SM Little Stars 2026 Crowns Its First Grand Shining and Dazzling Stars

Gratiela Thresse M. Urmeneta of SM City Manila and Amiah Kaea Yzobel Quimzon of SM City Butuan capture SM Little Stars 2026's highest honors

The Grand Shining Star, Grand Dazzling Star, and runners-up pose with the SM Little Stars 2026 judges and organizers following the Grand Finals at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

MANILA, Philippines, 11 August 2026 — Out of thousands of hopefuls from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, thirty of the country's brightest young performers made it to the SM Little Stars 2026 Grand Finals, held at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. More than a talent search, the annual competition is SM Supermalls' way of spotlighting young Filipino talent from every corner of the country — and giving these kids a shot at the biggest stage of their young lives.

Six Weeks, 68 Malls, 41,000 Kids

Getting to the finals took six weeks of auditions across 68 SM malls nationwide. More than 41,000 children between ages 4 and 7 showed off their singing, dancing, and other talents, with only 30 finalists making the cut for the country's biggest kiddie talent competition. Every one of them brought real passion to the stage — but two performers ultimately walked away with this year's top honors.

Gratiela showcases her dance moves, while Amiah serenades the audience with her rendition of the classic Disney song "When You Wish Upon a Star" during the SM Little Stars 2026 Grand Finals.

The Winners

Gratiela Thresse M. Urmeneta of SM City Manila took home this year's Grand Shining Star title, while Amiah Kaea Yzobel Quimzon of SM City Butuan was named Grand Dazzling Star — their performances winning over both the judges and the crowd.

Urmeneta brought high energy with her dance routine, while Quimzon won hearts with a heartfelt rendition of the Disney classic “When You Wish Upon a Star.”

For the mothers watching from the sidelines, seeing their daughters take the top honors capped off weeks of preparation with real emotion.

“Sobrang proud ako sa kanya. Nakita ko kung gaano siya nagsikap at nagtiwala sa sarili niya. Bukod sa pagkapanalo, masaya akong makita siyang lumabas sa stage na mas confident,” said Sheilamay P. Mojuntou, mother of Grand Shining Star winner Gratiela Urmeneta.

Vanessa Ysmaela D. Quimzon, mother of Grand Dazzling Star Amiah Quimzon, shared a similar sentiment: “Gusto lang namin na ma-enjoy niya ang experience, kaya napakalaking bonus na makita siyang manalo. Thankful kami sa SM Little Stars sa pagkakataong ito.”

A Celebration Beyond the Competition

The Grand Finals turned into something bigger than a contest — families, friends, and supporters filled the venue with cheers and applause for every child who took the stage.

“Watching these young dreamers perform reminds us that every big journey begins with one brave step. SM Little Stars has always been more than a competition; it is a place where children discover confidence, families create lifelong memories, and dreams begin to take shape. We are proud to continue providing that stage for Filipino children year after year,” said Hanna Carinna T. Sy, SM Supermalls Senior Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Leasing.

The Judges

This year's finalists were evaluated by singer, actress, and host Karylle Yuzon; award-winning filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone; OPM hitmaker and ABS-CBN Music Assistant Vice President Jonathan Manalo; “Gala To The Max” choreographer Angel Datanagan; and SM Little Stars 2016 Grand Winner Marcus Cabais — a panel whose combined expertise helped identify the performers who best captured the talent, confidence, and stage presence the competition looks for.

Urmeneta and Quimzon were joined by 1st Runner-Up Amara Jade F. Sabino of SM City Lipa, 2nd Runner-Up Seth Nicolas B. Jacinto of SM City San Jose del Monte, and 3rd Runner-Up John Rouie S. Dizon of SM City Pampanga.

Prizes and Recognition

As this year's grand winners, Urmeneta and Quimzon each take home a prize package that includes ₱100,000 in cash and SM Gift Certificates, a National University college scholarship, a brand-new car, an all-expense-paid trip to Hong Kong, and more.

Beyond the two grand titles, SM Little Stars 2026 also recognized three runners-up, finalists placing sixth through tenth, and special award recipients across the People's Choice Award, Little Style Stars, Little Sparkling Stars, and Little Pop Star categories.

Past the titles and prizes, every finalist walked away with something harder to quantify — the confidence to dream bigger and memories with their families that will likely outlast the competition itself. It's that lasting impact that's kept SM Little Stars going for 17 years, with more editions still to come.