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SINGAPORE: Even before the Top 24 "Singapore Idol" contestants were announced last week, there were signs that season three of the reality singing competition was on the right track with its exciting blend of energy, controversies, personalities, looks and talent.
Members of the press were invited to meet the Top 24 contestants last Thursday and as we made our way into the room, we were greeted with a boisterous "Hello" and in a split second, the session resembled more of a class gathering than a media event.
What characterised the Class of 2009 was the contestants’ exuberance and youthful nature. These "Idol" hopefuls were having sing-a-long sessions and were reportedly playing musical chairs in the holding room before the media session started.
"These kids are certainly the bubbliest one we ever had," said Suresh Pillai, Assistant Marketing & Promotions Manager, Network Programming & Promotions 5. In fact, more than half of the Top 24 aren't even allowed to watch R21 films yet.
The youngest of the lot, Duane Ho, is only 16 years old and is currently in the midst of his 'O' Levels preparations.
"I will choose the competition over the exams," said Ho, who quickly retracted his words and added that both events are equally important. He is one of 13 contenders who are juggling school and "Idol".
"Singapore Idol 3" already has its fair share of controversies despite being in its early stages of competition. There's the bust-up between Ryan Lee and Syltra Lee (who, by the way, are not related), Charlene Torres-Tan's sex tape scandal, and probably the most unfortunate among them, Benjamin Chow, son of singer Clement 'Count On Me, Singapore' Chow.
Since the competition started, Chow, 19, has been making headlines for the wrong reasons. A few months back, his Facebook and e-mail accounts were hacked and word began spreading that he was faking an injury to gain sympathy and attention.
"Firstly, I didn't break my leg," clarified Chow, adding that he is suffering from early osteoarthritis and requires crutches to walk around.
"I do not want people to think I'm a 'pai ka' (crippled in Hokkien). That's not what I want. I want somebody to relate to what I'm singing," said Chow, who admitted that he was really upset when he read reports that he was trying to rake in sympathy votes.
His friends thought the rumours were a media ploy to get people to remember him.
"[If] people want to talk, they can talk. People can judge. I can't do anything about that and I won't let it affect me," Chow told Channelnewsasia.com.
While some of the contestants are busy fending off brickbats, there are others who seem to be enjoying every moment of this competition. One of them is 19-year-old Frances Maria, who left a deep impression with her infectious laughter and bubbly personality.
This confident lady who cites Alive and Adele as her musical inspiration is already recognised as the one with a big voice and a big heart, certainly one to look out for in the competition.
But having a good set of vocals isn't enough. We want our Singapore Idol to have the complete package and as much as we hate to admit it, looks do matter.
And from what we've seen so far, 17-year-old Tabitha Nauser, who is of Swiss-Indian parentage, has the advantage.
This die-hard Beyonce fan proved that she is more than a pretty face when her rendition of the Alicia Keys hit "If I Ain't Got You" was labelled as "touching" and "assured" at the Theatre Show.
"I did not really think about how to prepare the song. I went up, sang and everything happened so fast," replied Nauser when asked what was going through her mind when she was on stage.
Could she be Singapore's answer to Beyonce?
"It will be awesome if people thought that but I don't want to push it. I don't want people to think that I'm someone else. I want people to know me as Tabitha," said Nauser, whose maturity belies her tender age.
Making it to the Top 24, these guys have proved that they are indeed musically talented. While this year's competition allows contestants to perform with a musical instrument, no one expected Charles "Stitch" Wong to take it to another level - beat-boxing.
This 22-year-old student from the Singapore Institute of Management could turn out to be Singapore's Blake Lewis (American singer and beat-boxer who was the runner-up at the sixth season of "American Idol").
"It [beat-boxing] does help as a form of identity as it will help people to remember me. I'm hoping my singing will come out a bit more and of course when voters vote, they will base [it] on my singing," said Wong, who is taking part in the "Idol" competition for the second time.
He pointed out that he did not make it through the auditions during the first season due to his poor style choices and is determined to make it good this time round.
"I had thick glasses, long hair and wore a long-sleeved shirt and people mistook me for the 'Careless Whisper' guy. [Judge] Dick thanked me for keeping the performance short even though the judges thought that the singing was good," said Wong, who was dressed in a funky jumpsuit, and has swapped his spectacles and long tresses for contact lenses and stylishly-ruffled hair.
With such a diverse range of talents this time round, it's no wonder judge Ken Lim described these kids as "the most talented bunch so far".
The Top 24 will now focus their preparation on the upcoming 'live' Piano Shows which will feature 12 contestants each time. The Final 12 will then be decided based on public votes as well as judges' picks.
Catch the live telecast of The Piano Show Part 1 on Channel 5 at 8pm, Wednesday, September 2, and Part 2 on September 9.
- CNA
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