
Sofronio on his journey: ‘Grabe talaga si Lord’



“WINNERS are once losers who just chose to never give up.”
That has been the story of Ozamiz City-born Sofronio Vasquez, III., the first Filipino to ever win The Voice US and the first Asian to ever own that title of grand winner of “The Voice US Season 26.”
A four-chair turner, Sofronio got all four coaches to root for him – Snoop Dog, Reba McIntyre, Gwen Stefani and first time coach Michael Bublé – but he chose the latter.
“There was power in your manifestation,” Sofronio recalled when he earlier joined the singing competition from the time he was still in Manila. “I told myself, ‘One day, I can also reach that stage and they will feature me.
“Hindi ako iniwan ng ‘The Voice’ from Manila pa lang. Sinabi sa akin ni Toni, ‘Keep on singing.’ Nakakatuwa because she gets to inspire artists with her words and her existence.
“The fact that I am able to just dream. Likas kasi sa ating Pilipino na nangangarap. Hindi ko talaga tinigilan hangga’t hindi ko makuha ‘yun. Sobrang sakit. Sometimes, ikaw lang ang makaka-intindi how painful and hard it is.
“Even the closest to you will tell you, ‘Okay lang ‘yan. Meron pang para sa ‘yo.’ But the journey towards healing, when you are alone, you will be reminded na akin na sana akin na sana ‘yun.”
Sofronio’s story was loaded with disappointments. “’Yung story mo puro talo, talo at talo pero hindi ka tumigil,” Toni Gonzaga shared. “Grabe ‘yung pain ng rejection. Nababago ka niya in a way.
“Habang binabago ka niya, nilalabanan mo, in a way. Not to get bitter or malungkot na tao. Kaya tatayo ka ulit. You will audition again. You will present the experience of people who struggle and get over with it.
“While we were watching you, bago matapos ang song, ‘A Million Dreams’ (from ‘The Greatest Showman’) teary-eyed na kami because you represent the people who struggled.
“The most beautiful about your success story is that even if nagsara na ang lahat ng pinto, hindi ka tumigil to walk down the hallway.”
When Sofronio learned that he will pay a courtesy call before President Bongbong Marcos and perform in Malacañang, he was immediately excited.
“When Mama and I were walking in Malacañang, I told her, ‘Nandito na tayo sa Malacañang. Pangarap ko lang dati, nadala pa kita. The blessing that God showered on me. Hindi ko maintindihan. I told the Lord, ‘Grabe naman ang buhos na ‘to.”
Sofronio does not deny it was his late father who influenced him to venture into singing. “Favorite song ni Mama, ‘Bato sa Buhangin’,” he shared. “But he only lived until 2018. He became a dialysis patient. Nilabanan niya ‘yun for six years.
“But his health deteriorated. Hindi na niya kinaya. Feeling ko hanggang doon lang siya. Hindi na tumagal.”
Sofronio’s dad was his biggest musical influence.
“Ang sarap lang isipin kasi nami-miss ko din siya,” Sofronio said. “Sana napapanood pa niya ito at ang feeling ko magiging proud siya.
“On Sundays, he would wake us up to go to church. Before we went to church, we would sing together. Ang sarap maalala. ‘Yung simplest form ng buhay namin dati. Sana he was able to watch this, nasa ‘Toni Talks’ na ako. Feeling ko magiging proud si Papa.
“Palagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Huminga ka lang.’ Dati, araw-araw ko siyang napapakinggan. Every performance, every guesting, every show or competition na napupuntahan ko. Sometimes, hindi ko nai-isip kung bakit niya sinasabi, ‘Huminga ka lang.’
“But I realized I need to reset. At the end of it all, every failure, every achievement, you have to release everything, then reset ulit. Ang dami kong memories kasama si Papa.”
Toni said Sofronio’s dad might not be there physically with him, but he was around. “He was there in spirit,” said Toni. “He was with you onstage while you were singing. That was why you really won because your dad was with you in your journey.”
In the province, Sofronio’s family went through the fire three times. “The last time, si Papa and I, we were together, sobrang sakit sa kanya. He told me, ‘Balang araw, magkakaroon din tayo ng bahay na maganda, Hindi mo na iisipin na magkakasunog,” his dad said.
“Then we hugged each other. Now, looking back, ang sarap to share that conversation with him. You will not forget that. It really helped me to go through everything. Sa rejection. I often got rejected before.
“The failures, the rejection. Sa audition, sasabihin sa ‘yo when they see you, ‘Ikaw na naman?’ But I always smiled. I was thinking, ‘Bigyan niyo lang ako ng isa. Isang beses lang.’ Whatever I have right now, nandito na ang isang beses ni Lord.
“Grabe naman ang buhos ni Lord. Now, it unfolds to a different dimension. They are now celebrating me. People are commenting, ‘Ang galing ni Sofronio.’ Dati, family ko lang ang nagagalingan sa akin or the few supporters.”
Today, however, the whole Philippines is proud about 32-year-old Sofronio, who remains grateful. “I will accept that as a big complement because I was also inspired by people.”
He was elated when he received personal message from Senator Manny Pacquiao, who was proud of his accomplishment. Olympic Gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz also congratulated him and Sofronio cannot be more thrilled.
Sofronio sang in the cruise ship, where he became a singer in a band. That gave him the chance to travel to the US. “I earned just right and I was able to send money to Mama,” he said.
“But when the pandemic came, I was back to the Philippines,” he said. “Nagtinda ako ng biko. Nag live stream ako. Ginawa ko lahat. Then I went back to America. Then may nakita akong ‘The Voice.’ I joined that. That was what happened with ‘The Voice.’
“Through e-mail, they told me, Sofronio, ‘You’re flying to LA for a possible Blind Audition for ‘The Voice’. When I reached LA, I said ang dami nila. Sabi ko, mukhang malabo ito. Ang daming musicians. Sabi ko ‘pag tawagin ako sa gitna, ibubuhos ko lahat.
“Pero sobrang dami ng magagaling around me. But lahat ng moderation and modulation ko, Regine (Velasquez). Inaral ko mga songs ni Miss Reg.
“When I sang a duet with her in ‘ASAP,’ I was so excited when she mentioned my name. Even Sir Gary (Valenciano) congratulated me. Grabe talaga si Lord.”