12-year-old Jzan Vern Tero surprised everyone, including the judges, in the Cebu leg of Pilipinas Got Talent. Jzan sang “Hush Hush” by the Pussycat Dolls and it was the most “fabulous” performance on the premiere episode of Pilipinas Got Talent.

Watch Jzan Vern Tero Live Performance Video in Pilipinas Got Talent Pilot Edition

Will the Philippines find its own Susan Boyle who conquered the world with her singing prowess? The country’s biggest and nationwide talent-reality show Pilipinas Got Talent premiers this Saturday (Feb) 20 on ABS-CBN with 60-yr old women strutting to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” to a 12-yr old kid belting out Nicole Scherzinger.

From the international franchise that discovered and continues to discover world class acts, Pilipinas Got Talent will feature the best and only the finest Pinoy talents from all over the country, covering all age groups, doing outstanding and breath-taking acts ranging from the usual singing, dancing, and acting pieces all the way to the weird, funny, and extraordinary acts.

Pilipinas Got Talent is hosted by Billy Crawford and Luis Manzano. The grand winner of this competition will take home P2 million. But before that, every hopeful must first be able to impress and get at least two approvals from PGT’s distinguished panel of judges — the country’s queen of all media Kris Aquino, comedy-concert queen Ai Ai Delas Alas, and former ABS-CBN President and COO Freddie M. Garcia a.k.a. FMG.

“I will not be swayed by beauty or gwapo, but just in pure talent. I will be fair but will be very analytical. I will look at all the elements of the performing talent or what we call the ‘x-factor.’ That’s what we are looking for,” said FMG or also rightfully called as the ‘expert’ being responsible for the success of many programs and artists in the entertainment industry.

Auditions started at the end of 2009 and thousands of PGT hopefuls flocked to the audition venues for a shot of becoming the first Pilipinas Got Talent winner.

Kris, in her Sunday entertainment show “The Buzz,” was quite impressed with the array of talents she have witnessed so far as she proudly commended the participants who made it to the first screening.

“You can definitely see how talented Filipinos are in all possible acts you can think of from singing all the way to doing magic and acrobatic stunts,” said Kris. “There is actually one contestant that I want to give a record deal already and there is this one group who can actually compete with acts in Las Vegas. They are that good.’

At the end of the semi-finals, only a few will be proclaimed finalists and the people will then have the power to choose who among them got the talent by voting for the finalist of their choice.

Don’t miss Pilipinas Got Talent, hosted by Billy Crawford and Luis Manzano, every Saturday beginning Feb 20,7:30 PM, and every Sunday, 8:30 PM on ABS-CBN.
Also, catch the funny moments and unseen footages in this highly-anticipated talent-reality show with Marc Abaya in “Pilipinas Got More Talent,” weekdays, 4:30 PM, beginning Monday (Feb 22).

A total of 95 people successfully went through in the first Hollywood Round on “American Idol”. On Tuesday, February 9 night Ellen DeGeneres made her debut selecting those whom Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson and celebrity guest judges gave a second chance at the audition tour.

The 95 people chosen to enter the group round were selected from 181 hopefuls. They were grouped into eight and they got to choose to bring instrument or a capella. This bunch included Andrew Garcia, a father who wants to make a change for his son. Garcia brought a rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” with his guitar and amazed everybody in the theater. Kara called it “genius”, saying that Paula would be clapping and shouting when she heard that rendition. He went through along with worship pastor Tasha Leighton.

The fallen ones included Vanessa Wolfe who butchered her rendition of “No Rain” because she could not control her nerve. Cornelius Edwards, known as the guy who ripped his pants during audition also stopped his journey then and there when he couldn’t find the right key to sing his song choice.

Meanwhile, Janell Wheeler from Tampa, Florida had Ellen saying “amazing” when she finished a guitar-ridden version of Estelle’s “American Boy”. She was in the same group with rocker mom Mary Powers and young country girl Haeley Vaughn. Together they made it to the next round along with 45 others on Day 1.

The second day was kicked off with a bad beatboxing by Jay Stone and a compelling story from Michael Lynche. Shortly before he went up the stage, Michael was told by his wife that she was in labor. Announcing the good news on the stage, Michael belted out John Mayer’s “Waiting for the World to Change”. He went through along with sandwich maker Lilly Scott and Texan Tim Urban.

Meanwhile, “Barney” girl Erica Rhodes failed to make it, and so did sisters Bernadette and Amanda Disimone as well as Maddy Curtis who charmed the judges in Boston. Surprisingly, Casey James who took off his shirt for Kara and Victoria Adams made it to the next round after she sang Ray Charles’ “I Don’t Need No Doctor”.

The last group displayed some real talents with the performances by Didi Benami and Crystal Bowersox. Both made it to the next round with the latter getting a standing ovation through a rock rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman”.

Jessica Furney, 20, a caregiver, Wamego, KS, auditioned last year singing Janis Joplin, but after a makeover, she decides to sing Footprints In the Sand, co-written by Simon Cowell, but claims she’s not doing it just becuase of that. She sounds really good, and much better than she did doing Joplin. Simon admits it’s a beautiful song, and Victoria wants to know why he’s never written any more songs, saying it’s beautiful. But he won’t answer, saying it’s embarrassing. Regardless, Jessica is in with four yeses.

Amanda Shectman, 19, a theater student, Roslyn, NY, grabs attention by dong a Britney Spears impression and says she does all kinds of voices and can talk with her mouth closed even. Part of her journey is finding the really special thing she can do. She has a great tone, and Posh wants her to work on her expression. Kara wants her to figure out who she is and connect. Simon says she didn’t connect with him, and she explains it’s hard to connect because she’s done so much theater. Simon plays with her a little bit, pretending he doesn’t know what to say, then says yes and puts her through.

Lee Dewyze, 23, a paint sales clerk, Mount Prospect, IL, has to sing a capella, without his guitar, and sings Ain’t No Sunshine. He’s got a great bluesy soul thing going on. Crystal Bowersox, 23, a musican/mom, Elliston, OH, also gives up her guitar, and sings Piece of My Heart. The Joplin fits her a lot better than it did Jessica. They’re both moving on.

Lacey Brown, 23, a churche event director, Amarillo, TX, had originally auditioned in season 8 and was top 50, but lost out next to Megan Joy. She was disappointed then, but knew it wasn’t the end of the road. She sings Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and does so quite uniquely, with her own tempo and slightly changed melody. She gets four yeses and a wlecome back to Hollywood.

Stephanie Fisher, 23, student/promotional model, Jamestown, NY, is preparing for her seventh time auditioning and feels 7 is her lucky number, as it appears all over in her life. She’s excited to meet her idol, Victoria Beckham, saying she’s the most beautiful creature she’s ever seen. She also has a crush on Simon. As she walks in all glittery, Randy says he almost wore the same thing.

Singing Fever, it seems like Stephanie isn’t going to make it again. Victoria even gulps when Stephanie goes for the big note. Simon tells her she can’t sing, and Stephanie replies Victoria is her idol so she was distracted. Victoira looks away, but it doesn’t help. The singing isn’t any better. Victoria tries to make her feel better, saying she has a very definite look, but not one she’d wear. Well, that wasn’t really helpful, was it.

Rachel Hubbard, 16, Boerne, TX, impresses Joe Jonas, Thaddeus Johnson, 16, Oklahoma City, OK, sings How Am I Supposed to Live Without You and has Kara screaming, and Genesis Moore, 16, McDonough, GA, sounds like she just popped out of a Disney movie. All three make it through.

Looking at athletes, we meet Adrian Chandichi, 17, Apopka, FL, who says he’s 6′8″. He says swimming is his thing, not basketball, and his coch calls him the Big Kahuna. He has a lot of nicknames, and they all have something to do with being big, include The Longzilla, which he loves. He wants to prove it doesn’t matter what you are when you sing. He sings Can’t Help Falling In Love With You. He doesn’t have a bad voice, but it’s extremely high for a 6′8″ man, as Randy’s laughter proves. Kara suggests he has a small schoolboy trapped inside him, but Simon thinks it’s more likely he’s eaten one. He is told he’s nice and sweet, but doesn’t make it. He leaves his number with them for recallbacks.

Michael Lynche, 26, Astoria, NY, is a personal trainer and is totally buff, saying he does circuit training. He’s the next American Idol he believes, because “I got these guns.” He brings his baby mama in, and they just found out their first child will be a baby girl, although everybody thinks it’s going to be a baby boy. He sings Unchained Melody, and everyone is enchanted. He sings beautifully. He’s compared to a singing teddy bear and gets in.

