The Singing Bee is a Philippine television karaoke game show broadcast by ABS-CBN. The show is a based on the American version of the same title. Originally hosted by Cesar Montano, it aired on the network's Primetime Bida line up from April 21, 2008, to February 6, 2010, replacing Kung Fu Kids and was replaced by Pilipinas Got Talent. The show returned on the network's Yes Weekend line up from November 16, 2013, to February 6, 2015, replacing ABS-CBN Sabado Specials: Shake, Rattle & Roll and was replaced by Kapamilya Blockbusters. Amy Perez and Roderick Paulate serve as the final hosts. A combinination of karaoke singing and a spelling bee-style competition, this show features contestants trying to remember the lyrics to popular songs.
In each episode, six contestants will be selected from the audience to play a series of games that test their knowledge of song lyrics. Contestants making an error forfeit their chance to get into the "musical chairs". Contestants not in a musical chair position when the round is over are eliminated. The grand prize is P1,000,000. It was presented by Amy Perez and Roderick Paulate for its sixth and seventh seasons; it was previously hosted by Cesar Montano for five seasons. The house band, Bandble Bee, is led by Mel Villena, with several house singers called The Songbees. Dancing to the band are the house dancers, The Honeybees.
Contents
History
The Singing Bee premiered on April 21, 2008, replacing Kung Fu Kids.
On the August 22 episode, the show was supposed to end their first season but it was announced that the show was given an extended run due to insistent public demand. The show's first-season finale was aired September 5, 2008. But after the end of season one finale, it was revealed in a teaser wherein the bee singing "The Singing Bee" theme song which means The Singing Bee will be returning soon. Recently, another teaser pertaining to its return was aired. The second season was a 1-hour show that aired every weekend starting October 11, 2008.
On December 28, 2008, the show started the BeeKada Edition wherein 5 groups consisting of 3 members are the contestants (2 members per group at one time on September 12, 2009). The BeeDeoke Round was removed from the game format. The prizes were increased as well including the Jackpot prize on the Final Countdown which is now worth two million pesos P2,000,000 On April 18 and 19, 2009, The Singing Bee celebrated their 1st Year Anniversary and it also marked the end of season two. It followed the third season starting April 25, 2009.
On its season three, they replaced the segment Jumblebee round with a new segment called Pics Bee with You Round.
In September 2009, The Singing Bee season four finale was aired. It was announced on this episode that season five will start on October 3, 2009, with their new schedule every Saturday nights at 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
On its fifth season, they brought back the segment Jumblebee round to replace the Pics Bee with You Round based on viewers' requests.
After three years, The Singing Bee marked its comeback with the sixth season premiered on November 16, 2013. It aired Saturday afternoons at 3:30pm until February 22, 2014. On February 24, 2014, the show moved to weekday mornings at 11:00am to 11:45am, replacing Minute to Win It. The new format changes include a Daily Champion from Monday to Thursday, with all four champions returning on Friday to compete for the P1,000,000 Final Countdown. On July 16, 2014, the show changed its timeslot to 10:45am due to Typhoon Glenda. The season six ended on August 29, 2014, as the show temporarily ceased off to give way for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Gameplay
At the start of the show, the band plays a song and the host "randomly" gives audience members a chance to sing part of the song. The players are selected through a draw conducted by a private auditing firm. Six contestants will be chosen to compete in various rounds until the day's winner and defending champion are left standing in The Final Countdown.
Segments
One of the hosts would provide the year the song was released, the performer, and the title of the song. A portion of the song is performed, and then the contestant has to attempt to sing the next line of the song. If correct, they will claim a seat and advance to the next round, and a new song is introduced, which the next contestant in line must attempt; if not, they have to step back, and the next person in line tries the same song. A song is thrown out if none of the remaining contestants get the line correct. The first three contestants who claim a seat advance to the next round. The first one, participate as purple team. The second one, participate as green team. The third one, participate as orange (from every Saturday)/blue (from weekdays) team. The last one, participate as blue team (which now goes to third player from weekdays).
