Focus on Philippines: Cyrus Villanueva proves his prowess on X Factor Australia, advances to semi-finals

Plus: Amy Vachal is a big hit on The Voice US; Miho Nishida and Jimboy Martin win Pinoy Big Brother; and Filipino films screening in Cairo.

Cyrus Villanueva sang Ellie Goulding's hit track Love Me Like You Do in the top-five showdown on The X Factor Australia. Courtesy FremantleMedia Australia
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Cyrus Villanueva has advanced to next week's final four semi-final on The X Factor Australia.

In Monday's top-five showdown, the 19-year-old Filipino-Australian student covered Ellie Goulding's hit track Love Me Like You Do.

“Cyrus, you are definitely a force to be reckoned with,” said judge Guy Sebastian. “You very rarely set a foot wrong in this competition. We’re only two weeks away from the final and you did everything you needed to do to be there. I hope you’re there – you deserve to be there.”

James Blunt said: “I think it’s a really, really tough song. Cyrus, you’re the one person in this competition who can pull it off – awesome.”

Dannii Minogue added: “I turned around and not only was everybody standing up, but there were people crying as well.”

Villanueva’s mentor, too, was all praise. “I’m really happy you took the hard way, not the easy way,” he said, referring to Villanueva’s decision to play the piano during his performance. “You did the work and I’m proud of you. Well done, man.”

Villanueva later posted on Twitter: “Loved being back behind my piano! I hope you all enjoyed my performance.”

Mahalia Simpson, a 22-year-old soul singer, was eliminated from the competition.

This week's musical guests were Vance Joy and Marlisa Punzalan, the 16-year-old Filipino-Australian singer who won last year's edition of The X Factor Australia.

Amy Vachal is a big hit on The Voice US

Filipino-American jazz artist Amy Vachal continued to impress on the American edition of The Voice. On Monday's first live show, dubbed the playoffs, the remaining 24 contestants performed for the season's first public vote. Only the top 12 will advance.

The 26-year-old, Brooklyn-­based Vachal, coached by Adam Levine, sung Frank Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight.

“I’ve dreamt about picking his brain about music,” Vachal said about Levine. “To get that chance is so unreal.”

After her performance, Vachal received top marks from the panel.

“Amy, I don’t know what the chances are, but please do a Christmas album someday,” said Blake Shelton. “You have the perfect voice for that crooner type of thing. That felt like home for you. That was really good.”

Pharrell Williams said: “Congratulations, that was just effortless. Those beautiful, super colourful runs that were just effortless – that was crazy. I feel like you could win, I really do. You’re awesome.”

Levine said: "That was not The Voice – that was watching an artist perform on the show. You absolutely did the best job you could possibly do and I'm so, so thrilled."

The results of the public vote will be announced later this week.

Miho Nishida and Jimboy Martin win Pinoy Big Brother

Miho Nishida, a 22-year-old single mother who was raised in Japan, was proclaimed the winner of Pinoy Big Brother last weekend. Nishida received 82 per cent of the total public votes, the highest winning percentage in the reality programme's 10-year, 12-season run.

During the first week of the competition, Nishida was the first housemate nominated for eviction by her fellow contestants after being characterised as aloof. She later revealed that she kept to herself because she couldn't speak English, the language her housemates often used to communicate with each other. Big Brother, known in the Philippines as Kuya, personally tutored Nishida so she could learn how to speak English, and at one point ordered the contestants to only converse in Filipino. As the weeks went by, Nishida endeared herself to her housemates – and viewers – with her simplicity and sense of humour.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old student Jimboy Martin was proclaimed the teenage winner, with 57 per cent of the votes, compared to runner-up Ylona Garcia’s 43 per cent. Martin, who comes from a humble background in the northern province of Nueva Vizcaya, served as a big brother to his teenage housemates, including 16-year-old Franco Rodriguez and 13-year-old Bailey May, who finished third and fourth, respectively.

This is the first season of Pinoy Big Brother to feature two winners. Nishida and Martin each won 1 million pesos (Dh77,760), a house and a trip around Asia.

Filipino films screening in Cairo

Two Filipino films are featured in the programme of the 37th Cairo International Film Festival, which opened on November 11 and runs until November 20 in the Egyptian capital.

Lino Brocka's acclaimed 1976 drama Insiang, the first Filipino film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival, is part of the Classic Films Restored line-up.

King Palisoc's crime thriller Tandem, starring J M de Guzman and Nico Antonio, will screen in the Festival of Festivals section.

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