26-year-old Crizalina “Zal” Cabanas captivated the group through the Sinulog Idol 2025 competitors along with her dazzling voice that earned her the title of grand champion. | Contributed picture
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Within the quaint little city of Santander situated south within the province of Cebu, there was as soon as an 8-year-old lady who lingered for hours on the native park with a guitar all the time strapped to her aspect.
A bit shy however decided, the lady would repeatedly play the one 4 chords she knew and enthusiastically sing for the group till they started anticipating her presence on a regular basis.
The sight of her sitting at totally different spots within the park every day and singing her coronary heart out for anybody prepared to pay attention was the norm for most of the locals.
And when the clock strikes midnight, she would stroll again to her home on her personal. By the point she arrives dwelling, her apprehensive mom is able to scold her for coming dwelling so late.
This was the each day routine of Crizalina “Zal” Cabanas, from her childhood to early teenagers.
Even earlier than hitting puberty, Cabanas developed a ardour for performing and turned it right into a passion she would take pleasure in till maturity.
That very same little lady by no means may have imagined that her passion would lead to her turning into the Sinulog Idol 2025 Grand Champion some years sooner or later.
This version of CDN Digital’s Faces of Cebu shines the highlight on a 26-year-old lady whose efforts to pursue her dream helped her present for her family members as a breadwinner and develop as a rising Cebuano artist.
How it began
Crizalina Cabanas enjoys singing because it permits her to precise ideas that she finds tough to kind into sentences by way of every lyric. | Contributed picture
Cabanas, at solely 8 years previous, fell deeply in love with singing.
She grew fascinated with the best way she may specific her ideas by way of songs and acquire the eye and reward of others round her. The phrases she had a tough time talking in sentences flowed out naturally in each lyric.
Whereas she had the center for it, nevertheless, her younger self lacked the arrogance to do extra to discover her abilities. Cabanas admitted that she sang virtually on a regular basis with out understanding whether or not she was doing it correctly.
“Mauwaw jud ko…Basta kay mokanta jud ko. Bahala na. Wa pa ko kahibaw unsay off ato unsay yabag. Ganahan lang ko nga naay motan-aw nako, modayig,” she said.
Nonetheless, it didn’t cease the cheerful lady from sharing her voice with the world anytime she may.
Beneath the watchful eyes of her mother and father, Cabanas grew up with eleven siblings of their cozy dwelling by the aspect of the seashore in Santander. The household lived a modest but content material life within the province.
Their joyful instances, nevertheless, was disrupted by an accident that left her father disabled. He needed to stop his work as a seaman and the older siblings started to search for jobs so they might contribute financially.
Cabanas was nonetheless an elementary scholar however she too earned cash for her allowance by cleansing homes and dealing as a tennis ball lady.
It was essentially the most tough time for his or her household, she shared. Cabanas recalled how they barely had any meals to eat so there have been instances the siblings collected nails and offered them at a close-by junk store.
In her second 12 months of highschool, a good friend’s suggestion to make use of her abilities to earn a residing kickstarted Cabanas’ profession as a singer.
Desirous to earn more cash, Cabanas joined a church band of their city and in a while participated in numerous singing competitions with the encouragement of her academics.
Within the 12 months 2022, she took half within the the nationwide singing contest “Tawag ng Tanghalan” with a associate.
Whereas her rendition of the hit tune “How am I supposed to like you” didn’t get the win, the expertise taught her numerous classes in regards to the trade and the type of coaching she wanted to enhance.
She slipped in again to her regular routine after the competition and Cabanas moved to Lapu-Lapu Metropolis to discover extra profession alternatives as a member of a number of bands performing throughout the province.
Crizalina Cabanas has joined a number of bands that carry out throughout Cebu province. | Contributed picture
Though she was booked and busy all year long, Cabanas nonetheless couldn’t keep away from damaging ideas from creeping in to her thoughts and making her query her capabilities.
She admitted that she would typically marvel if her abilities would proceed to solely be proven to audiences inside the province. She was troubled with the considered whether or not her abilities was ok for an even bigger stage and viewers.
Destiny then responded to her worries with a possibility simply in time for the grandest pageant celebration in Cebu.
Sinulog Idol 2025
Whereas mendacity down and scrolling by way of her cellphone sooner or later, Cabanas occurred to see a social media publish in regards to the much-anticipated Sinulog Idol 2025 competitors. The competition piqued her curiosity so she boarded a bus and went to Cebu Metropolis for the auditions immediately.
Going into the competitors itself, Cabanas had no expectations of profitable towards the opposite equally gifted contestants.
No matter her years price of expertise as a singer, she lacked the arrogance to imagine that her voice may win over a whole lot of spectators. Nonetheless, Cabanas was not one to again down.
She devoted her grand finale tune to her father who was watching with different family members again at dwelling. Entitled “Battle Music,” the tune was purposefully chosen by Cabanas to precise that she has discovered braveness to face up for what she desires in life.
A significant tune carried out fantastically on stage mesmerized the judges and crowd a lot that Cabanas grew to become the ultimate winner.
Listening to her identify being known as because the grand champion was an unbelievable expertise for Cabanas.
Each aid and excessive pleasure washed over her the second she realized that each one her onerous work has paid off. The instances she needed to endure being sick to attend the workshop and the numerous doubts she confronted on whether or not she may carry out correctly had been burdens that turned out to be price it ultimately.
She shared that the popularity gave her the self-confidence that she has been missing all these years. It took some time however she will now acknowledge to herself that she is certainly a singer price listening to.
From the beginning of the competitors till the tip, Crizalina “Zal” Cabanas acquired overwhelming assist from her household and associates in Santander. | Contributed picture
Cabanas can be over the moon over the truth that she has introduced pleasure to her fellow residents of the city of Santander, a lot of whom had been very vocal about their assist for her all through the competitors.
Apart from her loving household and associates again dwelling, Cabanas additionally didn’t overlook to thank the Sto. Niño for the numerous blessings she acquired not too long ago by praying on the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.
Cabanas mentioned that her winnings would assist immensely with their bills for her father’s medicine and her siblings’ schooling. As a breadwinner, she is elated that she is ready to present for her family members now that her abilities are being acknowledged and appreciated.
Classes she has discovered
As a singer with years of expertise, Cabanas shared that she has come to be taught that sluggish development shouldn’t be one thing to be apprehensive about. She herself has grown, after virtually 18 years, from a shy little lady on the native park into a girl who’s now bravely conquering phases in every single place.
When requested about what recommendation she may give to younger singers at present who’re struggling to construct their vanity, Cabanas mentioned that persistence is important particularly throughout instances of failure and heartbreak.
“Persistence lang gyud. Huwata lang gyud ang time nga ihatag ni Lord nimo. Bahalag daghan kag failures sa kinabuhi. Ang importante ang nagdulong nga mas dako diay nga wa ka kahibaw…Saligi imong kaugalingon. Importante na. Ayaw mog paminaw sa mga tawo sa palibot kay mao nay makada unhappy og down nimo. After which, persistence and pray lang jud ni God. Simply wait on your time nga moabot,” she mentioned.
Now a neighborhood celeb in Santander, Crizalina Cabanas is trying ahead to increasing her singing profession sooner or later. | Contributed picture
For the 12 months 2025, Cabanas has lots extra actions deliberate forward to be able to develop her singing profession each within the native and worldwide scene.
In the meanwhile, nevertheless, she returned dwelling to Santander to spend treasured time along with her household and bask within the glory of being the Sinulog Idol 2025 Grand Champion. /clorenciana
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