Didi Benami, 22, a waitress, Hollywood, CA, is auditioning in memory of her best friend, Rebecca. She passed away, and it was horrifying, as it felt like she lost a part of herself. Didi knew Rebecca always believed in her. She knows her audition will be emotional and sings Hey Jude, and it’s just as emotional as she promised. She has a certain Megan Joy appeal, too, but better. Kara notes she wants it bad, and Didi admits she does and starts to cry. Randy likes her range and thought she had her own sound. She gets in with 4 yeses, including a small yes from Simon.

Aaron Kelly, 16, Sonestown, PA, says things weren’t going well for his parents and they moved around a lot as his dad couldn’t hold down a job. His aunt and uncle adopted them before social services stepped in. He calls his aunt mom as she’s the one that’s raised him. He appreciates all she’s given up for him. He sings The Climb, and has a lot of emotion in his 16-year-old voice. Simon liked it, and Randy liked everything about it, includng that he’s a little shy. Hegets through with four yeses. He wants to be a role model to kids everywhere.

Kimberly Bishop, 20, a nursing student, Altamonte Springs, FL, thinks she should be the next Amerian Idol and pop singer because she has a big heart. She would be very into recycling and helping kids in Africa. Does she think this is a beauty pageant? She tells Randy he lost weight, then sings I Kissed a Girl, and this will not be her talent in that pageant. She lifts up her dress and exposes herself a little, as Kara calls her naughty. She gets noes, then asks if she can be excused. Simon suggests she’d be fun on a date, and Kara just thinks she was weird.

Shaddali Harris, 22, a college student, Arlington, TX, appreciates that her mom came with her, and as she gets kissed by her, says her mom has always been leaving lipstick on her like that. Her mom says she was always singing even when she was holding her on her hip. Shaddali sings flat and can’t carry a tune, but thinks she’s really good. Neil and Kara jam in the background, though, and Randy joins in. Simon says he can’t hear the song anymore as he’s actually allergic to it now, and Kara tells her it wasn’t even the melody. She wants to sing something else, but Randy tells her she can’t sing.Period.

Hope Johnson, 19, a waitress/bartender, Arlington, TX, has six sisters and a brother and says they had to overcome a lot of poverty, but she didn’t know they were poor. She would take food home from her lunch tray and give it to her brother. She knew there was always tomorrow and that it was always gong to be better. There are a lot of things that are worse than going without. Music was always her escape, and she hopes the judges see the positive in her. She has a very sweet innocent voice as she sings I Hope You Dance. Kara says there’s something itneresting about her and her tone, and Randy likes her and the song and just wants her to work on completing her phrases. Simon thinks she’s cute. She’s in.

Ellen DeGeneres and her funny were given the first look at the preview of “American Idol” next week. “You frightened me. You were stalking us. You were like a leopard behind a cage,” the new permanent judge told a contestant during a Hollywood week episode that will air on February 9.
From the auditions, 181 people advanced to Hollywood. The Hollywood Round is divided into four parts and Top 24, consisting of 12 guys and 12 girls will be revealed on February 17. Audience will then be able to vote starting February 23 when the girls perform live for the first time.

Ellen is the replacement of Paula Abdul who quit over contract dispute late last year. Sitting next to Simon Cowell, the comedienne allegedly has called Simon a “prima donna”. The producer was more than an hour late to the first day in Hollywood and Ellen could not tolerate that because she had moved up the taping of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” so she could be there on time.

“Here it was the first day of taping of the Hollywood shows, and Ellen was there waiting for Simon to show up,” an insider told Deadline Hollywood. “Ellen’s new to the gig and she’s very organized and she made a commitment to take this on, and now she’s asking herself, ‘What did I get myself into?’ She called Simon Cowell a prima donna. So right from the start, the chemistry isn’t great.”

However, Ellen only has to keep up with Simon for one season. Simon announced his departure from “Idol” to concentrate on developing the U.S. version of “The X Factor”. Ellen reportedly asked FOX alternative programming chief Mike Darnell to “hurry up and pick” his replacement.

