Before he was “hard launched” as the newest addition to the “It’s Showtime” family early this year, we are all aware that Darren Espanto is a singer first. Thus, it is truly inevitable for his gregarious co-hosts not to ask him to sing sometimes, through which he astounded us with his prowess in hitting the so-called “money notes.” Let’s revisit those instances in this Kapamilya Update feature!

As we all know, “Showing Bulilit” is the segment where the Showtime Kids get to showcase their acting chops as the hosts display their knowledge in films and series as they guess the title. But one episode turned into a vocal showdown as Vice Ganda challenged his co-hosts to sing their respective renditions of “Starting Over Again.” It might be the tandem of MC Mwah and Ogie Alcasid who were able to give the correct answer first; it was apparently Darren who won the on-the-spot sing-off as he accepted the dare of the Unkabogable Star, who was his game partner that time, to sing it not in male version but in octave.

He isn’t dubbed “D’ Total Performer” for nothing, right? And he’s able to prove it when he heeded Vice’s request for him to belt out the “money note” of the song “She’s Gone,” which was performed by a young contestant in an episode of “Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids.” 

Darren went on to wow everyone when he sang Jennifer Hudson’s “I Believe” after Vice mentioned it while interviewing a pair of daily contenders in an episode of “Tawag ng Tanghalan: The School Showdown.” 

Since the impersonator of singer Duncan Ramos wasn’t able to reach the high notes of the song “Kahit Kailan,” it was the Gen Z host who did it for him after he was called by Vice to take on the stage and help him out. And he didn’t just do it once but twice!

Were you able to catch these episodes, madlang people? Watch out for more of Darren’s instantaneous concert-level pa-sample on “It’s Showtime,” Mondays to Saturdays, on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, GMA, GTV and A2Z.