The Voice 26 winner Sofronio Vasquez recounts Rey Valera's words from TNT days

Sofronio Vasquez won The Voice season 26, making history as the first Asian champion. The winner shared a three-minute video on Instagram Stories on December 12, 2024, featuring Rey Valera's guidance from his Tawag ng Tanghalan (TNT) days. The compilation video, created by Instagram user @juan.cellable, traced his journey from three TNT appearances between 2016 and 2019 to his recent victory under coach Michael Bublé.

The video highlighted a specific mentoring moment where TNT head judge Rey Valera spoke about self-reliance and creating success. Vasquez celebrated his victory by sharing moments with Bublé and expressing gratitude. This win followed his progression from TNT contestant in 2016 to semifinalist in 2017 and grand finalist in the 2019 TNT All-Star Grand Resbak before advancing to international success.

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Sofronio Vasquez recalls Rey Valera's TNT advice after The Voice season 26 win

The original mentorship moment resurfaced through a comprehensive video shared on The Voice season 26 winner Vasquez's social media. In the video, Rey Valera is seen advising then-TNT contestant Vasquez, emphasizing his self-reliance and inner strength. His exact words were:

"You are your own mentor and cheering squad as well. If Lady Luck won’t smile upon you today, I’m sure it’s because she knows that you’ll make your own luck and that you don’t need her.”

The established singer-songwriter concluded his guidance with confidence in Vasquez's abilities by stating:

"Because being the kind of person that you are, you will always find your way."

Vasquez's sharing of this content highlighted the connection between his early competition experiences and his recent achievements.

The Voice season 26 started on September 23, 2024, and spanned 22 episodes. Five contestants made it to the final, where Vasquez claimed victory. He celebrated his victory through multiple Instagram posts, showing moments with coach Michael Bublé after the results.

The victory celebration included backstage footage and direct interactions with his mentor. His final performance of A Million Dreams received recognition from both the judges and the audience.

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TNT journey details

Vasquez's singing competition experience spans multiple years on Tawag ng Tanghalan. His initial participation in 2016 concluded before the finals round. During his second attempt in 2017, Vasquez advanced further, securing a spot in the semifinals. He returned to the competition stage for the 2019 TNT All-Star Grand Resbak, where he earned recognition as a grand finalist.

The combined footage in @juan.cellable's edit provided viewers with a complete timeline of Vasquez's competitive singing career. The recent video compilation captured significant moments from these appearances, showing his technical and artistic development across three years of TNT participation.

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Personal reflections

Vasquez expressed his thoughts through social media after the win.

"Dreams really do come true," he wrote in his Instagram caption. In another post, he followed this statement with a message about conviction, stating:

"Believe that you can, and manifest it with your whole heart."

His Instagram Stories featured the video compilation from @juan.cellable, which connected his early TNT experiences to his The Voice victory. Vasquez acknowledged the milestone with a simple "Thank you, Lord" caption, maintaining a focus on gratitude.

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Fans can watch The Voice 26 finale online on the NBC network.