During the Hollywood Round beginning next week, hopefuls from around the nation will endure an intense rehearsal schedule and pressure-packed auditions as they vie for a coveted spot among the Top 24. Contestants will be put to the test during solo performances and group numbers Tuesday, Feb. 9 8/7c, Wednesday, Feb. 10 9/8c and Tuesday, Feb. 16 8/7c as the judges decide who will make it through and who will go home. Finally, on Wednesday, Feb. 17 9/8c, this season’s Top 24 semifinalists will be revealed.

The following week, it will be solely up to America to decide who will garner a spot in the Top 12. On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8/7c, the Top 12 female semifinalists take the American Idol stage for the first time to perform LIVE for the judges and for the nation. On this season’s first night of voting, the contestants will sing their hearts out in hopes of winning America’s vote and surviving another week in the competition. Tune in to see who impresses the judges and who buckles under the pressure.

On Wednesday, Feb. 24 8/7c, the Top 12 male semifinalists will sing their hearts out LIVE for America and the American Idol judges. After the performances, America will vote, and on the first LIVE results show airing Thursday, Feb. 25 8/7c, four semifinalists – two girls and two boys – will be eliminated from the competition and sent home.

After making her big American Idol announcement on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen opened up about how she got the position and what makes her a good fit to be a judge on American Idol.

While the American Idol Season 9 is kicked off last January 12 and showing the leg of auditions it had, various American Idol fan sites have many speculations that the Top 24 contestants are already chosen. Mostly, these people are said to be the strongest contenders who survived the Hollywood round. See the list of the American Idol 2010 Top 24 List that has been leaked after the jump.

1.  Aaron Kelly
age 16
Hometown: Sonestown, PA
www.youtube.com/user/aaronwaynekelly

2.  Alex Lambert
Hometown: North Richland Hills, TX
I’m Yours (youtube)

3.  Andrew Garcia
Hometown: Moreno Valley, CA
http://www.youtube.com/user/andrewagarcia

4.  Ashley Rodriguez
Hometown: Boston, MA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Cfvcv-9KA

5. Todrick Hall
Hometown: Plainview, TX

6. Casey James
Hometown: Dallas/Fort Worth

7. Chris Golightly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhEPZSf1MJI

8. Crystal Bowersox
Hometown: Chicago, IL
http://www.youtube.com/user/crystalsox

9. Haeley Vaughn
Age: 16
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO

10. Janell Wheeler
Hometown: Orlando, FL

11. Jermaine Sellers
Hometown: Joliet, IL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VDIOrLJvKk

12. John Park
Student at Northwestern

13. Katie Stevens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su7noViKYFM

14. Katelyn Epperly
Hometown: Desmoines, IA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aDMMzUlC8g

15. Lilly Scott
Hometown: Denver, CO

16. Lacey Brown
Hometown: Amarillo, TX
http://www.youtube.com/user/selikcortaka

17. Lee DeWyze
Hometown: Chicago, IL
http://www.youtube.com/user/WULILEEDEWYZE

18. Michael Lynche
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpDwsstbuU

19. Michelle Delamor
Hometown: Miami Beach, FL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eavzKCJzWrY

20. Siobhan Mangus
Audition City: Boston

21. Tyler Grady
or also known as the broken hands guy

22. Benjamin “Ben” Honeycutt (auditioned with Kings of Leon “Use Somebody)

23. Jose Munoz

24. Didi Benami

So there you have it.  Check out those who have videos on you tube and see who you like.

With the new season of American Idol barely underway, trouble is already brewing at the judges table between Ellen Degeneres and Simon Cowell.

It was Ellen’s first day on the job.  She showed up nervous and excited however these feelings quickly turned to anger as she waited and waited on Simon to show up.  Ninety minutes later, he breezed through the door.  Apparently Ellen had rearranged her schedule and moved the taping of her talk show up so she would make it to Idol on time.

Deadline.com claims a source close to AI told them Ellen was fuming and called Simon a “prima donna.”  Ellen then jumps on the phone with FOX cheif Mike Darnell and tells him to “hurry up and pick” Simon’s replacement.

Radaronline is also talking about the on going feud between the two but their source claims the 90 minute hold up is “greatly exaggerated” and Simon was only 14 minutes late and the taping had started without him.  This caused more tension between the two and when the cameras stopped rolling, the two were not speaking to each other.

“There’s two camps on the show this season,” said an Idol insider. “It’s a lot more tense than previous seasons. It seems as if Ellen has decided to try to take control since Simon is on his way out and that’s created problems.”

Who do you think will end up with final control on AI?