Social media singing contest winner Jyl Orila got a taste of London following her victory in Costa Coffee’s #SingYourWayToLondon.
For her Brit-inspired song number, Orila went all-out in her moving Adele number, where she used Costa Coffee cups as her percussion instruments. Moving on to the finals, she was tapped to sing live in front of a panel of judges that included David Guison and celebrity siblings Kiana and Paolo Valenciano.
“Basically, I had to record my vocals (melody, first harmony, and then second harmony) a couple of times to make my voice sound thicker. I tapped Costa Coffee takeaway cups, lids turned up, to make the beat. Some cups were turned upside down and scratched on paper towels to provide the egg shaker effect,” she related.
At the finals, Orila was in full British attire complete with a Costa Coffee-colored romper and a bowler hat.
Among the prizes she received was an all-expense paid trip to her dream destination, London, where she was able to tour the sights of the city that is steeped in rich culture and history.
Some of the popular attractions that she was able to visit on her trip included the London Eye, Big Ben, the Tower of London, Thames River, and Westminster Abbey.
She was also able to wander through Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, the London Bridge, and witness the changing of guards at the Buckingham Palace.
On a musical note, she walked on Abbey Road, famous for that iconic Beatles cover, and went on a Rock Music Tour to see the houses of British rock legends. Other unforgettable highlights on her five-day tour were catching a play at the West End Theater and participating in an open mic session at one of the city’s hip lounges.
The 26-year-old, who is a Costa Coffee Eastwood branch regular, was particularly delighted for the opportunity to visit the Costa Coffee Roastery, the British coffee chain brand’s 85,000-square feet roasting facility. The Roastery, located in Basildon, Essex, is capable of producing 45,000 tons of coffee yearly, or equivalent to 2.1 billion cups of coffee a year.
Back in Manila, Orila paid a courtesy visit to Daniel Pruce, British Ambassador to the Philippines.