Sparkle artist Arabelle Dela Cruz emerged victorious as Grand Champion of South Korea’s Veiled Cup, shining a global spotlight on Filipino talent.
Dubbed the “Laguna Diva,” the Kapuso singer faced weeks of intense showdowns with fellow Asian artists in the highly competitive singing competition. Arabelle ultimately triumphed over contenders including Gyeongsangdo Gangcheolseongdae,
Bangkok Soulman, Vientiane Redhair, and Phangaman Fighter.
“Ang dami kong nararamdaman. Masaya ako na pinaprocess ko pa kung nangyari na ba talaga ‘yun? Ilang competitions na ‘yung sinalihan ko. Lahat grand finals ‘yung inabot ko. Hindi ko pa nakuha ‘yung title. Malapit na pero muntikan na pero ngayon grabe talaga ‘yung timing kasi before po ako nag ‘Veiled Cup,’ katatapos lang ng ‘The Clash’ Season 7. Sabi ko di na ko sasali, parang ‘yun na ‘yung last competition ko, so super unexpected. So until now, super overwhelmed pa rin po ako,” Arabelle said during her victory press conference held by Sparkle GMA Artist Center on Wednesday, February 5, at Merino Seda Hotel North.
Last November, All-Out Sundays staged Veiled Musician Philippines, produced by GMA Entertainment Group to select the country’s representatives for the Veiled Cup Korea. Hosted by Rayver Cruz and Gabbi Garcia, 12 professional singers competed behind the veil, judged purely on vocal talent by an all-star Kapuso panel composed of Mark Bautista, Rita Daniela, and Julie Anne San Jose, with K-pop idol Tiffany Young joining the finale. From the pool of talented singers, Arabelle, together with Garrett Bolden and Thea Astley, was selected to represent the Philippines in the Veiled Cup Korea.
Arabelle advanced to the grand finals as the nation’s representative and was ultimately hailed as Grand Champion, marking her first international breakthrough. Watch Arabelle’s winning performance below which was aired in South Korea’s SBS Network last week:
The Veiled Cup, a competition where singers perform unseen behind a veil until revealed, became the perfect stage for Arabelle to showcase her artistry, symbolically unveiling the strength, passion, and excellence of Filipino talent to audiences across Asia.
From being The Clash 2025 1st Runner-Up and one of All-Out Sundays’ Divas, Arabelle’s Veiled Cup victory stands as a defining milestone in her career and a proud moment for the Philippines, as she carried the nation’s banner with excellence and passion.
Watch Arabelle compete against other artists from Asia below:
Watch the Top 5 of “Veiled Cup” perform “Mama”:
