The victory we witnessed on the It’s Showtime’s Tawag ng Tanghalan stage is just a portion of Janine Berdin, the TNT Season 2 grand winner’s journey. Her transition from a kontesera to a mainstream artist was a cycle of ups and downs, of wins and losses. But even the bumpy road couldn’t wane her talent and perseverance.

Janine started to join singing contests at five years old. In every ten competitions, she would lose six times. Then, she tried her luck in showbiz when she was eight by joining the Kapamilya talent search Star Circle Kids Quest. But she only made it to the Top 10.

As a young girl, Janine would cry over defeat. “Umiiyak po ako. Tapos, ‘yung parents ko na sobrang supportive, kino-comfort naman po ako lagi,” she said. Her parents have always been her biggest fans. They would help her from preparations to performance. Her mom was in-charged with grooming her stage presence while her dad polished the technicalities.

Rehearsals with mom are still vivid in Janine’s memory. Back in the day, they often practiced singing Leah Salonga’s “Tomorrow,” which she also performed on the Tawag ng Tanghalan semi-finals round. “Bilang alay kay Nanay ko po kasi gusto kong marinig niya ‘yung version ko as a 16-year-old,” shared Janine.

Taking us back to the day when she got a call from TNT, Janine revealed that she almost let the golden opportunity pass her by. She was surprised to hear her mom in panic, asking her to pick up a call from an unknown number.

“Tapos nung sinagot ko po, sabi sa akin, ‘Gusto mo bang sumali o hindi?’ Kasi matagal daw po akong kinontact kaso hindi ko po nakita ‘yung message. Kasi ‘yung mga kapatid ko naglalaro sa phone ng Mama ko kaya hindi ko po nareplyan agad. Buti nga po nabigyan pa rin ako ng chance.” she said.

Janine’s story is a reminder that apart from perseverance, unwavering patience and trust in God’s timing make every dream possible.