"Sing this part for me," Iris Long instructed the second contestant.
The woman did so before Iris stopped her.
"Try doing it like this instead," Iris said before increasing her notes half an octave.
The woman followed suit.
Iris nodded while murmuring, "Not bad."
She continued guiding the female contestant to sing another half an octave higher. About two minutes later, the contestant finally managed to stably sing without her voice sounding strained.
"Very good," Iris said with a satisfied smile.
The contestant’s eyes sparkled. She looked at Iris as if she were a genie who granted wishes.
"Thank you, Ma’am Iris!"
Iris chuckled. She stood up and returned to the judges’ table. Albert Alcala and Dina Bendita watched her with awed expressions.
"Three minutes and you managed to make her sound like a recording studio-ready artist instead of an amateur!" Albert exclaimed.
"She was already talented to begin with," Iris said. "I just helped her utilize some proper techniques suitable for her."
"What a master class," Dina muttered under her breath, still looking somewhat stunned by Iris Long’s impromptu vocal lessons.
Master Beauty and the hosts praised the female contestant, chatting with her before introducing the final contestant of the day.
The third contestant was male. He was a farmer in an extremely rural mountainous province. He was the firstborn son among many siblings with an elderly, widowed mother. Their family could barely make ends meet. Indeed, his build suggested malnutrition. He was so skinny that he almost looked like a skeleton.
When Iris read about his brief information, her eyes widened. "What?! He’s only twenty-one years old?!"
Even Dina looked shocked, but she refrained from commenting. She only sighed. Her eyes, however, were now filled with pity as she looked at the contestant.
Iris still wanted to comment, but Dom poked her in the back in a silent warning. More often than not, she lacked filter and would say whatever was on her mind. In her home country, her fans and the industry were already used to her frankness. This time, however, she was just a visitor in another country. Thanks to Dom’s prompt warning, she was able to stop herself from saying something that might unintentionally offend the Filipino people.
Just as she nodded a silent thanks to Dom behind her, Master Beauty made an exaggerated exclamation.
"Huh?! You’re only twenty-one?! You look like you’re in your forties or even fifties! You look even older than Sir Albert!"
Albert Alcala grimaced at being mentioned. Dina Bendita shook her head.
Iris began to feel nervous and sorry for the contestant. Then the audience all laughed.


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