Tuesday, July 30, 2024
RESULTS REACTION & CAPSULE REVIEW: MISTER SUPRANATIONAL 2024
Opening number is featured a fusion of Polish folk music and modern pop as DJ Gromee collaborated with folk band Ciupaga with the song "Bo ja cię kochom [Because I love you]", a very upbeat and energetic ditty. The contestants were clad in black Polish folk-inspired outfits and gave great energy for the less-than-two-minute duration of this number.
After that number, the hosts then appear. This year's hosts were veteran South African presenter Nico Panagio, with two Polish hosts, actress Kasia Kolaczek and presenter Aleksander Sikora. Nico was unflappable and impeccable throughout the evening, bringing an internatinonal hosting standard to the proceedings while Kasia and Aleksander primarily cater ot the Polish audience and did many of their spiels in their native language, most especially Aleksander.
Hosts Aleksander Sikora, Kasia Koeczek and Nico Panagio
The contestants quickly switched from their opening number outfits to the standard T-shirt and jeans intro carrying their flags aloft. The first half of the 36 contestants paraded to playback covers of Euro-disco numbers "Honey Boy" by Purple Disco Machine and Benjamin Ingrosso featuring Nile Rodgers and Shenseea and "Houdini" by Dua Lipa,. The second half featured summery bops by American artists, with One Republic's hit from Top Gun: Maverick, "I Ain't Worried" by One Republic, and "Sunroof" by Nicky Youre and dazy
After the commercial interlude, the contestants paraded in their swimwear provided by Polish brand Relleciga, again in a semi-choreographed production number with playback covers of "Mamma Mia" by the Limba featuring Dyce and "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" by Beenie Man
As the contestants change for the next segment, they have Polish singer Antek Smykiewicz covering Walk the Moon's peppy 2014 smash hit "Shut Up and Dance", which could be considered deja vu for one of the contestants since he previously was part of the production number performing this song in his previous pageant...
The next segment was a fashion segment that conceptually was inspired by AI, and supposedly as the contestants modeled suits with unconventional colors, the backdrop would showcase a supposedly AI-generated photo layout. They used an instrumental version of Depeche Mode's 1989 hit "Personal Jesus"--for a supposedly "futuruistic" theme, they decided to use this synth-rockabilly fusion track and omit the lyrics (because of course the Poles are such a conservative sort that they wouldn't like that song's lyrical content).
From that sequence they then whittled down the 36 contestants to the Top 20. I feel sad that the organization decided not to disclose who actually bubbled under the Top 20, so moving forward it's left to our speculation on whocame close. Here's my take on who possibly bubbled under...
ARGENTINA (guillermo Layus) I thought has the handsomeness and enviable physique to make the cut, but I did sense the lack of buzz (and perhaps less-than-standout communication skills) may have dimmed his luster a bit. Meanwhile, I did peg ECUADOR (Fernando Mendieta) in my Top 20 because of his communication skills and personality, but I have a feeling that was not enough to overcome objections over his relatively rough looks.
KOREA (Jo Seong Hyeon) was probably an obvious bubbling under choice as he's got some notices making the shortlist at Supra-Model. Meanwhile, MALAYSIA (Siavesh Akbari) got early buzz for his background as a medical doctor, but buzz faded as the days wore on so I was not that surprised he missed the cut. There were some pundits who also speculate that some racy modeling photos taken of him might have also hampered his prospects, but then again, I think of 2017 Top 20 finisher Htoo Ant Lwin of Myanmar who had nude leaks during his stint (and admittedly much more racier layouts after that), and that wasn't taken much against him.
I feel the guys that came closest to making the cut were two guys from the Caribbean. HAITI (Abdias Agustin) garnered heavy buzz from pageant fans and pundits for his sensational stage presence in the Supra-Model competition and Preliminary Evaluation, and he seems a decent-enough communicator, so for many fans it's an outrage he missed the cut. I definitely agree and believe he's the winner of the Lucas Malvacini award for this pageant. Though I did have reservations about JAMAICA (Jermain Harris)'s looks, I thought his Supra-Chat finalist finish (which reflects his strong interview skills) and overall polished presence may have been enough for him to make the Top 20, but well, I'm not that surprised that he made way for some other worthy choices and a seemingly favored Caribbean nation. Anyway, I will also peg him as the Lucas Malvacini 1st runner-up awardee.
