Cagayan de Oro’s Krizza Neri wins ‘Protégé’ singing search

MANILA -- Cagayan de Oro’s singing sweetheart Krizza Neri has brought pride to the city after bagging the championship title in GMA Network’s first ever singing superstar search “Protégé” during the spectacular finale held on Sunday at the Center Stage of the SM Mall of Asia.

Neri, a 16-year-old International Studies student of Xavier University, bested two other finalists -- Lovely Embuscado of Davao and Lirah Bermudez of Iloilo -- after receiving the highest number of text votes from the viewers and the panel of judges composed of composer/musical director/writer Louie Ocampo, talent manager/director Bert de Leon, entertainment guru Joey de Leon and actresses Cherie Gil and Eula Valdez.

KRIZZA Neri with her mentor, Aiza Seguerra, after the grand finale of Protege singing search. (Contributed photo)

The lovely lass, who is the protégé of Aiza Seguerra, outstripped both Embuscado and Bermudez during their triple live showdown.

Among her other contenders, Neri is the top favorite of the judges ever since the search started, owing to her clear and nice voice.

As the grand winner, Neri took home P1 million cash from GMA Network, a two-bedroom unit from Suntrust Adriatico Gardens in Manila worth P3 million, a five-year management contract with GMA Artist Center and a four-year scholarship grant from STI.

Her mentor Seguerra received P500,000 cash.

In an interview after the grand finale, Neri says she wanted Embuscado to win considering the latter’s life in Davao.

“Lovely needs the money than I do. We are not really that well-off but during hard times, we can cope up. I am willing to share my prize with Lovely and I want her to live with me in the condominium. It would be very lonely if only me would live there,” she shared tearfully.

She says she will also share her prize to those who were affected by the flashfloods in Cagayan de Oro.

Neri adds she will finish her studies in Manila but intends to visit her family in Cagayan de Oro this week to spend Christmas with them.

Seguerra, who was ecstatic of her protégé’s win, says their mentor-protégé relationship will not end in the finals as she had more plans for Neri.

“I will produce an album for her. Krizza is amazing,” she says.

Meanwhile, Embuscado won P50,000 for winning the Texter's Choice Award and P100,000 cash for receiving the Skyflakes Biggest Break Award.

Both Embuscado and Bermudez also received a five-year management contract with GMA Artist Center and a four-year scholarship grant from STI.

During the finals, the 10 celebrity mentors and their respective protégés together with Journey Host Ogie Alcasid and Reality host Jennylyn Mercado and Arnel Pineda also rendered spectacular performances.