Kat DJ and Patty Tiu, collectively known as Deuce Manila, were announced the winner last Monday night, October 8, of a DJ competition that had as top prize the privilege to showcase their skills as Guetta's opener.
The contest, dubbed "Manila Mix Off," was held at a packed Privé Luxury Club at The Fort, Global City, Muntinlupa.
Dream come true
"To be able to perform for David Guetta would be an absolute dream because we get to share the love we have for what we do and send the positive energy we have streaming out," stated the winning tandem who beat four other aspirants for the prestigious spot.
Deuce Manila survived tough competition from 19 other entrants who joined the DJ challenge presented primarily by spiced rum brand Captain Morgan. The 20 original hopefuls, mostly belonging to Manila's elite club scene, were trimmed to five finalists. The other four who competed Monday night were Bed Manila’s Arrjae Puno and Toy Armada, Electronica Manila’s Silverfilter, and 6AM Group’s Clyde Harris.
Silverfilter, an instant favorite with his live electronic set, bagged first runner-up honors while Toy Armada placed third.
The finals participants delivered a 30-minute showcase of their music and mixes, at times surprising audiences and partygoers with unorthodox song inclusions. Puno even injected The Beatles' "Twist and Shout" in his playlist.
Judges mix
An interesting mix of judges settled the issue as they looked into the finalists' mixing ability, choice of tracks, tune selection and overall performance.
Host Tim Yap and singer-songwriter/celebrity-son Robin Rivera led the pool of decision-makers who also included top DJ Mars Miranda, magazine editor JR Isaac and U.K. club luminary Alan Green.
"I really enjoyed his set and he did a good job. Incidentally he plays in a rock band," Rivera said of Silverfilter, which concluded its showcase with snippets from Queen's signature classic "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Girl power
However, the mixing prowess of Deuce Manila's one-two punch, plus the added attraction of their gender, may have swung the tide to their side. Mixing artistry was the largest slice in the criteria pie.
The winning duo will display their music-mixing talents ahead of Alesso and Kaz James, who are also opening for David Guetta tonight.
They said, "The only thing that gives us the energy to play for a crowd is the passion and pure love we have for music. That moment when you find a connection with a person through music is the best part of it all."
Yugel Losorata | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom
