Singer-songwriter Zack Tabudlo is embracing a full-circle moment as one of the coaches on ‘The Voice Kids Philippines’ Season 2 — the very same show where he began his journey as a young contestant years ago.
Reflecting on how his experience as a former contestant shaped his approach to coaching, Zack said his empathy for the kids on stage plays a big role in his decisions during the blind auditions.
“It really helped a lot, kasi I know how to feel for these kids especially when they step on stage,” he shared. “Example, during the past episodes may mga natatanggal, may mga umiiyak — and I think there’s this certain energy that I can give to these kids talaga, especially for ‘Project Z.’ I’ve always talked to them off cam and told them, ‘GMA and The Voice Kids is giving you the platform, a channel to give your spotlight or give your talent.’”
He continued, emphasizing the importance of perseverance beyond the show: “Pero everything ends — a competition ends. It doesn’t matter who wins or loses. Ang importante, you just keep on going. I always give myself as an example of what happens if you don’t stop.”
When it comes to song choices and artistic direction, Zack shared that he prioritizes authenticity while still guiding his team through the technical aspects of performing.
“I try to make sure that I guide them but at the same time I make them choose what they want,” he explained. “For example, itong sing-off, sila yung pumili ng songs nila for Project Z. Sabi ko sa production team, gusto kong sila yung pumili kasi I want them to have a certain responsibility when it comes to singing songs. Kasi it’s really important to choose the right songs.”
He added, “I give them the freedom, but at the same time, nandun ako na pipitikin ko yung guidance — ‘Okay, try natin to para magkaroon ka ng ibang style for experience.’”
As the blind auditions progress and the number of slots on his team dwindles, Zack admitted that his strategy becomes more calculated.
“It was more of being more critical towards the end,” he said. “During the beginning of the competition, it was more of building themselves — I was just guiding them lightly in the background. But in the latter parts, kailangan mas detalyado ka sa mga kailangan mong gawin kasi ito na yun. Mas malawak na — it’s not just them in the team; we have other teams to think about, we have the audience also.”
Beyond music, Zack also shared valuable life lessons with his young artists — words that reflect his own journey from aspiring singer to hitmaker.
“Biggest advice is, I would always go back to just don’t stop,” he said. “For me, it doesn’t matter who wins. What matters is you keep on trying your best even in the last part of the song, the last part of the journey, kahit namamalat ka na. Because for me, that’s a true artist, that’s a true professional.”
He went on to say, “If you keep on going kahit sumasablay ka na — because that happens in reality. Even the biggest artists now go through that. The fact that you continue, it shows how brave and how pro you are. Again, it doesn’t matter who wins or who makes mistakes. All you have to do is just keep on going and don’t give up.”
Zack Tabudlo joins Julie Anne San Jose, Ben&Ben, and Billy Crawford as coaches on ‘The Voice Kids Philippines’ Season 2, which premiered on GMA Network on September 14, 2025.