As the Top 20 change wardrobe for the next sequence, this paved way for Gromee and Giupaga to return to the stage, this time with one of Gromee's go-to singers Sara Chmiel, to perform Gromee's latest single, "Spirit". I have to note that Sara was not the featured singer in the recorded version, but Mahan Moin.
Normally, the Top 20 sequence would be an upbeat resorts wear or streetwear segment. But this time, they decided to do a more somber theme paying tribute to the armed forces in a Top Gun-themed sequence. Interestingly, instead of using Kenny Loggins' tunes "Danger Zone" and "Playing with the Boys" (much less One Republic's "I Ain't Worried", which they already played during the introduction sequence), they opted for the slower "Top Gun Anthem" by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens and the very popular ballad "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, and they opted to then end the sequence with a snippet from John Lennon's legendary peace-themed anthem "Imagine". The Top 20 sported t-shirts, fatigue pants, and boots with optional bomber jackets as they walked slowly in time with the glacial pace of the ballads playing int eh background. Considering Top Gun's reputation for seemingly endorsing war, isn't it in bad taste to showcase this type of theme especially with ongoing conflicts going on around the world? And ending it with "Imagine" at that? Actually, I think there is justification that we need to pay tribute to the presence of armed forces as in their role as defense, they do play an important role in keeping peace and keeping warmongers and other evil elements at bay, and this sequence effectively communicated that.
As the Panel of Experts deliberated on who would advance to the Top 10, this was the opportunity for another musical intermission, this time provided by Eurovision 2023 artist Blanka, who performed her latest single, "Cara Mia"*1. After that number, the Top 20 returned in the same military outfits as the hosts announced who advanced to the Top 10.
*1 Not to be confused with Eurovision 2015 champion Måns Zelmerlöw's 2004 Melodifestivalen entry.
I got 17 of the Top 20 correct, one of my best forecasts in this pageant. Two of the guys I missed were in my "Bubbling Under" list, and one that is the closest as "headscratcher" has merits belonging there and sustaining his country's streak.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (Anderson Subero) successfully sustained his country's Top 20 streak , and arguably he's the best of that trio (though to be honest, I thought their best representative thus far was the half-Polish guy from the inaugural edition, Adam Josef, who bubbled under in 22nd place). Still, there is a slight resentment as I feel his slot would be better served occupied by HAITI or JAMAICA, as like last year, he held up the rear in 20th place. Meanwhile, NEPAL (Dhiroj Kaji Basnet) I would deem a very refreshing inclusion as he was receiving rising buzz after his Preliminary Evaluation performance. His 17th place finish is a great achievement, that he even outranked one of my Top 10 bets.
PUERTO RICO (Cristian Gonzalez) and INDONESIA (Nathaniel Christopher) making the Top 20 were expected, placing 15th and 19th respectively. I was slightly surprised by PUERTO RICO's ranking, but I have to note that perhaps if this was, say, 2022, he could've done a similar trajectory like the eventual winner of that batch, Cuba's Luis Daniel Galvez. Such is the caliber of this batch that he could only manage to finish in this level. I feel interview skills were the clincher that helped INDONESIA secure his slot.
I was surprised by the actual rankings of SIERRA LEONE (Uthman Issa Bangura) and THAILAND ("Joe" Chonlawit Wongsriwor) as I thought they would've finish closer to the Top 10 than their respective 16th and 18th place rankings would indicate (in fact, I pegged THAILAND as a Top 10 finisher). It could either be the Panel of Experts did not favor them as much as many fans and pundits perceived, or it is again a factor of how "Magnificent" this batch actually is.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, I was surprised at the relative high finishes for BRAZIL (Mateus Maia) and CZECH REPUBLIC (Adam Sedro) with their respective 11th and 13th place finishes. I have a feeling interview was the key factor for their strong rankings, as I don't think their performances during the Prelimiarny Evaluation would've propelled thim to this high a ranking. And it could be argued that if it weren't for the Supra-Fan Vote award, BRAZIL would've been a Top 10 finisher.
