Dubai: Filipino singer KZ Tandingan stunned the audience with an electrifying performance to beat Price Tag hitmaker Jessie J in a singing competition in China this week.
Tandingan, who was in Dubai for a concert in November, gave a hair-raising performance of Rolling in the Deep that shoved the British star into second place in Singer 2018.
Tandingan mixed electronica, hip hop and Filipino rap in her enthralling rendition of the Adele hit, sending judges and the audience on their feet before the end of the electrifying number.
Jessie J sang Ain’t Nobody, losing the top spot for the second week in a row. She was later seen applauding the Filipina singer. They will return for a new round of competition next week.
Shortly after the competition, Tandingan met Jessie J and shared a long hug with the British singer.
“I can’t believe I’m talking to you!” an emotional Tandingan told Jessie J, who replied: “I’m not a competitor, I’m just your friend.”
“Who would compete with you?” Tandingan said minutes into their conversation.
The 25-year-old Filipina singer shared how a polyp in her vocal cords when she was in high school almost ended her foray into singing.
“Who I am as an artist now, a big chunk of that is because of you,” she told Jessie J. Tandingan rose to fame after winning X Factor Philippines in 2012. She is a mainstay in popular Philippine TV show ASAP.
