In a room corner, with only a camera and a few props, 30-year-old Shadow Ace transforms it into a stage for his viral performances. As music plays, his hands become tiny dancers, showcasing choreography to every beat. Sometimes he performs Michael Jackson's iconic moonwalk, other times he transforms into a hip hop rapper dancing to Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us".
His moonwalk cover performance has garnered over 12 million views on the artist's personal page. Video: Instagram Shadow Ace
Shadow Ace currently has millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. He posts at least one video daily, consistently demonstrating creativity in each piece. Beyond dance performances, he imitates various animals like dinosaurs and phoenixes, or creates inspirational skits.
The artist believes that creativity is the most important aspect of shadow puppetry. In an interview, Shadow Ace expressed pride that most of his props are recycled items, such as old cardboard. Occasionally, he asks for discarded cake boxes when attending parties.
Shadow Ace performs Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us", attracting over 140 million views. Video: TikTok/ Shadow Ace
Born in 1996, Phillip Jose P. Galit grew up in a financially struggling family in Calatagan town, Batangas province, Philippines. In 2024, the artist shared with ABS-CBN that his family was so poor when he was a child that they had no electricity and, therefore, no television. Young Galit found joy by playing with his shadow under candlelight. Furthermore, having been bullied by others at school, he found peace in this art form, where he could create powerful monologues that expressed his inner strength. Galit even named his shadow Berto, stating it helped him regain confidence.
Gradually, this childhood hobby led Galit to international stages. In 2016, Galit competed in the local talent competition Pilipinas Got Talent but did not make a significant mark. Three years later, he reached the finals of Asia's Got Talent, presenting a performance that was both humorous and conveyed the message to "live regardless of others' judgments."
Speaking with a news outlet, Galit revealed that his life changed after he decided to share his improvised musical performances on TikTok in 2022. Initially, he did not intend to post this type of content on social media, only creating finger dance covers and character lip-syncing to song lyrics.
At that time, he was unsure if Filipinos and international audiences would appreciate shadow puppetry. One boring night, Galit decided to film a video to the hit song "Paro Paro G". The next morning, he was surprised to see the content had garnered millions of views, and his account continuously gained followers.
Following the video's popularity, he received an invitation to participate in America's Got Talent (AGT) 2023. Although he stopped at the semi-final round, the name Shadow Ace gained wider recognition. In 2024, he returned to the competition for a version featuring 40 fan-favorite contestants from previous seasons, many of whom came from the British, Japanese, and other international versions of the show. Shadow Ace ranked eighth overall.
Supermodel Heidi Klum, one of the judges that year, told Galit: "I like you because you are smart, and you always bring us something new." In 2025, he continued his journey by participating in Italia's Got Talent, again reaching the finals. He explained that his continuous participation in international competitions is to motivate audiences and prove that poverty cannot limit talent.
Excerpt from Shadow Ace's performance on "AGT Fantasy League 2024" with the assistance of judge Howie Mandel. Video: AGT
On Instagram on May 11, Galit posted about becoming a content creator with millions of views on social media. Over the past few years, he has witnessed many unimaginable milestones in his life, from his accounts reaching millions of followers to opportunities to perform on international stages. Ultimately, he considers transforming a simple talent into a profession to be the most surprising achievement.
"I create to entertain and inspire people. At the same time, I show you that simple things can also become amazing. I hope to reach those who feel they lack resources to start," Galit stated.
Phuong Thao (according to ABS-CBN)