I feel bad that SPAIN (Alvaro Germes) and PERU (Joel Farach) were shut out of the Top 10, as I thought they got what it takes to make more serious inroads than that--in fact, I pegged the former as a Final Five finisher. But I guess the Panel of Experts simply had their eyes on other worthy contenders (plus that Supra-Fan Vote winner). I guess them hovering close to the Top 10 at 12th and 14th place respectively should be testament to the "Magnificent" caliber of this batch.
As the Top 10 change for the next sequence, Blanka's batchmate in her national final, Jan Majewski*2 was brought in to cover Harry Styles' "Golden".
*2 He competed with the entry "Champion" which placed fifth. He should not be confused with the similarly named Jann, who was a sensation as the favored one to win with "Gladiator".
After Jan's performance, they made the Top 10 appear in formal wear but they first devoted a segment saluting the reigning Mister Supranational, Ivan Alvarez. After a brief chit-chat with the hosts and Ivan delivering an inspirational speech of gratitude and encouragement, there was a backstage interview by Aleksander Sikora with long-time choreographer Tomasz Baranski entirely in Polish, possibly discussing this year's concept for the Top 10 segment.. Normally, this sequence is to showcase elegance and sophistication and the music is typically a stately ballad. But this year, they decided to shake things up--if the Top 20 round featured stately dignified ballads, they made the Top 10 formal round into a dance-off as they played a cover of "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth Wind & Fire with the Emotions and made them showcase their best disco moves--NETHERLANDS (Casey de Vries) and the PHILIPPINES (Brandon Espiritu) seem to be duking it out for the "disco king" title as they were constantly in dance mode even as they did their solo walks. It's tough to tell who won between them as while the PHILIPPINES delivered ferocious energy, NETHERLANDS showcased some slinky moves. Can we call it a tie? Right after that segment, Nico and Kasia announced the Final Five.
I got seven os the Top 10 correct. Overall they are satisfying choices, though I am still sore not seeing SPAIN and PERU up there.
VIETNAM (Đỗ Quang Tuyển) was the winner of the Supra-Fan Vote award, so it was expected he took the rear in 10th place. I only pegged him as a "Bubbling Under" choice, so I also wonder if he would've made the Top 20 on his own merits if he didn't win this award*3--I err on the side of believing he did make it also on merit, though. Anyway, I suppose his standout factor is his choice of glittering sequined suits for both the Preliminary Evaluation and the Top 10 round. He also ended up clinching the continental title for Asia & Ocieania, an honor accorded to the top performer from that region below the Final Five (I would've pegged it on THAILAND based on the actual ranking.
*3 They already included the Supra-Fan Vote champion regardless of their actual rank into the Top 20, only announcing that they won the fast-track during the Top 10 announcement. This is different from how it's practiced in Miss Grand International, where they would announce a Top 20 and allow the fan-vote winner who failed to make the initial cut to advance to the Top 10 even if they didn't get to showcase themselves in the Top 20 round.
I'm not that upset at the inclusion of MEXICO (Zait Reza) at this level even if I still have a stronger preference for SPAIN and PERU. He's a satisfying enough choice to be included here.
It's not surprising at all to see DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Bray Vargas) and COLOMBIA (Rafael Rapelo) make it in the Top 10, at 8th and 7th place respectively, and both clinching Continental honors respectively for the Caribbean and Americas. My note is sthat I'm observing during the final that DOMINICAN REPUBLIC seems to be projecting a foppish aristorcrate, and it dawned on me that COLOMBIA is a dead ringer for former Daily Show host Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah
For many pageant fans and pundits including myself, POLAND (Patryk Karbowski)'s high 6th place showing is a bit shocking especially as all he seems to have going for him are his physique, stature and handsomeness. But one must reconsider--in modern tastes, they now consider less intelligent handsome men with hearts of gold as the ideal leading man--some call it the "himbo" trend, and actually this Goofy Hunk fits that bill perfectly. Even if he did this at the expense of SPAIN and PERU, in the end I'm not that mad he did this well.
I got four of the Final Five correct. The guy I missed has been receiving increasing buzz that him making it in this lofty group is a refreshing breakthrough. I have a feeling it was already a foregone conclusion on who would win and who would place fifth--the challenge was determining the ranking of the remaining three runners-up.
