Life may have been not so easy for him and his family, but young artist Rai Fernandez doesn’t let poverty get in the way of him chasing his dreams as he joined The Voice Kids Season 5.

But aside from his singing skills, another thing that’s admirable about the 12-year-old lad from Libmanan, Camarines Sur is his being hardworking and family-oriented at a young age. The second offspring of a housewife-mom and a vendor-dad who sells lighters and flashlights and sometimes hustles as a construction worker, he usually spends his days off school by helping his Papa Leovihildo at the market.

Aside from the money they receive from their sales, he also receives tips from their customers who would request him to sing, which he gives to his father.

Inspired by his dream to improve the life of their family, he took on the stage with his impressive rendition of the OPM classic “Lipad ng Pangarap,” which made Coach Martin Nievera turn his red chair.

In his The Voice Kids DigiTV appearance, Rai told hosts Elha Nympha and Jeremy G how happy and surprised he is that the Concert King decided to turn for him. He stated, “Masaya po dahil sa blind audition ko po, hindi ko po inaasahan na may iikot po, ‘yon po si Coach Martin. Nabigla nga po ako, sobra pong tuwa ang naramdaman ko.”

He also demonstrated to them how he sells lighters, which made Elha also recall how she used to shout “banana cue” when she was still a vendor like Rai.

Show your support to our promising young artists like Rai by not missing an episode of The Voice Kids Season 5, Saturdays and Sundays, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live,, A2Z, and TV5.a