THE ASIANISTA NIGHTINGALE

     A usual school morning in Asian College of Technology is not always gleeful. Busy streets and busy lives. Weariness is written all over the faces of the students who haven’t got much sleep lately. Preschoolers still cry out to their parents desperately wanting to go home and go back to sleep. Despite of the burnout of students, joy can still be found. As the saying goes, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times when one remembers to turn on the light.” Jehramae Trangia, a fourteen-year-old girl manages to cheer her classmates up with her joyful persona. You can clearly detect the merriness in her whenever you see her just like any artist out there, Jehramae started singing at a young age. She started singing when she was seven years old. Throughout the years, her voice has improved. She took vocal lessons, she was not self-taught. Have you ever wondered whether you have a talent or not? She never considered singing as a talent in the first place until her mom opened up a door for her to walk in on. It was her mother who discovered her talent.

      Singing is a way of expressing one’s feelings. It is a form of art. Many artists usually write their own songs. Each line articulates an emotion. Every line tells a story. Jehramae is fond of writing her own songs. She writes about her unexpressed feelings. She writes about love and euphoria. You get this odd feeling every time you listen to a song. A song that has a deep story and meaning. You somehow relate what you’re feeling through the song. When you’re sad, melancholic music is by your side. It fuels up your sadness. Music somehow depends on the artist’s mood. Not all artists write their own songs. Some songs you hear might be written by other people.

     A musician has many supporters and fans, Jehramae as well, has hers. She loves her fans so much. They have been with her in every show she takes part of. According to her, she loves her fans because they cheer her up with their reassuring smiles before she performs. They would defend her against her haters. They would do anything for her. Behind her success are her loyal fans. She considers her fandom a second family.

     Jehramae’s family and friends are always there for her as well as her fans. She dedicates her success to her family. But on top of all that, is our LORD. He will always be her no. 1 inspiration.

     Last year, on the 26th of July marked the day of her performance in Tawag ng Tanghalan. A singing contest from a famous show on ABS-CBN, It’s Showtime! You might have heard of it. It is a famous noon time entertainment. She performed in Tawag ng Tanghalan as a Visayas contingent. She sang “Fight Song” by the famous singer Rachel Platten. She might never have sung that perfectly but the emotions were evident when she sang it. She was proclaimed the new champion that day.

  You might wonder why she sang that. You might have thought about another song she could have sung. She could have chosen another song to sing but she picked that song to empower her fellowmen . To spread optimism. To influence her supporters. According to her, an ending is always a new beginning. And it is never too late to be brand new.

- Shannen Verdida

Introduction to Journalism

Elective English 8