The three/four remaining contestants try to sing a song in a fill-in-the-blank format and correctly answer 9 blanks (three blanks for each contestant). After the To Bee Continued/JumbleBee round, the contestant who accumulated the most points will get to play in the final countdown/the new round called 2 Beecome 1. Every contestants need to fill the every missing parts of the lyrics three times. First missing part filled corrected, costs 3 (from seasons 6)/2 (from seasons 7) points. Second missing part filled corrected, costs 6 (from seasons 6. now on filled missing third part on season 7)/4 (from seasons 7), and third missing part filled corrected, costs 6(from seasons 7)/9 (from seasons 6) points. For total score the host will add the previous rounds points: JumbleBee points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from November 16, 2013 – August 8, 2014), To Bee Continued points + JumbleBee points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from August 11–29, 2014), and To Bee Continued points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from September 16, 2014 – February 6, 2015). This costs 8, 5, and 11 points (from season 6), And 4, 6, and 8 points (from season 7).
If the champion concede their title, the first 2 high-scorers will proceed to the Final Countdown (from seasons 6 from every saturdays and weekdays (except Feb 24-august 8) or 2 Beecome 1 (from season 7) round. But it still retain its mechanics.
The segment first appeared in October 2008 but was discontinued after the Beekada Edition started. In Season 6, the segment returned and merged with Singing With The Enemy.
In the round of BeeDeoke, the host will count which points from the earlier round and from this round which points they got. For total score the host will solve the points: JumbleBee points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from November 16, 2013 – August 8, 2014), To Bee Continued points + JumbleBee points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from August 11–29, 2014), and To Bee Continued points + BeeDeoke points = Total score (from September 16, 2014 – February 6, 2015).
Discontinued segments
While the band is performing, words of a next line are shown scrambled on a screen. The contestant is required to sing the line in its correct order. Each correct line is worth two points that are accumulated for the final round.
During season one, four contestants were divided into two head-to-head duos and the winners of the duos go on to the Chorus Showdown Round. During season two, the four contestants solely completed for the next round's three spots.
The host would provide the year the song was released, the performer, and the title of the song. A portion of the song is performed and wrong line is sung at the end, and then the contestant has to attempt to correct the wrong line of the song. If correct, they advance to the next round, and a new song is introduced, which the next contestant in line must attempt; if not, they have to step back, and the next person in line tries the same song. A song is thrown out if none of the remaining contestants get the line correct. The first four people who get a song line correct move on to the second round.
Contestants are shown pictures as clues use pictogram to the line they are supposed to sing.
Only one song is sung during the whole round and all the contestants take turns in singing parts the song continuously. A correct lyric is equal to one point and the song continues to the next contestant. If a contestant is wrong they lose the chance to gain a point. The player with the fewest points in the end of the round is eliminated and the 2 remaining contestants move on to the Beedeoke round. However, on BeeKada Edition to eliminate 2 groups (1 group will eliminated if in case of vacancy of the defending champion) then proceed to the Final Countdown.
This follows a similar format to the first round, but instead of singing a line, the contestant is required to sing the entire chorus without mistakes from the song performed. If both are correct or incorrect (sometimes after two rounds), then they go to a tiebreaker, where they are given the year and the name of the performer and the first person to buzz in will be given the option of playing that round or passing it to the other player. If the singer is correct, he/she win. Otherwise the other contestant wins.
House singers
Since the show's inception, house singers provide the main vocals of the songs throughout the show. By the end of season two, the main house singers were referred to as the "Songbees". As of season six, none of the original Songbees remain. Five finalists from season one of The Voice of the Philippines are the current Songbees including Isabella Fabregas, Jessica Reynoso, Penelope Matanguihan, Maki Ricafort and Yuki Ito. As of January 4, 2014 episode, another The Voice of the Philippines finalist, Stan Perfecto, joined the sixth Songbees and on January 11, 2014, another one of The Voice of the Philippines finalist, Dan Billano joined the seventh Songbees. In September 2014, Isabella Fabregas left the show to join the band "Victory Worship".