LAOS
VENEZUELA
PHILIPPINES
NETHERLANDS
SOUTH AFRICA
Final thoughts
Sunday, July 7, 2024
BINIBINING PILIPINAS 2024: "fEARFUL" FORECAST
Admittedly, unlike the hype and excitement towards the candidates of Miss Universe Philippines, buzz over this jubilee batch has been relatively muted. Still, I'll try my best to trot out a leaderboard and see who is most likely (or I deemed the best fit) to represent our country at next year's Miss International and this year's The Miss Global.
TOP CONTENDERS: 21 PAMPANGA, 30 PILA, LAGUNA, 33 PASIG CITY
SHOO-INS:: 01 BAGUIO, 17 PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, 19 ORMOC CITY, 20 GENERAL SANTOS CITY,, 22 BACOLOD CITY, 38 BATANGAS, 40 ABRA
LIKELIEST: 02 TAGUIG CITY, 03 LIPA, BATANGAS, 04 MANDALUYONG, 06 QUEZON CITY, 10 ZAMBALES, 11 CALOOCAN, 13 CALUMPIT, BULACAN, 14 CALAMBA, LAGUNA, 15 BUKIDNON, 26 LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU, 27 PARAÑAQUE, 28 ISABELA PROVINCE, 36 BULACAN PROVINCE, 37 TANAUAN, BATANGAS, 39 RIZAL PROVINCE,
EXCELLENT: 05 ILOILO, 07 BIÑAN, LAGUNA, 08 CAMIGUIN, 23 KALAYAAN, LAGUNA, 29 MANILA, 31 CAVITE, 32 AURORA PROVINCE, , 34 TARLAC PROVINCE, 35 ZAMBOANGA,
VERY STRONG: 09 LUCENA CITY, 12 BUAYANG BATO, MANDALUYONG, 18 MISAMIS ORIENTAL, 25 NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
My "Fearful" Forecast goes like this:
WINNERS' CIRCLE: 17 PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, 21 PAMPANGA, 30 PILA, LAGUNA, 33 PASIG CITY
TOP 12: 01 BAGUIO, 06 QUEZON CITY, 10 ZAMBALES, 19 ORMOC CITY, 20 GENERAL SANTOS CITY,, 22 BACOLOD CITY, 38 BATANGAS CITY, 40 ABRA
BUBBLING UNDER: 02 TAGUIG CITY, 03 LIPA, BATANGAS, 04 MANDALUYONG, 11 CALOOCAN, 13 CALUMPIT, BULACAN, 14 CALAMBA, LAGUNA, 15 BUKIDNON, 26 LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU, 27 PARAÑAQUE, 28 ISABELA PROVINCE, 36 BULACAN PROVINCE, 37 TANAUAN, BATANGAS, 39 RIZAL PROVINCE
STRIKING DISTANCE: 05 ILOILO, 07 BIÑAN, LAGUNA, 08 CAMIGUIN, 23 KALAYAAN, LAGUNA, 29 MANILA, 31 CAVITE, 32 AURORA PROVINCE, , 34 TARLAC PROVINCE, 35 ZAMBOANGA,
It seems to be a thrre-way battle for the two crowns at stake amongst 21 PAMPANGA (Jasmin Bungay), 30 PILA, LAGUNA (Trisha Martinez), and 33 PASIG CITY (Erika Cassandra Ballon) though several others are nipping closely at their heels. Let's see how it all unfolds...
JUST ME!
JOSEPH
Saturday, July 6, 2024
MISS SUPRANATIONAL 2024: AT THE HOMESTRETCH (CONCLUSION)
THAILAND - Kasama Suetrong. She parlayed her very Asian features to exude a desirably exotic vibe to make major impact in this pageant. This is especially evident as she was the top Asian performer in the Supra-Model competition. She likewise made a stunning impression during the Preliminary evaluation that she seems to be the top Asian who could make a play for the crown.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - Brittany Deane. I initially found her underwhelming if we base mainly on stage presence, but I started to realize she actually registers better in photos. On top of that, she's a Supra-Chat semifinalist so she might perform strongly in interview. She also is a finalist in the Supra-Fan Vote, so do not count her out.
UKRAINE - Marina Mizhnova. This blonde is good looking but not as polished as some of the fierce contenders out there. Can the goodwill generated from the ongoing conflict still benefit her, or is she simply too overshadowed by stunners out there?
