Martin Miguel inspired by idol Sofronio Vasquez; hopes to reunite with OFW parents through 'The Clash Teens'

Music has always been about more than winning competitions for 14-year-old “The Clash Teens” hopeful Martin Miguel.

For him, it is his way of honoring the sacrifices of his family and following in the footsteps of his biggest inspiration, Sofronio Vasquez.

The young singer, who recently secured a spot in the Top 12 of the Kapuso singing competition, revealed to GMA News Online that Sofronio has been one of his greatest musical influences since his days competing on “Tawag ng Tanghalan.”

"My inspiration po first is, of course, God, the Lord, and my family. And of course my idol, Sofronio Vasquez po," Martin said.

Long before Sofronio gained international recognition on “The Voice USA,” Martin had already been following his performances and learning from his journey.

"I've watched Sofronio po from TNT pa," he shared.

His admiration eventually led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when Sofronio held his first concert in Dubai.

Martin, whose parents are both based in the Emirates as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), became part of the choir that accompanied the singer during his performance of "A Million Dreams."

The experience became even more memorable when Martin was unexpectedly asked to stand in for his idol during rehearsals.

"I was part of the choir of Sofronio when he sang 'Million Dreams.' Ako lang po talaga 'yung may alam sa mga kanta ni Sofronio. Production made me sing kasi sometimes late siya for rehearsals, so production made me sing for Sofronio po talaga."

Although it was only during rehearsals, Martin said being entrusted to sing Sofronio's parts was an unforgettable experience that inspired him to work even harder toward his own dreams.

Behind Martin's determination is the desire to reunite with his family. While his parents continue to work in Dubai, the young singer currently lives in the Philippines with his maternal aunt.

"I'm currently with my mom's sister po, my tita," he shared.

If he wins “The Clash Teens,” Martin said the prize money will first go toward bringing his parents home for good.

"Of course, first off, I would bring back home my parents from Dubai. Kasi you know, even though they're OFWs, mahirap din po talaga 'yung buhay sa Dubai."

Beyond reuniting his family, Martin hopes to invest in his future by building his own recording studio. He also wants to use part of the prize money to help his community.

"With the money po, I would share it with the community. And you know, I can finally set up my own studio, my own recording studio. And that's my biggest dream po talaga. My family can just use the money for other stuff."

Martin also credited “The Clash Teens” for teaching him one of the biggest lessons of his young career: perseverance.

He admitted there were moments during the competition when he questioned whether he could overcome stronger opponents, especially after learning the songs they would perform.

"What I learned from ‘The Clash’ is to never give up. Because sometimes here in ‘The Clash’ po talaga na when I saw my opponent's songs, talagang I was like, 'May chance po ba talaga ako dito?' And you know, it's very nerve-wracking for me."

Despite those doubts, Martin said the competition reminded him that perseverance and belief in himself are just as important as talent.

"But what I learned in ‘The Clash’ is to never give up. Kasi kaya talaga natin 'to."

Now preparing for the next phase of the competition, Martin admitted that making it into the Top 12 has brought a mix of excitement, gratitude, and pressure.

“Mixed emotions po. I'm nervous, I'm so happy and blessed that I'm part of Top 12. Kasi Top 12 na, magagaling na po 'yung mga kalaban ko. But I will for sure do my best po talaga. And you know, I'm just very blessed and I'm so thankful to the Lord for giving me this opportunity."

As he continues his journey on “The Clash Teens,” Martin hopes to follow the example set by his idol, Sofronio, not only by pursuing excellence in music but also by using his talent to give back to his family. —CDC, GMA News