprised she did not immediately get up to meet the singer; she started crying. "Oh my God," Tandingan said while hugging the UK singer behind the hits "Domino, "Price Tag," and "Flashlight."
After introductions and a hug, Jessie sat down on the couch and invited Tandingan to sit beside her, but the Pinay instead chose to sit opposite her idol. She continued to sob in happiness. “Don’t look at me as a competitor... I’m your friend,” Jessie J told the star-struck Tandingan who quipped, “Who will compete with you?”
They talked for a bit and Tandingan shared that in high school, she was about to give up singing because she could no longer reach the high notes because of a polyp in her vocal chords.
After listening to Jessie J, she realized she didn’t have to hit the high notes in order to be a great singer. Although, to be fair, Jessie J’s range is pretty high. “Who I am as an artist, a big chunk of that is because of you,” Tandingan told Jessie J.
The older singer also imparted her two cents, sharing that whenever she’s sick and can’t hit the high notes, she always makes it a point that to adjust the range. Tandingan also joked that it was the longest time she ever had speaking in English after being stuck in the competition for weeks with non-English-speaking contestants.
Jessie J topped the rankings in the first three weeks of competition. Jessie J and Tandingan posed for photos and Jessie J said: “You’re so small,” to which Tandingan replied, “And I’m already in heels.”
"I’m blessed to be chosen as one of the participants in China’s biggest singing competition, 'Singer 2018.' I’ll be coming in as the first international challenger on the 5th episode. Please keep our team in your prayers as we step into this unfamiliar and challenging but exciting journey. Thank you everyone! I will do my best!" Tandingan wrote.
