Who Is ‘American Idol’ Contestant Mikaela Bautista’s Dad? Details on the Singer
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Mikaela Bautista’s audition for Season 23 of American Idol will air during the upcoming Sunday, March 16, episode, per photos released by ABC. Earlier this year, the aspiring star revealed on Instagram that she got her singing talent from her dad by posting a video of them singing together.
Upon further investigation, Mikaela’s dad is actually an established artist himself, and TV Insider dug a little deeper to find out more about him. Scroll down to find out what we learned!
Who is Mikaela Bautista’s dad?
Mikaela’s dad is Vhen Bautista, who also goes by the stage name Chino Romero. According to his Instagram bio, he has been a recording artist since 1990.
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Vhen is very active on YouTube where he posts videos of himself singing original songs, tributes, covers, and giving general updates to his fans and followers. Vhen is an Amit Award winner, taking home the honor for Best Regional Recording twice for his songs “Kantaanka” and “Kaasi a Puso.”
Where is Mikaela Bautista’s dad from?
Vhen is from the Philippines and often acknowledges his heritage by singing Ilocano songs.
What music has Vhen Bautista released?
Vhen’s most recent album was released in January 2025. His project Original Ilocano Songs 35 Years” features 50 tracks. On the cover, he’s dubbed as the “prince of Ilocano songs.” He also released a Christmas album in 2024, as well as records in 2019 and 2017.
Before that, Vhen appears to have been on a bit of a hiatus from recording original music, as he previously hadn’t released a new record since 2001.
Vhen and Mikaela have performed together before. He also once released a song called “Mikaela” as a tribute to her, and she covered it herself back in 2019. Mikaela and her brother, Keanu, were also both featured on Vhen’s 2017 album.
American Idol, Season 23, Sundays, 8/7c, ABC
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