Dauntless Hunters’ Jinessa Abanilla belted her way to gold as the inaugural champion of ‘Musikampeon: Voices of Animo’ as part of this year’s Lasallian Cup at De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) Sentrum, Sept. 30.
Eight contestants stepped into the spotlight in the first vocal showdown organized by the DLSL Musikalista, taking on various genres while putting their range, control, and musicality to the test.
Abanilla delivered Whitney Houston hits such as ‘Run to You,’ ‘I Will Always Love You,’ and ‘I Have Nothing,’ exhibiting rich vocals, controlled runs, and an emotive delivery that gave each song its own emotional weight.
After years of joining campus-wide competitions, Abanilla shared how she channeled years of experience and determination into her pursuit of the title.
“Sa mga nagdaang taon, mula first year sumasali na talaga ako dito [competition]. Hindi ako p’wede gumraduate nang hindi nananalo, do’n ako kumuha ng lakas ng loob na ibigay ang best ko,” Abanilla revealed.
CBEAM faculty member John Kenneth Cosa highlighted how the inclusion of Musikampeon extended this year’s cup beyond athletics, giving Lasallians space to showcase their musical talents.
“This is really a good addition. The Lasallian Cup has always been not only [about] sports but culture. […] Napakagandang avenue nito for more areas na mag-shine ang mga Lasallians,” shared Cosa.
CBEAM’s Jinessa Abanilla secured the championship with 93.00%, setting the winning note above CON’s Brando Acueza at 85.67% and Cyris Silva at 85.17%, while CITE’s Aikha Mahinay finished fourth with 80.67%.
