Toffer Rei: My Pinoy IDOL!

Before I begin telling something about Toffer, I'm going to give a brief description on the show PINOY IDOL.



Pinoy Idol is a Filipino interactive reality-based singing competition airing on GMA Network. The program seeks to discover the best singer or "idol" in the country through a series of nationwide auditions and live performances, which is determined by public voting through SMS (Fuck this voting system. This sucks man! Too political).

The show is hosted by Raymond Gutierrez, with Ogie Alcasid (singer, songwriter, and record producer. He's the best Judge among the three)), Jolina Magdangal (singer and actress and the judge with the usual single line comment: Winner!), and Wyngard Tracy (retired talent manager. I hope he retires from Judging at Pinoy IDOL too. Super Langkwents mga comments niya!) as judges. Danny Tan is the show's musical director. The winner will receive P1 million, a house and lot, brand new car, a recording contract with Sony BMG Music Philippines, and a television contract with GMA Network. The show debuted on April 5, 2008.Pinoy Idol is the second Idol franchise in the Philippines, after Philippine Idol that was shown in Associated Broadcasting Company in 2006. FremantleMedia, the owner of the Idol franchise decided to award the second season to GMA Network. GMA promoted Pinoy Idol as "the first Idol competition in the Philippines" and does not recognize Philippine Idol and its winner Mau Marcelo.

Now, It's Toffer Time...

Kristoffer Rei Tragico, or Toffer Rei in the show, is 23 from Marikina City. He is the son of a driver and a housewife. Despite being from Luzon, he auditioned in Iloilo.



Question and Answer:

Where do you get your musical talent from?
Erpats kasi malakas ang boses niya.

What are your hobbies?
Net surfing and playing guitar.

What music do you listen to?
Alternative, Classic Rock and Reggae.

Can you play any musical instrument, if so what and to what level?
Guitar pero average lang.

Why did you apply for Pinoy Idol?
Gusto ko. Hilig ko kasi ang pagkanta.

Where do you sing?
Kahit saan lang

Which singers inspire you and why?
Madami. Brandon Boyd, Basti Artadi, powerful voice.

What’s your claim to fame?
Nakilala ko si Bamboo nung tumutugtog pa ako. Kaya ko kasi gayahin si Bamboo.

Who in your life has been most inspiring to you? How?
My family and loved one.

These are the songs he sang before he was eliminated last July 20:

"Stigmatized" (The Calling)
"I Want to Break Free" (Queen)
"Something to Say" (Harem Scarem)
"I Could Not Ask for More" (Edwin McCain)
"Honestly" (Harem Scarem)
"Changes In My Life" (Mark Sherman)
"It's My Life" (Bon Jovi)
"You Made Me Stronger" (Regine Velasquez)
"Sometimes You Just Know" (Jaya) - Eliminated, July 20, 2008

These are his Video Performances (Under Construction due to security reasons)


His downloadable songs (Under Construction due to security reasons)
Download Songs HERE

FOR ME, WHO IS TOFFER REI?

Toffer Rei is my one and ONLY PINOY IDOL.

Actually, I can't clearly remember the details on how I got into watching Pinoy Idol. At first I thought this was another crap talent show that is imitating the American Idol of US. When I found out that this show was not an imitation but the Philippine version of American Idol, I watched it one time. I saw only a few rockers on the show. Most of them were eliminated, but not for my IDOL. There was this episode wherein they were grouped into 3, and 1 group went home, the 2 groups remained. Another episode I remember was when the contestants were grouped into pairs and sang on duet. I saw how my IDOL passed that episode (They sang a pop song i think! I can't remember anymore! damn!) after this episode, I had a hard time watching the show because I was busy at work. I worked 12 hours every other day because of some important matters at the plant where i work (It's really hard to be a Shift Supervisor, Whew!). I go to work at 7pm until 7am. After all those important things were solved, that was the time I took my restdays (Too good my restday was every Saturdays) and when i watched Pinoy Idol once again, they were already down to 10. And still Toffer was there.

Toffer was an old school rocker (I think! The songs he sings are songs that I also admired from way back 70's to 90's). When he sang Stigmatized, I heard a unique voice. The voice of a True Rocker, a rocker by heart and not some poser trying to be a rocker. He sang "I Want to break Free" by Queen and in my mind i was thinking, Did Freddie Mercury's soul enter Toffers body when he sang that song? I was like listening to Freddie Mercury, I mean his performance that night was really outstanding and lot of energy! Harem Scarem is one of the bands wherein they have that good guitar intros. Such songs are Something to say and Honestly which Toffer sang. I remembered the Good old days when I heard that song again. It brought back memories way back high school.

Changes in my Life. I remember this song. My elder sister always sing this song whenever she's taking a bath. I don't know why she always sing that song. Toffer delivered this song so good and I don't know what the Judges were doing when Toffer was singing this song, how poor judging they did except for Jolina who loved the song.

I also remember the day Toffer and I became Friends at Friendster. That was where I asked him what will he be singing next, and what will be their theme next week. I remember suggesting songs too for his performance. He sang It's My life that week and the Crowd went loud. It was a Rockin' Night for everybody. The following week was the Regine Week and He sang the song "You made me stronger." He delivered the song so well (I even sang all along with him while watching the show). I still continue singing this song even though I'm at work. My co workers were shocked because it was the first time I sang a Regine song. ( I sang On the wings of love before but I was still employed at a Computer shop.) The last song he sang was "Sometimes you just know", that was during the Jaya week. I haven't watched that episode because I was at work at that time. I just asked my wife on how Toffer performed and he said it was good.

But on the next day, Sunday, July 20, I texted my wife and asked her if who is eliminated. She didn't reply. When I arrived home, I asked her the same question again and she told me "Na eliminate na si Toffer." At first, I couldn't believe what she told me. Suddenly, she brought out the digicam and told me to view the video. i watched the video and DAMN! She's right Toffer was eliminated. I didn't catch my sleep until 4am that morning. I kept thinking and thinking why was Toffer eliminated when in fact there are others who are at the top 8 who are more candidates for elimination. I would like to name some but i guess this person which I think should have been eliminated is the person beside Toffer during that elimination night. DARYLL.

There is just one thing I want to say to everybody watching and voting at Pinoy Idol, Please Vote wisely. If you don't, then what a shame it would be for the Philippines to represent an IDOL for the upcoming Asian Idol. Nakakahiya talaga na ang mag rerepresent sa Bansa natin eh yung taong wala namang ibubuga. I feel sorry for those people texting Idols just because they are pretty or the look good. Their votes doesn't make sense if that's the case. Then what are the singing for? Kung botohan talaga ang basehan ng elimination, tumayo na lang lahat ng mga naiwang Idols sa stage at tignan na lang natin kung sino ang mas looking good at iyon ang iboto. Aysus! I just don't know what's on their minds voting for looks. This is not Starstruck, this is Pinoy Idol.

Sorry for the words I said, pero ang tamaan wag sanang magalit...

Toffer Rei, Bro, IDOL. Keep the faith man! Keep up the good work! Keep singing! and Hope to see you soon Bro. You're my one and only Idol. Rock ON!