Filipina Mum Ignites The Voice van Vlaanderen with a 3-Chair Turn

Cover image: Screen grab from The Voice van Vlaanderen

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The stage lights dim. The room holds its breath. And then—one voice breaks the silence.

Filipina contestant Jamaica Gundayao, a 21-year-old mother from Pangasinan, walks onto the stage of The Voice van Vlaanderen with no grand presentation nor introduction, no history of major competitions behind her.

Just a simple dream and talent—and a chance her mother took when she secretly signed her up for the audition.

Then she begins.

Taking on “Runnin’” by Beyoncé, she starts softly. For a moment, the room leans in, unsure of what’s coming next.

From the opening lines, she drew the room in with a soft, controlled delivery.

Rather than rushing to impress, she let the song breathe, allowing each lyric to land with intention.

But as the performance unfolded, so did her power.

And then it hits. A chair slams around. Coach Mathieu Terryn turned.

When she reached the chorus, her voice expanded with striking force.

The repeated “runnin’, runnin’, runnin’” carried urgency and depth, building layer upon layer of emotion. It wasn’t just technically impressive—it felt real.

Each note pushed further, revealing both strength and struggle in equal measure.

Coaches Laura Tesoro and Koen Wauters didn’t take long to respond. But Jamaica is not yet done.

She pushes further, digging deeper, her voice now soaring with a raw intensity that cuts through the room.

The audience feels it. The coaches feel it. Three coaches. Three moments of surrender to a voice they couldn’t ignore.

For Jamaica, it is a dream come true.

“Never underestimate the strength, the talent, and the heart that we carry within us. No matter where we come from or what challenges we face, we have the power to rise, to dream, and to make those dreams real”, she said.

But what makes this moment truly unforgettable isn’t just the three-chair turn. It’s the story behind it.

A young woman who had never stepped onto a grand stage like this before. No big competitions. No industry backing. Just a mother who believed enough to say, “Go.”

And she did more than go—she arrived.

As the final note lingers in the air and the crowd erupts, one thing is undeniable: Jamaica didn’t just sing. She performed.

She made The Voice van Vlaanderen feel something.