MANILA - An eight-year-old girl from Cebu City left the judges of "The Voice Kids" in awe with her soaring cover of "Somewhere" from the musical, "West Side Story."

Gella Vergara's performance, which earned her a three-chair salute, reminded Broadway star Lea Salonga of her voice when she was starting out.

"You sang it so well at ang haba mo mag-sustain nang mga nota. Alam mo bagay tayo kasi ganoon din ako kumanta," Salonga told Vergara.

Not to be outdone, megastar Sharon Cuneta, Salonga's co-coach this season with rock singer Bamboo Mañalac, wooed the young singer by showing her a copy of one of her oldest albums, "Sharon sings Valera."

"Ito iyong album na halos lahat ng kanta ay naging theme songs ng pelikula. Kapag ako ang pinili mong coach, talagang lahat ng napagalaman ko mula nung three years old ako, ituturo ko sa iyo," Cuneta said.

Salonga countered by bringing out a cardboard cut-out that resembled her first ever album, which she made when she was only ten. She recalled her mother's belief in her when record labels rejected the idea of selling an album made by a kid.

"Lahat nagsabi sa kanya, hindi po bebenta iyan, bata iyan eh. ...Sinasabi ko lang ito sa iyo iyong kuwento ng nanay ko dahil magaling ka at ganoon ang paniniwala ko sa boses mo, na mayroon mga gustong makarinig sa boses mo," she said.

But despite Salonga's efforts and having musical theater-leanings, Vegara joined Cuneta's team. She was the third contestant of the night to do so following Butuan's Hannah Hakami and Bukidnon's Cyd Ira Pangca.

With her latest additions, Cuneta now boasts the biggest roster of young artists with 15. Salonga came second with 12, while Mañalac, who recruited one on Saturday, has nine.

"The Voice Kids," hosted by Luis Manzano, Robi Domingo, and Kim Chiu, airs Saturdays after "Home Sweetie Home" and on Sundays after "Goin' Bulilit."