Sofronio Vasquez shared his experience singing the National Anthem at SONA
The Voice USA Season 26 winner Sofronio Vasquez shared the conversation he had with President Bongbong Marcos during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2025.
Sofronio brought pride to Filipinos when he won The Voice in the States. With the success he had in that singing competition, he was given opportunities in the US for his singing career.
He is now based in the US, but he went home to the Philippines because he was chosen to sing the Philippine National Anthem at the 4th SONA of PBBM.
A day before the event, Sofronio Vasquez shared that he felt so honored to be chosen to sing Lupang Hinirang. He was also grateful for this opportunity.
After SONA, Sofronio shared in an interview, based on the article in Bandera, the conversation he had with President Bongbong Marcos.
“Kinausap pa nga ako ni President. Sabi niya, ‘Kinakabahan ka pa ba?’ Sabi ko, ‘Naku President, kung alam niyo lang, muntik na kong hindi makalunok sa kaba!’” the singer shared.
Sofronio also shared that his nervousness exceeded what he felt during The Voice competition. “Yung kaba ko sa competition, iba sa kaba ko rito. Iba ‘yong challenge kasi lahat ng tao, alam ‘yong kanta. So ‘pag nagkamali ka, forever na ‘yun,” he said.
Sofronio said that the idea to do an a cappella version of the National Anthem was from Malacañang. He requested to have an accompaniment, but the Palace wanted a simple and patriotic rendition, so they opted to do an a cappella.
The singer also shared that he had a conversation with Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Franz Imperial. “Sabi nila mukhang mas mataas daw ‘yung ginawa ko (tono) kesa sa kahapon nating rehearsal, eh ako naman excited lang ako sa pagkanta,” Sofronio Vasquez said.