UNITED KINGDOM - Joanna Johnson. Her main asset is her strong communication skills and intelligence, and indeed she was shortlisted in Supra-Chat. She may not be generating buzz but she's reasonably polished and can pull off a play for the Top 24.
UNITED STATES - Jenny Dykstra. Early in the competition, there was buzz that this blonde is a possible front-runner, especially as she held her own very well side-by-side with one of the big favorites, CZECH REPUBLIC. But many pageant fans and pundits, including myself, felt that her peformance onstage seemed inconsistent, that I'm not certain a Top 24 slot is assured for her--I'm fretful she might be pipped by some surging performers out there. Still, she's a strong contender, so let's see if the Panel of Experts still look upon her with favor.
URUGUAY - Lola de los Santos. This country is a bit unheralded in the pageant scene lately, but this lady has been generating some buzz from some pageant fans and pundits that she could be a possible sleeper surprise as she seems to exude a polished presence all throughout.
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS - Bria James. She is obviously not in the "standard" pageant shape that many pageant fans expect their beauty queens to be, but we have to welcome the diversity she brings to these proceedings. Yes, she is not in contention of making serious impact but er presence is very welcome.
VENEZUELA - Rossana Florini. There are many pageant fans and pundits who tought by virture of her sash she is a contender for the Top 24. But I'm not feeling her and she's not quite making any serious impact--she's more in the level of this year's CHILE or COLOMBIA than say, the likes of MEXICO or PERU.
VIETNAM - Lydie Marie Wache Vũ. There is a whole wealth of stunners in the Southeast Asian region, what with THAILAND making a huge splash, but INDONESIA, LAOS and MYANMAR are not far behind, not to mention that the PHILIPPINES is very much in the fray. And this lady is also generating a lot of sparks. Is there enough room for all of them, and which among them can go Top 12 and beyond?
With all 68 candidates accounted for, here is how my leaderboard looks:
TOP CONTENDERS: BRAZIL, CZECH REPUBLIC, INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND
SHOO-INS: CURACAO, DENMARK, INDONESIA, MEXICO, MYANMAR, PUERTO RICO, SLOVAKIA, VIETNAM
LIKELIEST: ARUBA, AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, BOLIVIA, BOTSWANA, CANADA, COTE D'IVOIRE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GERMANY, GUATEMALA, HAITI, ICELAND, JAPAN, LAOS, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, NIGERIA, PERU, PHILIPPINES, POLAND, SPAIN, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, URUGUAY,
INTELLIGENCE FACTOR: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
EXCELLENT: ALBANIA, ARGENTINA, CHILE, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, FINLAND, HONDURAS, MALTA, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SIERRA LEONE, UKRAINE, VENEZUELA
VERY STRONG: CAYMAN ISLANDS, CROATIA, GIBRALTAR, HONG KONG, ITALY, NICARAGUA, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
STRONG: BANGLADESH, GHANA, MALAYSIA
Now, here's my "Fearful" Forecast:
FINAL FIVE: BRAZIL, CZECH REPUBLIC, INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND
TOP 12: CURACAO, DENMARK, INDONESIA, MEXICO, MYANMAR, SLOVAKIA, VIETNAM
TOP 24: ARUBA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, COTE D'IVOIRE, GERMANY, LAOS, NIGERIA, PERU, PHILIPPINES, POLAND, PUERTO RICO, SPAIN
BUBBLING UNDER: BELGIUM, BOLIVIA, BOTSWANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, ICELAND, JAPAN, NETHERLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, URUGUAY
STRIKING DISTANCE: ALBANIA, ARGENTINA, CHILE, COLOMBIA, COSTA RICA, FINLAND, HONDURAS, MALTA, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SIERRA LEONE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, UKRAINE, VENEZUELA
It looks like a tight five-way race among BRAZIL (Isadora Murta), CZECH REPUBLIC (Justýna Zedníková), INDIA (Sonal Kukreja), SOUTH AFRICA (Bryoni Govender), and THAILAND (Kasama Suetrong), but do not count out CURACAO (Chanelle de Lau), who could parlay her experiences at Miss Universe 2016 and Miss International 2017 (where she finished 1st runner-up) and upset the major favorites above. Can any of these ladies have what it takes to promote the brand and help it grow back to achieve its headiest heights in the mid-2010s? Best of luck to all the ladies in this pageant.
JUST ME!
JOSEPH
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