A daughter of a Filipino expatriate in Saudi Arabia bagged the gold medal in a prestigious singing competition held Friday in Hollywood, California.

Kimverlie Molina, 18, sailed through tough qualifying and semi final rounds against more than a hundred other vocalists from around the world who vied for the gold at the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA).

In the final round, she bested five other contestants from Russia, Malaysia, Sweden and two other Filipinos to finally get the top award in the senior vocals category.

Kim performed in Pop, R&B, Gospel, Rock and Broadway categories.

Former WCOPA grand champion Jed Madela, singing sensation Charice Pempengco and composer Vhenee Saturno were among those who witnessed the event.

Kim is the eldest daughter of Dr. Ronaldo Molina and Myrna Soriano from Al Khobar, eastern Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Molina was among those who accompanied his daughter in the competition. He is also his daughter’s voice coach.

Kim was 14 when she first rose to stardom in the Middle East region after winning ABS-CBN’s "TFC Popstar" Grand Middle East Championship in Dubai in 2006.

Filipino migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, particularly those in the Eastern region, are now in a euphoric mood and are eagerly waiting for Kim’s return next week.