The TNT Boys, also known as The Big Shot Trio or Tawag ng Tanghalan Boys, is a Filipino boy band

made
up of three of the pre-to-early teen finalists of the 2017 television competition Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids.
[1] The members are Keifer Sanchez, Mackie Empuerto, and Francis Concepcion. In 2018, TNT Boys won
as the grand winner in the second season of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. TNT Boys are the first
Filipino act to perform in the four franchises of the talent show Little Big Shots in the Philippines, United
States, UK and Australia.

2017: Formation from Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids Edit

On June 10, 2017, the Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids (TNT Kids) grand finals was held at ABS-CBN Studio 3.
John Clyd Talili emerged as the grand champion, while Keifer Sanchez was declared second runner-up,
Mackie Empuerto in third place, and Francis Concepcion in fifth.[2] Vice Ganda was instrumental in
forming the trio when the boys guested on his show Gandang Gabi Vice just after the grand finals. Vice
asked them to have a singing battle with Beyoncé's "Listen". The boys' performance in Gandang Gabi
Vice was critically applauded and went viral on social media, with reaction videos from netizens praising
their singing ability. There and then, Vice launched the kids as the TNT Boys.

2018: Talent show visits Edit

In April 2018, the TNT Boys appeared on the Little Big Shots[3][4] US to sing Beyonce's "Listen". The
episode prompted Ellen DeGeneres to tweet Beyonce: "Beyoncé, I hope you watch Sunday’s episode of
#LittleBigShots." And just a day after, Little Big Shots released a clip of the performance online. Brian
May, one of the members of the British rock band Queen, shared the video on his verified Facebook
page, saying "Check out these lovely young lads from the Philippines. Brilliant. Great to see youngsters
relating to Queen so well — and enjoying"

The group also appeared on the other franchises of Little Big Shots, including Little Big Shots UK and
Australia.[5]

In May 2018, TNT Boys participated in the second season of Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. During the
first week of the show, the TNT Boys impersonated the Bee Gees, again receiving critical applause and
attracted the attention of the group who tweeted[6][7]:"Imitation truly is the sincerest from of flattery!
Thank you #TNTBoys @YourFacePH for your rendition of "Too Much Heaven". #MyBeeGees," Other
notable renditions and impersonations include songs from APO Hiking Society, Destiny's Child, Aegis, The
Supremes, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, Spice Girls, The Three Tenors, Wonder Girls, ABBA (with Sam
Shoaf). After 16 weeks of performances and their grand finals impersonation of Jessie J, Ariana Grande
and Nicki Minaj's "Bang Bang", they emerged as the grand winner of the second season, garnering 100%
of the judges' and public votes held at UP Theater on August 19, 2018.[8]
On October 14, 2018, the TNT Boys performed at Singaporean President Halimah Yacob's Star Charity
(PSC) event in Singapore over the weekend.[9] The three dapper young boys emerged on stage wearing
matching maroon suits and treated the attendees of the charity ball to their rendition of Whitney
Houston’s "The Greatest Love of All" and Beyoncé's "Listen". After their performance, President Yacob
herself went backstage to personally meet and take photos with the boys.

On November 14, 2018, the boys received the Royal Cub Award at the Rawr Awards 2018 from the
entertainment blog, LionhearTV. The Royal Cub Award is given to young individuals who possess
incredible talent recognized globally by consistently making headlines and trending performances.[10]
On November 18, they became a regular performer on ASAP after the show reformatted into ASAP Natin
'To. They received a Rising Pop Child Performer of the Year Award at the PPOP Awards for Young Artists
2018.[10]

On November 30, 2018, TNT Boys broke the record as the country's youngest sold out performers on
their first major concert entitled 'Listen: The Big Shot Concert' at the Araneta Coliseum.[11] Their guests
included Jed Madela, Vice Ganda, K Brosas, Janine Berdin, Noven Belleza, John Clyde Talili, and the Your
Face Sounds Familiar Kids from season 1 and 2.

2019: World tour, more talent shows, and "Starla" theme song Edit

In the series' premiere episode on February 3, 2019, the TNT Boys appeared as contestants on the U.S.
reality talent competition The World's Best.[12] During the audition rounds, they garnered a total of
99/100 points from the American and international judges.[13] In the battle rounds, they got a total
score of 97. They lost to Naturally 7 in the championship rounds for the group variety category.[14]

The TNT Boys will begin their world tour featuring Angelica Hale for the North American dates in April
2019.[15]

In October 2019, the group performed the official theme song for the fantasy drama series Starla,
entitled "Ako ang Iyong Bituin".

Keifer Sanchez, born 25 November 2004 (age 14) in Davao City, Philippines
Mackie Empuerto, born 8 September 2005 (age 14) in Manila, Philippines

Francis Concepcion, born 22 June 2006 (age 13) in Zamboanga, Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino boy group TNT Boys fell short to earn a spot at the finals of American
talent competition “World’s Best.”

The trio, discovered in “It’s Showtime’s” Tawag ng Tanghalan, was pitted against other international
artists, Vonnie Lopez & The High Praise Choir and Naturally 7.

