Two Idol Philippines hopefuls, Misha De Leon and Nisha Bedaña, were eliminated at the end of the second Live Gala Night, August 28, trimming the contenders down to Top 8 after an electrifying vocal showdown featuring the hits of singer-songwriter and OPM icon Ogie Alcasid.

Among the eight surviving idols, Bryan Chong, who reinvigorated the humble piece “Akala Ko,” got a total of 92.94% combined judges’ scores and public votes. If you picked the 23-year-old aspirant in the most recent interactive prediction poll, then you get 1,000 IdolKada points!

The said prediction survey lets you guess who you think among the remaining hopefuls will take hold of the number one spot in every gala round. The Idol hopefuls are serving us with unexpected performances every week, keeping the “guessing game” more fun. And, you don’t want to get left behind in the Idol PH fever, right? Be sure to cast your predictions in the next poll survey!

Take your pick among the TOP 8 Idol hopefuls as to who will get the highest combined judges’ scores and public votes in the third Live Gala Night. The user with a correct guess will earn 1000 points and the TOP 3 players will be displayed on the leaderboard. You may cast your prediction once per week only.

To join, sign in using your Facebook or Gmail account. Choose your bet from the given list of Idol hopefuls. Watch the Idol Philippines episodes to know if you got your prediction right. But, while your hunches may be true, it doesn’t guarantee victory for your favorite Idol hopeful. Keep in mind that the final standing will be based solely on judges’ score and public votes cast on UpLive.

Joining Bryan in the TOP 8 are Ann Raniel, PJ Fabia, Ryssi Avila, Khimo Gumatay, Trisha Gomez, Delly Cuales, and Kice, who were all mentored by Ogie himself in the most recent vocal showdown. Here are their performances and comments from judges Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Gary Valenciano, Chito Miranda, and Moira Dela Torre.

Bryan (Akala Ko)

Bryan singing “Akala Ko” proves that contest pieces don’t necessarily have to be popular – as long as you’re performing to express than to impress. While it sounds too risky for a big competition like Idol Philippines, the dreamer from Pampanga City managed to use the song’s unpopularity to his advantage and even breathed new life into it, showcasing again his versatility. Judge Moira called him a jack of all trades while judge Regine was impressed with the altered elements of the originally ballad musical piece.

Ann Raniel (Sa Piliping Mo)

She’s glowing every week and is never scared to showcase her playful sound. Ann Raniel, giving ear to Ogie’s suggestion, turned the classic love song originally recorded by judge Regine herself into a jazzy number. How did the OG singer like it? “I’m not singing it anymore,” quipped Regine, who also noted the beautiful arrangement and little nuances in Ann Raniel’s performance. The 21-year-old hopeful maintains her rank in the second spot.

PJ (If Only)

From being last week’s highest scorer, PJ moved down in the ranking. Nevertheless, judge Gary praised the power and brilliance of the performance. Judge Moira admitted she wasn’t a fan before, but PJ made her realize that anything valuable is worth fighting for.

Ryssi (Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala)

Mentor Ogie described Ryssi’s voice as one you’ll never get tired of listening to. Besides the talent, it’s the heart, her ability to breathe the right emotions into any song that makes her a cut above the rest, as judge Gary noted. Meanwhile, judge Chito jestingly said, “No comment.” But “no comment” means a lot.

Khimo (Kailangan Kita)

We can only imagine the pressure Khimo felt performing “Kailangan Kita” in front of judges Regine and Gary, who both had their iconic takes on the 'hugot' song. Despite the jitters and complicated musical arrangement, Khimo delivered with mastery, and authenticity. As judge Gary put it, “the spirit of competition has disappeared” which worked because the Khimo we heard last Sunday sounded more true to himself and his audience.

Trisha (Ikaw Lamang)

Mentor Ogie noticed Trisha isn’t comfortable belting out high notes, thus telling her to believe in herself. Nevertheless, judge Regine thought the 17-year-old hopeful defies the ordinary while judge Chito described the performance as soothing and “unsettling in a good way.”

Delly (Kung Mawawala Ka)

“Dagdagan mo pa ng puso,” was Ogie’s comment during their mentoring, which inspired Delly to recall a past heartbreak. However, technicality-wise, judge Regine noted the singing was quite pitchy but she enjoyed it just the same. Judge Chito seconded, “Hindi gano’n ka-perfect.”

Kice (Ikaw Sana)

“I really like it. Parang gusto ko i-record mo ‘to tapos gusto kong pakinggan, eh,” Ogie commented after hearing Kice’s sample of “Ikaw Sana” during their mentoring. Equipped with unassuming charm, the 22-year-old contender refreshed the slow love song with a pop-rock vibe, so judge Regine compared him to Canadian singing sensation Justin Bieber.

Meanwhile, Misha and Nisha performed “I Will Be There” and “Ikaw Ang Pangarap,” respectively.

The competition is getting more intense. Who will get the highest score among the Top 8 Idol hopefuls in the third Live Gala show? Take your pick na, IdolKada! Predict now!