The TNT boys story: From individual singers to perfect ‘Bang Bang’ performance

August 27, 2018 - 2:07 PM
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The Tawag ng Tanghalan boys’ rendition of the pop song “Bang Bang” earned praises online for being a near-perfect rendition of the performance by singers Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj during the American Music Awards in 2014.

It was their winning performance in ABS-CBN’s talent show Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids grand finals last Sunday at the University of the Philippines Grand Theater.

The talented trio, Mackie Empuerto, Francis Concepcion and Kiefer Sanchez won the grand prize: a house and lot, a gadget showcase and a P1 million cash prize after the judges and the public gave them a perfect score.

The video of it that was uploaded and shared on YouTube is still in the top roster with over five million views so far.

Some fans made a side-by-side comparison on how the TNT boys nailed the original “Bang Bang” performance.

The TNT boys gave a shout out to the people who coached and trained them on their official Facebook account.

Coach Ryan thank you for the patience. We were so nervous that we still had to do a last minute review with you. We were…

Posted by TNT BOYS on Sunday, August 19, 2018

They also did not forget to air their gratitude for their supporters and relatives who have been with them throughout season 2 of the talent show.

“To our fans who have become our friends, you give us smiles every day. Thank you Ma’am Percy and Coach Froilan Canlas for the support. Thank you! Maraming salamat po!” they said in another post.

Little boys with big dreams

This was not the first time that the TNT boys wowed the judges and the Filipino audience.

Previously, music icons Bee Gees praised the boys on Twitter for their impression of the 1979 best-seller “Too Much Heaven.”

These boys discovered their flair in singing and dancing very early.

Kiefer, 13, who came from Davao, began singing when he was only three years old. Mackie, 12, who came from Digos City, Davao del Sur, was already singing and dancing at eight years old. The youngest, Francis, who came from Cavite, first sang at two years old.

They were initially individual contenders in another Kapamilya talent competition, Tawag ng Tanghalan, wherein they came out as finalists—Kiefer placed second, Mackie was third and Francis bagged fifth.

Vice Ganda then invited them as guests to his own show, Gandang Gabi Vice last year, when they showcased their caliber in singing Beyonce’s “Listen” in a short skit.

This TV guesting gathered over five million views on YouTube and subsequently, got the boys an invite to the American show “Little Big Shots” hosted by Steve Harvey. After that, they also performed and got a standing ovation from the audience of the “Little Big Shots” version in the United Kingdom.

After making a mark in the international scene as a group, the boys finally joined the Your Face Sounds Familiar celebrity kids edition as “The Bigshot Trio.”