The group’s members, Keifer Sanchez, Mackie Empuerto, and Francis Concepcion, had a “flawless”
version of Jessie J’s “Flashlight,” according to judge Drew Barrymore, but Naturally 7’s emotional version
of Coldplay’s “Fix You” made the cut to the finals.

There is no flaw in one note. When you have a show called ‘World’s Best’ that’s a very high bar to set,
and you guys just reach it every time, if not surpass it,” Drew said.

The American judges gave TNT Boys a score of 49 percent, higher than they gave to Naturally 7, with 43
percent. Nonetheless, only 18 juries of the 50 Wall of the World judges voted for the TNT Boys, as
compared to 32 for the a cappella-style singers.

Naturally 7 took home a $50,000 prize for being the champion of their division and will move up to the
show’s finals set next week

Keifer sanchez

BIRTHDAY

November 25, 2004 (age 14)

BIRTHPLACE

Philippines
About

Singer who placed second on the Philippine children's singing competition Tawag Ng Tanghalan Kids. He
won the hearts of judges and audiences with his renditions of songs like Donny Osmond's "Puppy Love"
and Linda Ronstadt "Blue Bayou."

Before Fame

He was raised in Davao, Philippines.

Trivia

He has been a member of the boy band TNT Boys.

Family Life

His father has worked as a jeepney driver.

Associated With

He has performed alongside Mackie Empuerto in TNT Boys.

Some people are just born to sing on the stage, and Kiefer Sanchez is definitely one of them. At a young
age of 12, Kiefer has the charisma and the voice that will take him to great places. Let’s look back at his
journey and how he charmed his way to the grand finals with his angelic voice and charisma

obedient and helpful son always willing to lend a helping hand around the house. When not helping out
his father and mother, Kiefer enjoys playing tumbang preso with his friends in the streets around their
house. Of course, Kiefer’s favorite thing to do is singing. He joined the competition because of his sheer
desire to perform and be seen on stage.

Filipino Singers Logo

TNT Boys

TNT Boys

TNT Boys – Photo by Vincent Duke

Contact

The TNT Boys

facebook.com/TheTNTBoys

twitter.com/thetntboys

instagram.com/thetntboys

youtube.com – TNT Boys

Bookings

pgdizon@abs-cbn.com / mpinocencio-ijm@abs-cbn.com

+639395178754

Listen

Spotify – TNT Boys

Deezer – TNT Boys

TNT Boys – iTunes

iTunes

Quick Facts

Group Name: TNT Boys

Honorific Nickname: The Big Shot Trio

Genre: Pop

Current Members:

Keifer Sanchez

Mackie Empuerto

Francis Concepcion

Year of Inception: 2017

Current Base: Metro Manila

Languages: Filipino, English, Bisaya

Label: TNT Records

Status: Active

Biography

The members of the TNT Boys had their start as individual contestants of a noontime variety show
singing contest, the Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids (TNT Kids) where all three figured in the top five. During
the grand finals on June 10, 2017 at the Resorts World Manila, Keifer Sanchez placed runner up, Mackie
Empuerto third and Francis Concepcion fifth.
It wasn’t until a week after the finals when the three guested in Gandang Gabi Vice that they would
become an official group. Host Vice Ganda challenged the boys to sing Beyonce’s Listen while acting out
a dramatic bullying situation. The boys’ impromptu performance was so good, it went viral. On that
same guest appearance, Vice Ganda dubbed them the TNT Boys, named of course, after the contest
they’d joined.

What followed were busy months of multiple guestings for the boys, one of the early ones being in Little
Big Shots Philippines in September 2017. They went on to perform in Little Big Shots US in April 2018,
with the show’s producer Ellen DeGeneres tweeting a preview of the boys performance and a jesting
invitation to Beyonce to watch the episode. Host Steve Harvey was reportedly so impressed he told the
boys after their performance he wanted them back. In June of the same year, they reunited with Harvey
and took center stage again with Somebody to Love. This time, it was Brian May of Queen who gave
them a shout out, for their “brilliant” performance.

The boys also performed in the UK (June 2018) and Australia (September 2018) franchises of Little Big
Shots, making them the first Filipino act to perform in all four franchises of the show. By this time, fans
had already taken to calling them The Big Shot Trio.

In between show guestings both local and international, the boys joined season two of Your Face Sounds
Familiar Kids in May 2018, dressing up and singing as the actual singers of the songs they performed.
Their rendition of the Bee Gees’ Too Much Heaven earned them a thank you tweet from the official Bee
Gees Twitter account. The TNT Boys went on to win the competition with their 16th and final
performance as Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj singing Bang Bang.

With multiple successes and accolades tucked under their wings, the group earned the right to their first
major concert dubbed Listen: The Big Shot Concert on November 30, 2018, making them the record
holder for the Philippines’ youngest sold out performers at the Araneta Coliseum.

