Ben Madilynn
Itinuturing ni Billy Crawford ang kanyang amang si Jack Crawford na isa sa naging “biggest coaches” niya sa buhay.
Saad niya, “One of my biggest coaches kasi sa buhay ko was my father, and I always wanted to be like or at least close to my father.
“Absent kasi most of the time, dahil sa trabaho, yung tatay ko. So it gave me a sense of awareness pagdating sa trabaho and professionalism.”
Dito raw niya nakuha ang inspirasyon kung paano makitungo sa mga batang contestant sa The Voice Kids bilang coach.
Aniya, “Kaya bilang coach ngayon, medyo malaking role because, first of all, it’s your kids. Pero yung pagiging coach ko, I love coaching my kid, si Amari.
“And kumbaga, apart from trying to be a good husband, yung siguro Sir Dingdong can attest to this as well, he can agree na we want the best for our kids.
“So we try to give them the best coach in life and kami yung tinitingnan nila araw-araw.
“And that’s what I try to do whenever I talk to kids.
“And bilang I’m given this platform to actually motivate kids and to teach them certain things, tricks, and trades din na alam namin mga coaches, puwede naming ipasa sa mga bata.”
Itinuturing din niyang malaking responsibilidad ang maging gabay ng mga bata sa journey nila sa kumpetisyon.
Saad ni Billy, “Kaya it’s a big responsibility, nakaka-pressure.
“Pero the experience of being a coach, it’s not so new to me.
“Pinangarap ko na to, matagal na, like, I’ve always wanted to help performers enhance kung ano yung mga skills nila.
“Kasi that’s what I did for 30-plus years sa industriya.
“Every day, pag gumigising ako, before my family at that time, I was trying to perfect my craft, which for all singers, for all actors, painters, whatever in the creative realm, is you have to work and you have to really put in lahat ng ginagawa mo.
“Kaya yung soul, yung dugo, yung pawis mo, binubuhos mo dito, kaya it feels good to be a coach.
“And all of us naman, our roles in life is to coach and to teach good to others.
“So, kumbaga, automatic na tayong coaches in general, ito lang, enhanced lang ako for the professional coaching pagdating sa performances and that’s why, you know, I have my idols.
“I have yung mga talagang tinitingala kong mga artists na nag-i-inspire sa akin and they have coached me.
“So why not, if I’m capable of coaching others, take and grab the opportunity, kaya ako nandito po.”
Nakausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Porta) at ilang piling media si Billy sa grand media conference ng The Voice Kids noong September 4, 2024, sa Studio 7 ng GMA Network.
BILLY CRAWFORD: “I have to tell and be honest with the kids…”
Bilang coach, may gameplan na umano si Billy para sa mabubuo niyang team.
Pagbabahagi niya, “Yung game plan ko ito, honestly, ito yung nasa isip ko at an early stage pa lang.
“Pagdating dito sa Blind auditions, once na makabuo na ako ng team ko, ang strategy ko dito is I have to tell and be honest with the kids and tell them that this is a competition kahit papaano.
“Sa isang competition, may mananalo at may matatalo, pero gusto ko lang din i-embed sa kanila na hindi matatapos yung career nila, yung buhay nila dahil sa isang competition.
“Because we have to accept defeat din kahit papano. So, gusto ko lang i-embed sa mga utak ng mga bata na they’re here to work kaya yun yung puwede ko ituturo sa kanila—yung work ethics, professionalism, isa na rin yun.
“And also how to love and to be passionate about their craft, which is singing.
“So pagdating sa performance, yung puwede kong ibigay din sa kanila, kung ito yung hiling nila, they really have to give their heart.
“Kaya I’m just really thankful and blessed that I’m given this opportunity to siguro makabalik lang sa kapwa ko, whether kahit anong edad.
“Pero it’s just such a blessing na manggagaling pa sa akin na makaka-coach pa ako sa mga kabataan, so it drives me in a good direction.”
Makakasama ni Billy bilang vocal coaches sina Stell at Pablo ng SB19 at si Julie Anne San Jose.
Si Dingdong Dantes naman ang host ng show.
Magsisimula ang The Voice Kids sa GMA-7, sa September 15, 2024, 7:05 P.M.
