More than 600 people came out on Boxing day to see the 10 contestants in the Grand Finals Pinoy Idol – the annual singing competition with a strong focus on the Philippines.

Filipino songbird Cindy Bueno won the first place, and a prize of CI$1,500 plus a Blackberry phone from Digicel, with her soulful rendition of Whitney Houston’s, ‘I have nothing’.

First Runner Up title, and a prize of CI$ 1000 plus a Blackberry phone went to Judy Ann Calimlin, who sang another Whitney Houston classic, ‘Queen of the Night’.

Singing Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, Leonardo Solomon was Second Runner Up, winning the CI$600 prize, and Daryl Dixie Sacadalan won the Third runner up prize of CI$500

Bodden Town’s talented singer/songwriter Ashley Ebanks Hoybia gained the CI$400 fourth prize by singing Alicia Keys’ ‘Fallin’’.

The preliminary rounds of the contest took place at the end of  October and middle of November, with the semi finals taking place on 26 November at the Grand Pavillion’s Bebida Courtyard Bar.

The panel of judges, some of Cayman’s most talented musicians, singers and performing artists, included Soraya Fernandez Noel Smith, Barrie Quappe, Earl LaPierre, Audrey Rankin, Haidi Pappadakis as well as international singing star Joey Albert MC’s for the night were Terri Lynne and Dulce Thompson.

One of the highlights of the evening was a special guest performance by one of the Philippines’ most famous talents, jazz/folk singer Joey Albert.

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