Aspiring Ilongga singer awes netizens with vocal prowess amid the ECQ

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

Twenty-one-year-old Klite Candelario from Lemery town in Iloilo province was bored in their house when she decided to record herself while singing Beyonce’s popular hit song, “Irreplaceable.”

Just like everybody else, the aspiring Ilongga singer just wanted to amuse herself while her town and the entire province of Iloilo was placed under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Out of boredom, naga Beyonce marathon na lang ko since idol ko gid siya since bata pa ko. While naka-quarantine ang tanan, narealize ko gusto ko gid ipush through akon passion so I decided to record myself while performing,” Candelario told Daily Guardian.

Her video, casually singing while holding a bottle of lotion as her microphone and with the participation of her mother as the second voice, blew up online and garnered thousands of shares and likes on Facebook.

As of press time, the video has more than 32,000 likes, 11,000 shares and 400,000 views.

Many netizens praised Candelario for her powerful vocals and her all-out performance.

For Candelario, everything was unexpected although she shared that she prayed for an opportunity to showcase her passion for singing.

“I was not expecting nga mag-viral. Ang hambal ko lang, Lord ma upload ko video, and all I want to do is sing my heart out that’s all. The rest please take full control of it and then this happened,” she shared.

The quarantine period has resulted in many finding themselves trapped in their homes with the suspension of classes and work.

Most of the people are stuck in their homes and glued to their cellphones and screens while tirelessly doing the same old routine of eating and sleeping.

But for Candelario, the period can also be an opportunity to rediscover one’s talent, pursue a passion, or learn a new skill.

“I would really encourage them to make use of their time to reflect on things especially on their own selves. Do the things that they love or find a new hobby,” she shared.

Candelario urged her fellow teenagers to make the most out of their time while classes remain suspended and bond with their families instead.

“Ara lang kita sa balay, it’s a great time to rebuild ang nadula naton nga bond with our family sang times nga busy pa kita. Ara kita sa crisis, but we can still make the best out of our time,” she said.

The singing hopeful is in her second year of studying AB Foreign Languages at West Visayas State University when the COVID-19 crisis erupted.

After the quarantine period, Candelario said she is excited to go back to her school and pursue her career in singing.

In the meantime, she is making the most out of her time by harnessing her vocals and recording more videos for her new online fans while the province is still under ECQ.

“Right now, I’m really happy and overwhelmed katama sang mga positive feedbacks. Above all, thankful gid ko kay God because of this opportunity nga ginhatag niya sa akon. In return, the best thing I can do is to keep on singing and share it to the rest of the world,” she said.