With hardly a moment to breathe, the TNT Boys where next seen as contestants in The World’s Best
winning their audition and battle rounds, but eventually bowing out to the acapella group Naturally 7
during the championship round. While in the US, they met one of their singing idols, Ariana Grande
while guesting at The Late Late Show with James Corden. Host James Corden jokingly referred to them as
his “favorite new boy band on planet Earth.”
As of this posting, the TNT Boys are set to embark on their World Tour, with shows scheduled on April 23
and 25, 2019 in California and April 27, 2019 in Canada.

About Keifer Sanchez

Born on November 25, 2004 in Davao City, Keifer, nicknamed Poy, is the eldest kuya (older brother) of
the trio. When not in school, Keifer spent some of his time as a barker for his father, calling out to
passengers as his father drove their passenger jeepney. It was in relation to this early work experience
that led some of his fans to christen him with a more apt moniker, the Balladeer Barker.

Prior to joining Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids, he had only joined two other competitions. Although a
relatively inexperienced amaturista (amateur contest participant), Keifer felt a strong inclination to
perform on stage, which was what led him to choose to compete on a national competition.
Notwithstanding his modest experience, his talent paved the way for an astounding second place finish.

Of the three boys, Keifer has perhaps undergone the most noticeable physical change. Although still reed
thin, he has become subtly, but wonderfully stylish, his well chosen wardrobe complementing an
undercut and a sleek ponytail, a hairstyle so perfectly suited to his slim figure his fans have again given
birth to yet another nickname — Ponytail.

It is unclear whether the TNT Boys will ever veer away from the stage, but if they ever do decide to
pursue higher studies, Keifer has expressed a desire to become a civil engineer, wanting to help improve
the quality of public streets and roads, no doubt seeing firsthand during his days as a barker how much
they need improvement.

About Mackie Empuerto

Mackie was born on September 8, 2005 in San Juan, Manila, and is the trio’s unquestionable veteran of
amateur contests. He started joining small town singing contests at the age of 8. To date, he has joined
more than a hundred singing contests, a fact attested to by his collection of numerous medals and
trophies once captured on camera by a TV crew.

His love for singing and penchant for competing was a natural offshoot of his parents’ eager support and
his father’s equally avid love for joining competitions himself. In some instances, Mackie’s father would
do more than take his son to contests in various provinces. He would be illegible to compete himself,
sometimes getting pitted against his own son, with Mackie on occasion beating him. One of their more
amusing anecdotes was their family winning all three top spots with Mackie’s sister rounding up third
place.

From the start, Mackie’s avowed reasons for his perpetual presence at contests is both pragmatic and
grand, wanting to first help his family financially with his winnings and to attempt to fulfill his dream of
achieving fame as a performer. On a sweeter note, Mackie wanted to win Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids so he
could sing for and surprise his sister at her debut.

By his own admission, Mackie was slightly mischievous as a child. He is however, clearly the most staid
and formal of the trio on stage, often lending support and balance to the younger Francis’ more
animated stage temperament. It’s likely that Mackie’s unifying quality is owing to his long experience in
the contest circuit.

Like Keifer, Mackie has entertained thoughts of a different direction as an adult, aspiring to one day
become a music, arts and physical education (MAPEH) teacher. And again, like Keifer, it is uncertain if the
path is truly set and clear for Mackie to pursue his dreams of a different career. The chances of seeing a
Mr. Empuerto in class is even more doubtful considering Mackie has displayed some skill in acting and
may want to be an actor someday, having already successfully discharged a dramatic role in the movie
Bakwit Boys. When asked in a talk show to demonstrate his acting chops, Mackie was able to cry
effortlessly on cue.

About Francis Concepcion

Francis is the group’s youngest, born on June 22, 2006. He hails from Zamboanga City, although some
sources say he may have also spent some time in Cavite. Of the three, Francis has had the least vocal
training before participating in Tawag ng Tanghalan, and has also had the most difficult personal life. A
video montage of his early years gives a glimpse of his rock bottom beginnings, clearly showing him
thinner, and at one point, even shirtless on the streets.

Being the fifth of a large family of 9 children, he has had to endure extreme privations at a young age. He
sometimes went for days with little to nothing to eat, or had to look for odd ways to try to earn money.
One online video commenter recounted how she once met Francis in a restaurant, offering to sing for a
little cash, with Francis admitting to her how he did not like to beg and would rather do something in
exchange for money. He has also had to periodically scavenge through trash to look for items to sell.
At the age of 9, Francis’ aunt, his father’s sister whom he calls Mama Grace, took him and his sister in
and supported them so they could pursue their education. When not in school, Francis helped in his
aunt’s store, packing, arranging and selling sugar, salt, coal and vegetables. It was to his aunt that Francis
dedicated one of his contest performances. Now that he has started earning better as a performer,
Francis has pledged to help is family as long as he’s able.

As a public figure, Francis is a study in contrasts, which strangely is what makes him even more
admirable. Despite having had little past formal coaching, he is the most expansive and naturally
expressive on stage and is even visibly the most confident of the trio. He is also the funniest in the group
despite having had a difficult past, often dropping humorous gems in interviews and videos.