WATCH 12-Year-Old Filipino Singer Make American Television Debut On ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’
NBC Reading Time: 3 minutes
Filipino singer Rhap Salazar was just 12 years old when he made his American television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres show. Host Ellen DeGeneres discovered the singing prodigy through a YouTube video and knew that he was a star on the rise. Check out his vibrant performance of “All By Myself” by Celine Dion down below.
Filipino Singer Rhap Salazar Performed On ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’
Rhap’s performance was pitch-perfect. Ellen sat and watched in awe of his amazing talent. The audience also applauded him for hitting such high notes. According to the comments section of the YouTube video, Rhap was actually sick during this performance. Still, he pushed through and really impressed the world with his vocal abilities.
Rhap said that it was his birthday wish to perform on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and it finally came true. He started singing when he was three years old. He was entered in a few singing contests starting at the age of 7. Rhap very humbly agreed when Ellen said everyone probably knows of him in the Philipines.
SEE ALSO: 3-YEAR-OLD FILIPINO PRODIGY IMPRESSES ELLEN DEGENERES WITH CRAZY GEOGRAPHY SKILLS [VIDEO]
Some of his favorite singers and influences include Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Josh Groban, Michael Jackson and Beyonce. This was only just the beginning for Rhap who was dedicated to pursuing a music career from very early on. He was previously named the champion of ABS-CBN’s Little Big Star.
Where Is He Now?
After appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rhap continued to pursue music. In 2015, Rhap tweeted his opinions on artists that often lip-sync during performances. “I hate seeing artists lip-syncing on TV…Yung iba nagkaka-album pa. That’s my opinion guys. Thanks for understanding,” he wrote. This caused a bit of a stir with responses from artists like Lea Salonga, Boy Abunda, Anne Curtis, Gary Valenciano. But, everyone is free to post their own opinions on social media and Rhap says that he understands both sides of the argument.
Rhap also appeared on the show Tawag ng Tanghalan Celebrity Champions in 2019. He sang Labrinth’s “Jealous” and other huge hits before winning the competition. Fans in the comments section of the performances exploded with love for the powerhouse vocalist.
He also continues to upload covers on his very successful YouTube channel. Most recently, he posted a cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License,” the song that went viral on TikTok.
Rhap launched a second YouTube channel called Cheeks TV with his partner Erwin in 2020. Their videos include vlogs, mukbangs and fun glimpses into their relationship.
The duo are actually hosting their ow talent competition show along with two other judges. They will live stream the event on YouTube and allow for the audience to vote.
SEE ALSO: WATCH FILIPINO MUSIC DUO’S EMOTIONAL BALLAD MOVE ELLEN DEGENERES
One thing that is clear is that The Ellen DeGeneres Show has launched the careers of some incredible Filipino talents. Make sure you let us know which performers we should do a deep dive on next in the comments down below.
