In The Media

New Straits Times, 8 July 2005
The people behind the faces
 By Karina Foo

The second group of eight Malaysian Idol contestants share their experiences and aspirations with KARINA FOO.

YOU'VE seen them sing with heart and soul during the auditions but tonight, a group of eight Malaysian Idol contestants will perform in Workshop 2. Only three will reach the final round, which will see 10 finalists battling it out to be the second Malaysian Idol.

At a recent get-together with the Press in Shah Alam, all eight candidates shared some of their pre-show preparations. Things got pretty interesting as they revealed more about themselves.

Take for example, 23-year-old Adam Ali from Sarawak who started singing at the age of 11.

He had won a singing competition for native music in 1999 and 2003.

He is inspired by the sounds of R&B, ballads and pop rock and when asked what drives him, he said: "Defeat defeat, before it defeats you."

Norhanita Hamzah (aka. Inta), 25, brims with confidence. She could well be Malaysia's answer to "rock chicks" such as Anastasia and Alanis Morisette.

The feisty Kuala Lumpur lass has been singing in a KL club for eight years but this is the first time she has tried out for a Malaysian Idol competition.

The cool and collected 21-year-old Azam Yaakab from Sabah is one young man who believes that if you want to make it, you must never give up.

"I've learnt to apply this motto to myself as it helped me win second place in a talent competition in 2002 in Sabah. I'm inspired by Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah," he said.

Probably the only contestant with the most eccentric fashion sense is 25-year-old Wong Shau Fui (aka. EJ) from Tawau, Sabah.

This bubbly and chatty gal likes to move to the beats of hip hop, and is equally at ease with the oldies.

She was one of the top 10 finalists for Astro's talent quest last year: "I've been singing since kindergarten and I have realised that I'm a very versatile singer because I can adjust to whatever mood and song I wish to sing just like Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys." said EJ.

The handsome 25-year-old Ashvin Kumar Nair (aka. Ash) knows a lot about music as it has always been a part of his family.

He was a singer in the Operafest Children's Choir when he was 12.

He joined a rock band three years later.

The IT account manager from Ipoh said: "I tried out for Malaysian Idol because it'll give me the exposure and experience I need to help me in the music industry, especially now that I'm recording my solo English album.

So far I have learnt that you have to be sincere and believe in yourself before others can believe in you." Although Jerome Sean D'Cruz, 18, from Johor, is a little on the shy side, he shines when belting out R&B tunes.

"I've been singing since I was 12 and believe that if there's a will, there's always a way!" he said.

Coming from a family of singers, 23-year-old Suria Mawarni Ramlan from Kuala Lumpur has been singing since she was only six and wants to follow in the footsteps of Anita Sarawak.

"Anita is so bold and her voice is powerful and if I win the competition, I hope to produce an album to make myself known as versatile a singer as Anita." Dianne Pacita Soliano Guerzo, 23, from Kuala Lumpur has been exposed to music from a young age, growing up with jazz and now listening to R&B and music from the Top 40's. She performs in clubs and sings in her annual family functions in Datai, Langkawi.

She admits that she still gets nervous even with such extensive singing experiences as she explained: "I try to express all my feelings and emotions through singing, but I honestly didn't think I'd come this far as there are so many talented singers in this competition."

Catch Malaysian Idol as the second group will perform live at 9.30 tonight on 8TV with an encore on Sunday at 11.30am on TV3. Find out who makes it to the final round on Sunday, 10pm on 8TV.