TROPA NI PABLO

Just recently, it was announced that Chito Miranda will not be on this season of The Voice Kids Philippines. There was anticipation on who would replace him, and when hints were dropped, A'tin, especially Hatdogs, were overjoyed. We know that if there's anyone deserving of that spot as a coach, it would be our beloved Pinuno. There is no doubt in our minds that he would help many children just as he helped his members, but not everyone thought the same. Of course, the haters and trolls will do everything in their power to diminish his achievements and credibility.

So, was John Paulo Nase deserving to be a coach in The Voice Kids Philippines?

He has been helping people improve their craft ever since he became a trainee of  SBT. Justin admitted that during their training days, Pablo would help him learn even though Pau himself has to train. This natural selflessness makes our Pinuno a perfect fit to be a leader. He genuinely cares for people and wants to see them improve and succeed. He is blessed with talent, and he wants to share it to others and inspire them to work for their dreams. As a The Voice Kids coach, it's not just about how long you've been in the industry to be worthy of the title and position. It's about whether you have what it takes to mentor people, and Pablo certainly do.

Take Ken as an example. He said when he was a kid, he could sing his heart out and reach high notes but when puberty hit him, his voice changed drastically causing him to lose his ability to sing powerful songs. He lost his love for singing because of it and turned his attention to dancing. Can you imagine how frustrating it is to a person surrounded by a family of musically inclined people to lose that precious talent he once has? I could imagine why he hated his voice, but because of Pablo, he slowly learned to accept his voice and capitalize in it.

Being a mentor or a coach is not about pushing people to do what you want because you know better. It's about understanding them and learning their strengths and weaknesses, then teaching them how to capitalize in their strength and overcome their weakness. Yes, Ken can't sing high notes as much as he used to, but his deep voice gave him an edge that not many singers have. He learned to play with his voice from the low to high register to produce beautiful sounds. Pablo saw Ken's strength and weaknesses, so he helped him pushed forward. Now, we have Felip, an artist confident of his uniquely deep voice with an entire solo discography of wonderfully unique songs.

Even the bubbly, outgoing Stell doubted himself, as any normal person would. The pressure and exhaustion got the best of him once or twice, but one of the people who helped him find his drive again was Pablo. Despite the playful moniker given to him by the fans and his brothers as Ate Chona, Pablo has always been a source of hope and inspiration. He always know the right words to say to uplift people, and inspire them to work for their dreams. He is a born leader with sincere compassion for people, another characteristic that a coach or a mentor should have.

There is no denying that his influence and wisdom helped shape his group as they are today, and all his brothers are vocal about it. They never hesitated to praise their leader whenever opportunity arise, whether it be in their vlogs or in an interview. It's amazing how a young man has such wisdom and is always willing to share it to others. Pablo's selflessness is his greatest characteristic for it affects people greatly, and it can be seen with how his brothers are doing with their solo careers. Another interesting thing about Pablo is that he is a bonafide genius. You don't believe me? Ken and Josh said so. Ask them.

SB19 has two EPs and one studio album namely: Get In The Zone, Pagsibol, and Pagtatag. All the songs they've released, including their singles, brand jingles, and collaboration songs, were either written or co-written, composed, and produced by or with Pablo. He describes himself as someone who constantly writes songs, and according to him, he's already written more than fifty songs in total. One of the songs he wrote had been a fan favorite and many have requested for it to be released, but Pinuno said it was just a practice song. A freaking practice song that he uses to hone his writing skills. The song is so beautiful that even if it wasn't officially released, fans still listen to it through a TikTok video shared on other social media platforms because it can no longer be found on his official TikTok account.

Just recently, he graced us with two albums titled ALON and LAON, following his lore (the way he portray himself as a werewolf). These two albums were two opposites of one person, the light and the darkness, Yin and Yang, which Pablo had always embraced. Each album displayed who he is as a person and an artist and shared his wisdom to the world. This is another thing that makes him special. He doesn't release songs for the sake of releasing them. All the songs he has ever created have messages that translates to real life struggles and heartaches of people.

His main goal has always been to inspire and help those who struggle. He aims to help people not to feel alone in their pain and that makes him a true gem in the music industry. In the ALON album, he released all the heavy emotions he had ever felt that many of us constantly feel. Loneliness, doubts, hopelessness, desperation, anger, and heartbreak. LAON on the other hand is full of positivity. The entire album inspires us to remain strong, to distance ourselves from negativity, to keep fighting, and to work hard for our dreams.

Having the ability to release two completely different albums within a week apart and still connect them to each other is something that has never been seen before. Pablo being Pablo, he always aim to give something new and break stereotypes. He has the skills and talent to create beautiful music, teach people to embrace and utilize their strength, and believe themselves. These are characteristics that a leader and a coach should have, being someone with the portfolio to back up your teachings and the heart to embrace people's uniqueness and differences.

Last night, his coaching prowess and eyes and ears for talent was proven by the emotional and impactful performance from three of the kids in his team, Tropa Ni Pablo. Shamchienel Santos, Keith Perez, and Hannah Aladin sang a beautiful rendition of Lady Gaga's Always Remember Us This Way. These three children weren't four-chair-turners, but Pablo saw or heard something in them that made him turn, and he was right. The three gave a concert-worthy performance that left Coach Pablo struggling to choose who to let go.

So the question should not be whether he is worthy to be a coach in The Voice Kids Philippines. It should be whether people would see what he saw in the kid who would remain in this team in the end. His credibility is undeniable, so it is up to the people to step up and open their eyes. If anyone is worthy to be a part of such a prestigious competition, it is Pablo. Can we level with him and see talent where it lies?