The Mandarhyme Duo emerged victorious at the 4th ‘Your Song of Excellence: Duo Legacy’ grand finals, held on August 31, 2024, at Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City.
Organized by Taiwan Excellence, the event brought together the top Filipino singer-songwriter duos, showcasing their musical talents in a unique format that highlighted the importance of collaboration.
Hosted by acclaimed singer-songwriter and theater actress Nicole Asensio, the event marked a thrilling culmination of a months-long competition, during which duos competed across auditions, preliminaries, and semifinals. Unlike previous seasons, this year’s competition paired artists into duos, challenging them to not only showcase their vocal prowess but also their creativity and teamwork.
During the grand finals, the competing duos were tasked with performing two original songs: a Taiwan Excellence Jingle and a Taiwan Excellence Core Value Song, each limited to three minutes and 30 seconds. The jingle had to feature the phrases ‘Taiwan Excellence’ and ‘The Best Made in Taiwan,’ while the second song had to highlight one of the brand’s core values—innovation, interest, sustainability, or global quality.
The Mandarhyme Duo, composed of Rusty and Janine Loayon, captivated both the judges and the audience with their impressive performances, which ultimately secured them the top prize of ₱300,000.
The judging panel, made up of some of the Philippines’ most celebrated music personalities, included Yeng Constantino, Ice Seguerra, Paulo Zarate, and Kean Cipriano. These judges, who also served as mentors throughout the competition, were tasked with selecting the winners from the top three finalists.
The Haranajeeb Duo, composed of Khen Aldovino and Nephtali Fajardo, took home the first runner-up prize of ₱200,000, while The Unexpected Duo, featuring Vench Larenas and Renz Salazar, won second runner-up with a cash prize of ₱100,000.
The grand finals attracted a large audience, with supporters and onlookers cheering on the finalists throughout the competition. The event underscored the Philippines’ deep connection to music, reaffirming its role as a source of national pride and a platform for Filipino talent to shine on the global stage.
Key officials from the event organizer, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), and the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), were present at the event. Brian Lee, Executive Director of the Strategic Marketing Department of TAITRA, emphasized the strong partnership between Taiwan and the Philippines, stating that the “Your Song of Excellence: Duo Legacy” competition exemplifies the shared passion for music between the two countries.
Wallace Chow, Ambassador of TECO in the Philippines, echoed the sentiment, noting the importance of building legacies through collaboration. “Taiwan and the Philippines have long been partners in various aspects of society—culturally, economically, and socially. This competition is a celebration of those strengthened partnerships,” said Chow.
The event was supported by premier partner Derma Angel and major sponsors including Acer, Aorus, AOpen, Asus, DLink, Gigabyte, Kymco, MSI Gaming, PC Express, Republic of Gamers, Tatung, and Xyzel.