Final
Jessica Reynoso (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team apl)
Penelope Matanguihan (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team apl)
Maki Ricafort (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team Sarah)
Stan Perfecto (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team apl)
Dan Billano (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team Bamboo)
Paolo Onesa (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team Bamboo)
Janice Javier (from The Voice of the Philippines; Team apl)
Past
Apple Chiu (from Philippine Idol)
Frenchie Dy (Champion of Star in a Million Season 2; Celebrity Player in Season 6 with KZ Tandingan)
Michael Cruz (from Star in a Million Season 2)
Led Sobrepeña III
MC Castro (from SAIA Band formerly known as Metafour)
OJ Mariano (from Star in a Million Season 2)
Ivy Joy Maniquiz (from Born Diva)
Sheng Belmonte (from Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2) (Guest Singer)
Sheryl Kao
Jason Torreda
Ken Dingle (from Philippine Idol)
Thirdy Casas (from Freshmen Boyband)
Arms Cruz (from Philippine Idol)
Hannah Pesy
Isabella Fabregas (The Voice of the Philippines; Team Bamboo)
Yuki Ito (The Voice of the Philippines; Team Sarah)
Guest singers
Chad Peralta (from Pinoy Dream Academy)
Gary Valenciano
Pepe Smith
Rico J. Puno
Sheryn Regis
Rachel Alejandro
Aiza Seguerra
Andrew E.
Sarah Geronimo (October 11, 2008)
Sam Milby (October 12, 2008)
Sheryn Regis (November 23, 2008)
Arnel Pineda (January 4, 2009)
Rachelle Ann Go (January 11, 2009)
Gary Valenciano (February 8, 2009)
Mark Bautista (February 22, 2009)
Guji Lorenzana and Janelle Jamer (February 28 & March 1, 2009)
Manilyn Reynes, Rachel Alejandro, and Aiza Seguerra (April 19, 2009)
Sheryn Regis (May 2, 2009)
Sheryn Regis and Jed Madela (May 3, 2009)
Nikki Gil (May 16 and 17, 2009)
Zsa Zsa Padilla (June 27, 2009)
Billy Crawford (June 28, 2009)
Erik Santos (July 26, 2009)
Special episodes
Some episodes of the show have been considered as "Special Episodes" having different themes and contestants based on the category given.
Filipino Songs
Jukebox
Movie Themes (July 21, 2008)
Little Big Star and Little Big Superstar contestants (July 24, 2008) — Rhap Salazar as Defending Champion
Radio Disc Jockeys (July 25, 2008) — Rnold Rey as Challenger
Pageant Queens (July 26, 2008)
Special Week-Long Birthday Celebration of Buboy (July 28 - August 1, 2008)
Comedians (July 29, 2008)
Pinoy Rock (August 1, 2008)
Retro (August 4, 2008)
Girl Power
Boys Will Be Boys
Duets (August 20, 2008)
The Singing Bayan (August 25, 2008)
Welcome to the Jungle (August 29, 2008)
Bee Can Dance (September 1, 2008)
Hapunan (September 2, 2008)
Novelty (September 3, 2008)
Name Game (September 4, 2008)
Pinoy Dream Academy (season 2) Top 6 Scholars (September 5, 2008) — Liezel Garcia as Challenger
List of winners
Aiza Seguerra, on July 8, 2008, became a champion of The Singing Bee twice, but after her second win of the PHP1,000,000 jackpot, she gave up her throne to give chance for others. The same thing happened to Rachel Alejandro, where she gave up her throne as defending champion. She defeated her co-contestant singer Bituin Escalante."
Marlo Mortel on September 26, 2014, became a champion of The Singing Bee six times, but due to prior commitments such as the filming of Be Careful with My Heart (that he has to finish for the finale starting Oct-Nov 2014), and for the upcoming show called Oh My G!, Mortel, suddenly withdraws on October 3, 2014, he also mentioned on Instagram.
Reception
The Singing Bee is consistently topping TV ratings on its timeslot. In the year ender NUTAM TV ratings results of AGB Nielsen Philippines last 2008, it ranked 6th in the Top Weekday Primetime Programs with 33.2%, and 5th in the Top Weekend Primetime Programs with 26.4%. In Kantar Media Philippines, it hit an all-time high rating of 32.7% on July 26, 2009.