{{Short description|Filipino musician}} {{Use Philippine English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Pow Chavez | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|record producer}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist | embed = yes | genre = Pop | instrument = Vocals | current_member_of = FlipMusic }}}}
'''Pow Chavez''' is a Filipino singer, songwriter, and record producer. He competed in the first season of ''Philippine Idol'', finishing the show at fifth place. In 2011, he co-founded the Philippine production house FlipMusic, along with Julius James de Belen and Jellica Mateo.
Chavez was one of the songwriters for Bini's 2023 single "Pantropiko" ({{translation|Tropical}}). He is currently the vocal coach for the P-pop girl group Vvink.
== Early life and education == Chavez played basketball when he was younger. In high school and college, he continued to train in sports.<ref name="goals">{{Cite web | first=Paul | last=Mata | date=July 20, 2009 | url=https://www.pep.ph/news/local/4305/Philippine-Idol%27s-Pow-Chavez-stars-in-TV5%27s-Goals-and-Girls | title=Philippine Idol's Pow Chavez stars in TV5's Goals and Girls | website=Philippine Entertainment Portal | language=tl}}</ref> In 2009, he became a member of the University of the Philippines' dragon boat team.<ref name="dragon">{{Cite web | first=Maine | last=Aquino | date=May 23, 2025 | url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/showbiznews/up-dragonboat-team-nauwi-ang-jackpot-prize-sa-family-feud/122764/ | title=UP Dragonboat Team, nauwi ang jackpot prize sa 'Family Feud' | trans-title=UP Dragonboat Team won the jackpot prize on 'Family Feud' | website=GMA Network | language=tl}}</ref>
== Career == In 2006, Chavez competed on season one of ''Philippine Idol'', landing in the top five of the singing contest. ''Idol'' judge Pilita Corrales praised him as "idol material". On November 20, he was eliminated from the show.<ref name="idol">{{Cite web | first=Candice | last=Lim | date=November 23, 2006 | url=https://www.pep.ph/news/local/61/pow-out-of-39philippine-idol39-4-hopefuls-remain | title=Pow out of 'Philippine Idol,' 4 hopefuls remain | website=Philippine Entertainment Portal | language=en-ph}}</ref> He has said that he was excluded from a Malaysian singing competition in 2007 due to transphobia.<ref name="rappler">{{Cite web | first=Russell | last=Ku | date=June 17, 2023 | url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/beyond-political-drama-lgbtq-filipinos-continue-face-discrimination/ | title=Beyond political drama, queer Filipinos continue to face discrimination | website=Rappler | language=en-ph | url-access=registration}}</ref> In 2009, he came up with the idea for the production house FlipMusic with Julius James de Belen.<ref name="adobo">{{Cite magazine | first=Stephanie | last=Ferrer | date=January 15, 2025 | url=https://www.adobomagazine.com/featured/the-maker-of-hitmakers-flipmusic-on-how-they-produce-then-and-todays-trending-tracks-and-musical-hits/ | title=The maker of hitmakers: FlipMusic on how they produce then and today's trending tracks and musical hits | magazine=Adobo}}</ref> In the same year, Chavez made his acting debut in ''Goals and Girls'', the Filipino adaptation of a Malaysian TV show. He portrayed the star player in a local futsal team. The series starred Empress Schuck and aired every Sunday on TV5.<ref name="goals"/>
Chavez, James de Belen, and Chavez' fellow ''Philippine Idol'' alumnus Jellica Mateo, founded FlipMusic in 2011.<ref name="making">{{Cite news | first=Carl Martin |last=Agustin |date=July 31, 2024 |title=The making of Bini's 'Pantropiko' |url=https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/512638/the-making-of-binis-pantropiko/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818181035/https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/512638/the-making-of-binis-pantropiko/ |archive-date=August 18, 2024 | newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |language=en-ph}}</ref> In January 2013, Chavez was a featured vocalist on "Biglang Liko" ({{translation|Sudden Turn}}). The Nigerian newspaper ''Premium Times'' praised the song's "fresh" synths, describing them as "ideal for the summer".