MANILA, Philippines — On The Voice Kids, one flawless high note can make an audience cheer.
But for this season’s coaches, technical perfection may still not be enough to make a red chair turn.
As The Voice Kids Philippines returns to GMA Network on September 13, 2026, new coaches Yeng Constantino and Gloc-9 are making one thing clear: they are searching for something deeper than vocal range. They want individuality, courage, emotional connection and the unmistakable “fire” of a young performer who genuinely wants to be onstage.
They join returning coach Julie Anne San Jose, creating a three-coach lineup that brings together pop-rock, rap and mainstream pop perspectives.
And their comments suggest this season’s Blind Auditions could be far less predictable than simply choosing whoever hits the biggest notes.
Yeng Constantino wants singers who already sound like themselves
Constantino, who leads Yengcredibles, says her own experience in the music industry has shaped what she wants to find in young contestants.
Before becoming one of OPM’s most recognizable singer-songwriters, Constantino entered the industry through a reality competition herself. She has said that even after gaining attention, she still had to figure out what kind of artist she actually wanted to become.
That struggle with identity is something she now hopes to help younger singers navigate earlier in their careers.
Her priority is not merely a technically polished singer.
She has previously said she is drawn to performers with something unique—a recognizable identity and an ability to connect emotionally from the opening line of a song.
That means a contestant who sounds unmistakably like himself or herself may have an advantage over someone simply trying to imitate a famous singer.
And as the competition gets tougher, Constantino believes another quality becomes crucial: fighting spirit.
In an interview reported by The Philippine Star, she said many contestants at this level are already strong singers, so the difference late in the competition can come down to inner strength and the ability to give listeners goosebumps.
For young performers trying to impress her, the message is simple: singing correctly is only the beginning.
Gloc-9 is listening for the ‘fire’
Gloc-9, meanwhile, appears ready to judge partly by instinct.
The award-winning rapper and songwriter, who leads Team Makata, has said he expects to approach each child individually rather than impose one musical template on everyone.
His most revealing criterion may be what he calls the performer’s “apoy”—the fire or drive behind the performance.
Gloc-9 said he wants to feel the intensity of a young person who is only beginning to chase a dream. For him, that hunger can matter even when every note is not technically perfect.
He indicated that a child could potentially make him turn even without flawless pitch if that sense of determination and emotional commitment comes through strongly enough.
That philosophy makes sense coming from an artist whose career has long been built not simply around vocal acrobatics but around storytelling.
Songs such as “Upuan” and “Sirena” became defining works partly because of the stories, social observations and emotional weight carried in Gloc-9’s writing and delivery. His official career record lists numerous Awit Awards and other music honors across more than two decades in the industry.
For contestants hoping to land on Team Makata, authenticity may therefore matter just as much as technique.
Julie Anne San Jose knows coaching kids can get emotional
Returning coach Julie Anne San Jose brings experience that her two new fellow coaches do not yet have.
She has already spent several seasons occupying a red chair and has warned Constantino and Gloc-9 that mentoring children can become emotionally intense.
San Jose described the experience as affecting the mind, heart and soul, noting that working with children raises the emotional stakes because coaches are not simply evaluating performers—they are helping young contestants deal with competition, expectations and disappointment.
She returns this season as leader of the Julesquad, giving the panel a veteran presence alongside the two newcomers.
The contrast among the three coaches could become one of the season’s biggest attractions.
Constantino is looking closely at artistic identity.
Gloc-9 is watching for drive and emotional truth.
San Jose brings experience in developing young performers inside The Voice format.
Together, those approaches could produce very different reactions when the Blind Auditions begin.
There is also a second chance this season
GMA has confirmed that the Replay Button is returning.
The feature allows coaches to give another opportunity to a contestant who failed to earn a chair turn during the original performance but nevertheless showed enough promise to warrant another look.
That twist could prove especially important given how the coaches say they intend to judge.
A nervous first performance might hide the very personality or emotional fire they are hoping to discover.
A second chance could reveal it.
The season will move from the Blind Auditions through the knockout round, sing-offs and semifinals, eventually leading to the grand final.
Dingdong Dantes returns, Gabbi Garcia joins as journey host
The coaching panel is only part of the show’s refreshed lineup.
Dingdong Dantes returns as main host, while Gabbi Garcia joins as the program’s journey host, focusing on the contestants’ personal stories and experiences away from the main stage.
Constantino has a personal connection to that role as well.
She recently recalled that she herself had previously served as a journey host on The Voice Kids before finally receiving the opportunity she had long wanted—to sit in a coach’s chair. She said becoming a coach had been one of her career goals and that she became emotional once the offer was confirmed.
That background gives Constantino an unusual perspective.
She knows what the competition looks like from outside the coaches’ chairs, she knows what it is like to begin a career through reality television, and now she gets to decide which young performers may begin a similar journey.
A season where personality may beat perfection
Talent competitions often create the impression that bigger notes automatically mean better singers.
But this year’s The Voice Kids coaches are signaling something different.
A contestant may possess impressive range, perfect pitch and polished technique—and still fail to make an impact.
What Constantino, Gloc-9 and San Jose appear to be searching for is harder to teach: identity, conviction, emotional connection and the courage to make a song feel personal.
That could make the Blind Auditions especially unpredictable.
A technically imperfect performance with genuine emotion could defeat a flawless but forgettable one.
And on a show built around coaches making decisions without seeing the singer first, those few seconds of vocal personality may determine everything.
The Voice Kids premieres September 13 at 7 p.m. on GMA Network and Kapuso Stream, with overseas viewers able to watch through GMA Pinoy TV.
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