Paola Guanche, a 12-year-old who proved her worth singing in both English and Spanish, was voted the winner of the first season of “La Voz Kids” (The Voice Kids).
The curly-haired daughter of Cuban musicians performed an impressive rendition of “I Will Always Love You” during the show’s grand finale July 28 on the Telemundo network, demonstrating an aplomb and vocal power well beyond her years.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“La Voz Kids,” the only Spanish-language version of “The Voice” being produced in the U.S., has turned out to be a huge ratings-winner for Telemundo, which aired it on Sunday nights for 13 consecutive weeks, with Paulina Rubio, Prince Royce and Roberto Tapia (currently topping Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart) as coaches.
“La Voz Kids” is the same format as other “The Voice” productions except it features children. The show, which premiered last May, has consistently delivered top ratings for Telemundo, averaging a viewership of over 2 million every Sunday since it began airing.
Although the show featured Latin kids, many traversed between languages. Guanche herself performed “Químbara,” the classic Cuban track popularized by Celia Cruz, after her winning performance of “I Will Always Love You.”
As the winner of the first season of “The Voice Kids”, Guanche will receive a recording contract with Universal Music and cash prize of $50,000 awarded by AT&T in support of her education.
The July 28 finale of “The Voice Kids” featured performances by Ricky Martin, Ana Bárbara and Prince Royce.