Team Bublé singer Sofronio Vasquez was crowned the Season 26 winner of “The Voice” on Tuesday night.
Vasquez, a 32-year-old from Mindanao, Philippines, received the most votes from viewers following two electric performances of “Unstoppable” by Sia and “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman.” Along with the title of “The Voice,” Vasquez also earned the $100,000 prize and a record deal.
According to USA Today, not only did coach Michael Bublé score his first win, but he was also the only coach to have two contestants in the top five and later the final two, with 17-year-old New York performer Shye as the runner-up.
“Your mentorship is a blessing to me, my family and to all the dreamers out there. You have opened up so many doors,” Vasquez told his coach moments before his win.
Here are five facts about the “The Voice” season 26 winner.
Who won ‘The Voice’ 2024?
Sofronio Vasquez, a 32-year-old from Mindanao, Philippines, is “The Voice” Season 26 winner from Team Bublé. According to his NBC bio, Vasquez grew up with next to nothing, including no bed or indoor plumbing, but describes his upbringing as “happy, because music was always there to bring his family joy.” Vasquez fondly remembers singing with his dad and considers him his first coach.
Sofronio Vasquez, a 32-year-old from Mindanao, Philippines, is “The Voice” Season 26 winner from Team Michael Bublé.
Sofronio Vasquez turned all four coaches’ chairs
Vasquez turned all four chairs during his blind audition with the song “I’m Going Down” by Mary J. Blige. Vasquez ultimately chose Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bublé as his coach.
“I just somehow felt that Michael was perfect for me,” he told the Utica Observer-Dispatch.
Where is Sofronio Vasquez from?
Vasquez is from Mindanao, Philippines but currently resides in Utica, New York. He reportedly moved to America in 2023 to pursue a music career and has since competed at the famed Apollo Theater.
Vasquez told the Utica Observer-Dispatch that he’s felt like part of the community since he started appearing on “The Voice.”
“It feels like I was really born and raised in Utica,” he said. “I never felt like being an alien.”
Sofronio Vasquez auditioned for ‘The Voice of the Philippines’
Vasquez auditioned for “The Voice of the Philippines” nearly a decade ago but received zero chair turns, per USA Today.
Sofronio Vasquez was going to be a dentist
Before pursuing music, Vasquez embarked on a career in dentistry, per his NBC bio. Vasquez passed the dental boards in the Philippines and even practiced for a while. But then his father suddenly passed away and Vasquez decided to move to America to pursue a music career to make his father proud.
Vasquez ended up in Utica because he found a dental program for foreign students in Buffalo. He also has two cousins who live in Utica.
Sofronio Vasquez surpassed 9.5 million views on Facebook
In 2022, Vasquez’s cover of “That’s What Friends Are For” went viral on Facebook, receiving over 9.5 million views. His cover of “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You” has also garnered roughly 1 million views on TikTok.
