They say it takes more than just technical skill to win a singing competition—you need to make people 'feel.' Christian Tibayan and Arvery Lagoring did just that in the 'Huling Tapatan' round of Tawag Ng Tanghalan Duets 2 on "It's Showtime," Saturday, January 17.
In the first round, where they were up against five other seasoned pairs, they performed "Sa Ngalan ng Pag-Ibig," which secured their spot in the Top 3. In their second and final performance, they poured every ounce of their heart and soul into "Kapag Ako Ay Nagmahal," a rendition so powerful, the judges already gave them a standing ovation even before they finished singing.
WATCH: Soul-stirring winning performance nina Arvery at Christian sa TNT Duets 2
Christian and Arvery ended the competition with an almost perfect score of 99.6%, towering over second placer Jezzian (Jezza Quiogue and Ian Manibale) with 95.6%, and third placer Pangmala-COUSINS (JR Oclarit and Mark Justo) with 95.4%.
The duo, called OST Dreamers, served crystal-clear vocals that soared and pierced straight into the hearts of the 'hurados' and viewers. And that's because every note told their own story of reroutes and second chances. Speaking to ABS-CBN Studios after their win, they said this dream took heartbreaks and a whole lot of prayers to come true.
For Christian, it was a full-circle moment as memories from his ‘kontesero’ journey flashed before him—from competing in "Idol Philippines" Season 2 to joining the sixth season of "Tawag Ng Tanghalan" and making it to the Huling Tapatan of "TNT The School Showdown" (his biggest milestone up until this win).
Like Christian, Arvery also joined "TNT The School Showdown" and made it to the finals where she placed third. So when they found themselves in another Huling Tapatan—this time, as a duo—it felt like their past journeys were aligning for a reason. They believe those earlier competitions taught them lessons they needed to carry into this moment.
For Christian, the biggest lesson was learning to completely surrender everything to the Lord, "Alam Niya 'yung desires ng heart naming dalawa. Whenever nandito na kami sa stage, surrender na, kasi 'pag peaceful na 'yung heart mo, hindi ka na kakabahan."
He continued, "Lagi ko rin sinasabi kay Arvery na huwag kaming mag-expect. We just have to surrender everything. If it's God's will for us, mangyayari talaga 'yun." Out of all the competitions he had joined in the past, this was the most 'surrendered' version of himself, especially knowing how amazing their fellow finalists were.
As for Arvery, she learned that while faith is essential, it has to come hand-in-hand with effort—that no matter how much you pray or believe in something, you still need to put in the hard work, stay disciplined, and meet God halfway by showing up fully prepared, which is why both she and Christian were so strict with themselves throughout the competition, to the point that they avoided sweets and anything cold just to protect their voices.
So now that the journey is over and the title is finally theirs, the first thing on their minds is to finally treat themselves to a well-deserved delicious meal together, then spend time with their families and supporters who came all the way to the studio to cheer them on.
Christian shared that his biggest inspiration during the Huling Tapatan was none other than his duo, Arvery, as he found her journey truly motivating, "Kasi nagkuwento kami ng life stories sa isa't isa at sobra akong na-inspire sa istorya ng buhay niya." That's why he asked God for their breakthrough, something that could change their lives and open new doors for themselves and their families. In turn, Arvery fought as fiercely for Christian because she saw the same effort and heart in him.
As Grand Champions of “TNT Duets 2,” OST Dreamers will receive a talent management contract under Star Magic, a recording deal with ABS-CBN Star Music, a specially crafted trophy by renowned artist Toym Imao, and a cash prize of ₱500,000.
Christian plans to offer tithes to the church as his way of thanking the Lord for the blessing, then use part of the cash prize to pay off debts and secure some savings for the future. As for Arvery, her biggest priority is to fund the continued treatment of her father, who is currently recovering from a stroke.
Starting Monday (January 19), viewers can once again witness the passion and talent of aspiring singers in the new season of “Tawag ng Tanghalan.”
Don’t miss an episode of “It’s Showtime,” airing Monday to Saturday at 12 NN on GMA, Kapamilya Channel sa ALLTV2, A2Z, Kapamilya Online Live (ABS-CBN Entertainment on YouTube and Facebook), iWant, and TFC IPTV.