Ygnem wins the Pride Karaoke Contest

A teacher at the Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services took home $100 cash and a trophy last Saturday at the Pride Karaoke Contest held at Tom Yum Restaurant in Garapan.

Out of the 13 walk-in contestants, 24-year-old John Morgan Ygnem aka “John Legend,” won the Pride Karaoke Contest. The competition is a collaboration between Sincerely Saipan Destinations and Tom Yum Restaurant.

The other contestants were Elmer Belgado, Albert Lansanagan, Jennifer Martin, Marina Reyes, Ann, Nana, Loida Oliver, Donnel Isip, Juliana Kai Ortiz, Tina Matsunga, Isabella Matsunga, and Marvin Vino.

Ygnem told Saipan Tribune that he started singing at the age of 5. He arrived at Tom Yang just to sing karaoke and only that evening did he find out that there was a competition. It was his second time to join a karaoke competition at Tom Yum and he planned to join the CNMI Got Talent last December but he went off-island.

“I gave half of my prize to the waitstaff and brought the other half home,” said Ygnem

Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” was the song that gave him the win that night, even though he goes by the name John Legend.

Meanwhile, 9-year-old Juliana Kai Ortiz, who sang Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” won first place and received $50 cash and a trophy. Ortiz won the Governor’s Award and finished second in the 2023 CNMI Got Talent. “I always give my prize to my mom for her to keep it, so that when the time comes, we need money we don’t have to ask money from other people,” she said.

Isip’s stirring performance of an Elvis Presley classic secured him second place, and Albert Lansangan finished in the Top 4.

According to PK Phommachanh-Daigo, founder of Sincerely Saipan Destinations, “Karaoke was not just a night of entertainment but a reminder of the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights worldwide.”

Daigo extended their gratitude to the allies and supporters who made Pride Karaoke possible, “their commitment to inclusivity and equality resonates deeply within our community. Plans are already in motion for another karaoke contest next month, specifically aimed at our youth—a testament to ongoing efforts to nurture talent and provide safe spaces for expression,” he added.

According to Tom Yum owner Phannee Regan, “Pride Karaoke in our restaurant was more than just a competition; it was a celebration of diversity, unity, and the resilience of the human spirit. On Saipan, as in communities worldwide, events like this remind us that together, we can create a future where everyone can live and love freely.”

Members of the judging panel were Ellen Delos Santos, owner of Relox Bar; Edwin Maratas, owner of 9Eleven Restobar; Alex Hu, VP Sales of Island Training Solutions; and Daigo, principal partner at LaBine & Associates and founder of Sincerely Saipan Destinations.

Hapi Canezares Gabriel was the emcee of event.

Daigo also would like to thank Tom Yum Restaurant and Pacific Amusement for making the event possible.