THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Donna Rose Santiago and local dance group X-Cessives are this year’s CNMI’s Got Talent grand prize winners.
Out of a total of 16 contestants, Santiago won in the youth division and the X-Cessives won the adult division, earning them a $2,000 cash prize.
Bridge Capital LLC launched the contest in November, drawing in a number of competitors.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s contest was via Zoom meeting, with 300 viewers tuning in live.
In line with this year’s theme was “Island Christmas,” Santiago donned a Santa Claus costume and sang “Walking Around the Christmas Tree,” winning over the judges.
The X-Cessives, on the other hand, performed a skit and dance number depicting the story of life as a frontliner, sacrificing spending Christmas with her family to work in the hospital, only to contract the Covid-19 virus.
They then illustrated the frontliner recovering from the virus and reuniting with her family.
Judges critiqued pre-recorded performances of the finalists, allotting the contestants some time to practice before their performances.
This year’s judges were first lady Diann T. Torres; Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig; representative of the Office of the Mayor of Saipan, Joann Aquino; Tinian Mayor Edwin Aldan; and Saipan Rotary Club president Sonya Dancoe.
Winning $1,000 were first runner-up winners were Donato Santiago in the youth division and Patrice Jean Aureo in the adult division.
Second runner-up winners were Heaven Angeline Palacios Murphy in the youth division and “The Manuels” in the adult division, securing a $500 prize.
Brothers Leonard, Matthew, and Kyle of “The Manuels” also won The Governor’s Choice Award, selected by Governor Ralph DLG Torres for the award.
New awards that were given this year were The Most Christmassy Performance and The Community Choice.
Donna Rose Santiago won The Most Christmassy Performance and Angelo Rabe — having been selected by a majority of the virtual audience — won The Community Choice.
The virtual audience also had an opportunity to win in-show raffle prizes courtesy of Bridge Capital, LLC.
Rona Flawau won a $300 gift certificate from Amazon, Amie Vadal won a $400 gift certificate from Amazon, Aira Joy Velasco won a Samsung cellphone worth $800, and Ann Lagmay Velasco won a brand new iPhone 12 worth $900.
Competing against Donna Rose Santiago, the X-Cessives, Donato Santiago, Patrice Jean Aureo, Heaven Angeline Palacios Murphy, The Manuels, and Angelo Rabe were Mayanna Nego, Robby Murillo, Lency Sagarino, Kim Hyung Joo, Joshua Cadudu-An, Priscilla Pangelinan, Kyle Andre Manuel, Simon Necessito, and Justin Tubera.
Donna Rose Santiago
X-Cessives
