Meet Your Pinoy Idol!

After eight months of grueling eliminations and challenges, the search for the very first Pinoy Idol is over. Pinoy Idol held its Performance Night Finale on August 17, 2008 at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Each of the three remaining contenders performed three songs, one personally chosen by the contestant, one by one of the judges and one by the contestant's favorite mentor. Gutierrez hosted most of the program while joining him in the sidelines were Rhian Ramos and Karylle. Each song was performed with Tan's band and the group The Opera as back-up singers, just as always. They were also joined in each of two joint performances by Basil Valdez and Regine Velasquez. The bands Freestyle, South Border, Cueshé, and Itchyworms also have performances of their own.

In an unusual instance, the judges held off their comments for each of the finalists' performances until after the last performance of the last finalist. Each of the three judges told one of the three finalists about his comments on the performances as well as those of the other judges.

The next night at the same venue, the star-studded results show was held, headlined by Bautista, Chaves, and Espina together with the rest of the Top 24, performing together with Hajji Alejandro, Jett Pangan, Luke Mejares, Verne Varga, and Duncan Ramos. The third placer was immediately announced soon after with Chaves shut out of the final two, leaving Bautista and Espina in the running for the title.

There were also performances by the bands Pupil, Callalily, and Rivermaya.

For their final performance before the announcement of the winner, Bautista and Espina each performed an original composition "To You" by resident judge Alcasid and with the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus as back-up choir.

One amazing lady was proclaimed winner of the prestigious Pinoy Idol search. From thousands of hopefuls from all over the country, Gretchen Espina who hails from Biliran province, won the nation’s heart by garnering the most number of text votes, and thus becoming our first Pinoy Idol. Aside from the title, Espina received P1 million, a condominium unit, a brand new car, a recording contract with Sony BMG Music Philippines, and a television contract with GMA Network.

To date, Valdez and Cueshé were the only acts so far that have performances in both Philippine Idol grand finals shows. They, Alejandro and Mejares were also the only ones to appear in both Philippine Idol shows per se as Alejandro and Mejares appeared as guest judges in Philippine Idol.

For more information log on to: http://www.igma.tv/pinoyidol/

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