(From left) BGYO's Akira and Jarlo Base. Photos from artists' Instagram accounts
From nerve-wracking first performances to unforgettable backstage moments, singers Jarlo Base and Akira Morishita of BGYO looked back on their journey in "Your Face Sounds Familiar" Season 4 with gratitude and plenty of stories to tell.
For both artists, the experience was not just about transformations, but also about the memories they built along the way.
Morishita shared that watching their past performances brings back moments of laughter, especially the lighthearted jokes behind the scenes.
“Ang daming memories… lalo 'pag napapanood namin 'yung mga ginaya namin before. Meron kaming parang 'yung Amy Winehouse ni Jarlo, ‘ang ganda mo pero laki ng katawan mo!’ Mga ganyan, mga jokes na nangyayari behind the scenes,” he recalled.
Base, meanwhile, looked back on his first performance as one of the most defining moments of his stint.
“Ako siguro 'yung pinaka-first performance ko as Usher. Andun ako sa Iconator bago ako lumabas, medyo kabado kasi ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘ano ba, bakit ko ba ‘to kailangan gawin? Pwede naman ako umalis, papagalitan lang naman nila ako eh,’” he shared.
But despite his fears, Base chose to push through.
“Sabi ko, kaya ko ‘to. ‘Lord, ikaw na bahala sa akin.’ I let go. Thankfully, tinuloy ko siya, and now I’m here with everybody. Ang daming magagandang memories talaga.”
When it came to the most challenging transformations, both artists admitted stepping out of their comfort zones.
For Base, portraying Amy Winehouse proved to be one of the toughest.
“Siguro po 'yun. The fact na I have to sing like a woman, ang taas ng range, and hindi namin binabaan kasi pag binaba, lalabas na 'yung Jarlo na. Tapos 'pag nalagyan na ng make-up at costume, naka-in talaga. So even simple things like going to the restroom, naging challenge,” he said.
Morishita, on the other hand, cited gender-switch performances as his biggest hurdle.
“Most challenging po 'yung nag-gender switch kasi ipit na po lahat… challenging kasi first time ko mag-perform na mataas 'yung takong,” he said with a laugh.
Despite the challenges, both agreed that the most rewarding part of the competition came after the performances.
“After performance… kasi tanggal na 'yung kaba. Kakain ka na lang, mag-e-enjoy ka na lang,” Morishita shared. “Best part 'yung nabuong family. Hindi lang kapag maganda performance talagang alam mo may mga taong sasalo sa ’yo. ‘You did great, okay lang ‘yan, mahirap talaga.’”
Base echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the genuine bonds formed throughout the show.
“Siguro favorite memory ko yung mga moments na kasama namin sila Alexa [Ilacad]… ni-libre pa kami. Doon ko na-feel na hindi lang friends, family talaga,” he said.