<ref name="premium">{{Cite news | date=May 30, 2013 | url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/136903-wizkid-makes-top-eight-non-american-summer-songs-of-2013.html | title=Wizkid makes top eight non-American summer songs of 2013 | newspaper=Premium Times | language=en}}</ref> In 2015, Chavez trained and mentored contestants in Greenwich Pizza's Ultimate Bandkada Search.<ref name="greenwich">{{Cite news | date=June 19, 2015 | url=https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/197602/syva-a-band-with-an-atmospheric-sound/ | title=Syvä: A band with an atmospheric sound | newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | language=en-ph}}</ref>
Chavez composed "Going Crazy", a song that Alden Richards debuted in his 2020 concert.<ref name="crazy">{{Cite news | first=Ricky | last=Lo | date=November 25, 2020 | url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2020/11/25/2059140/why-alden-going-crazy | title=Why is Alden 'going crazy?' | newspaper=The Philippine Star }}</ref> In November 2022, Chavez performed the TV5 Christmas jingle, "Sama-Samang Ihatid ang Ibang Saya ng Pasko" ({{translation|Let's Bring the Different Joys of Christmas Together}}), alongside his fellow ''Philippine Idol'' alumni.<ref name="tv5">{{Cite news | date=November 19, 2022 | url=https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/19/tv5-highlights-joy-of-togetherness-this-christmas-in-new-iba-ang-pasko-pag-sama-sama-station-id | title=TV5 highlights joy of togetherness this Christmas in new 'Iba ang Pasko 'Pag Sama-Sama' Station ID | newspaper=Manila Bulletin }}</ref> He was the vocal arranger and one of the songwriters for the Bini song "Pantropiko" ({{translation|Tropical}}).<ref name="making"/> He is the vocal coach of the P-pop girl group Vvink.<ref name="and">{{Cite magazine | first=Julienne | last=Loreto | title=P-Pop Bites!: Your Fortnightly P-Pop News, 3rd November 2025 | url=https://andasian.com/p-pop-bites-your-fortnightly-p-pop-news-3rd-november-2025/ | magazine=&Asian | language=en-GB | archive-url=https://archive.today/20251104133510/https://andasian.com/p-pop-bites-your-fortnightly-p-pop-news-3rd-november-2025/ | archive-date=November 4, 2025 | url-status=live}}</ref>
== Personal life == Chavez is a trans man.<ref name="rappler"/><ref name="tatler">{{Cite web | first=Celine | last=Dabao | date=April 8, 2025 | url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/impact/workplace-wellness-spill-the-t-podcast | title=Amplifying trans men's voices in and out of the workplace with the Spill The T podcast team | website=Tatler Asia | language=en-ph}}</ref>
== Advocacy == In 2011, Chavez collaborated with Amnesty International Philippines to campaign for human rights.<ref name="amnesty">{{Cite web | url=https://www.amnesty.org.ph/artists4amnestyph/ |title=Artists for Amnesty Philippines | website=Amnesty International Philippines | language=en-ph}}</ref> On November 26, 2012, Chavez performed on the first day of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women at the Quirino Grandstand, organized by the Philippine Commission on Women.<ref name="endvaw">{{Cite web | url=https://pcw.gov.ph/campaign-to-end-violence-against-women-opens-with-sky-lantern-release-flash-mob/ |title=Campaign to end violence against women opens with sky lantern release, flash mob | website=Philippine Commission on Women |date=November 27, 2012 | language=en-ph}}</ref>
== Filmography == ===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" rowspan="1" | 2006 | ''Philippine Idol'' | Himself (contestant) | <ref name="idol"/> |- ! scope="row" rowspan="1" | 2009 | ''Goals and Girls'' | Star player | <ref name="goals"/> |- ! scope="row" rowspan="1" | 2025 | ''Family Feud'' | Himself (contestant) | <ref name="dragon"/> |- |}
== References == {{Portal|LGBTQ}} {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chavez, Pow}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Filipino singers Category:Filipino songwriters Category:Filipino transgender men Category:Transgender male singers Category:Transgender singer-songwriters