Marcelo's win had mixed reactions. Some say that her win was like "an underdog triumphing in the name of talent", being referred to as the least favorite among more "packaged" Magdangal and Nieto. Others questioned the validity of her win, citing a claim that Marcelo had an existing 5-year contract with Viva Entertainment—which produced "Star for a Night"—during the competition and that its owner, Vincent del Rosario, was considering to take legal actions against her. Marcelo clarified in a press conference that everything was settled, adding that Viva Entertainment released a statement saying that the company "was very happy for her". Another entertainment scribe affirmed that Nieto should have won Philippine Idol.