-
2 years ago
My two-pence worth of Singapore Idol 3
And so Singapore Idol Finals was yesterday.
Was really looking forward so much to this event and honestly, if I did not have to go over for my cousin’s wedding, which was just as awesome in my opinion, I would have grabbed at the many opportunities given to me to go for the grand finals of this competition.
It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to feel like a star, witness everything live instead of viewing everything through that black box we all call the television, and just absorb the entire atmosphere of the event.
A couple of my friends went for the finals and they only had positive things to say, so I guess it really was a freak-awesome show I missed live, but its alright man, lets just hope there’ll be other opportunities to come :)
Alright moving on to the event proper, I must really give it up to the Singapore Idol producers for having put up such a splendid set, cast, atmosphere, everything, to award us Singaporeans to allow our own local talents to shine and possibly succeed in the music industry.
It is really very heart wrenching to do so much, only to be continually put down and condescended by others who say that SI is only a bad copycat and will never succeed as it will never be comparable to that of American Idol. And if you thought that was already bad enough, try being hit with countless other criticisms, indicating that Singapore has no local talent and what we see in Singapore Idol are merely teenage popstar wannabe’s.
I will never understand why people get so critical over a local production when all it wants to do is to help Singaporeans shine. We’ve adopted such a pessimistic mindset that we’ve already set ourselves to believe that nothing we do will be of match to the Western world. This, my friends, is the effect of Westernization. Personally, I don’t give two hoots over whatever happens in the Western world. They have their own lives to lead, and so do we, hence we should never compare ourselves to them cause if you ask me, it’s like comparing an apple and shark fin’s soup and then getting your opinion to which is better. Tell me, where’s the basis of comparison?
Singapore is like, what others call it, the little red dot on the world map. America on the other hand, is probably a gazillion times larger with a worldwide appeal that focuses its spotlights on the country itself. Again, where’s the basis of comparison?
I was really annoyed to find out on facebook, how many different groups were being set up to slam Sezairi as the Singapore Idol. I didn’t mind the one which was set up to state that Sylvia should have won. I mean, it’s only natural since all of us are different and we all have our own different mindsets. I still remember how this very same group was being set up when Tabitha lost her place in the finals a couple of weeks back.
What does annoy me very much, however, is how shallow some people are in thinking that they have the right to freedom of speech and can probably get away with slamming people from other races.
1) Singapore Idol should be telecasted on Suria.
2) Singapore Idol should ban 2 M’s (Malay and Males)
and probably alot more undiscovered ones. Just one click on the group and you see a hell lot of racist comments bent on slamming the Malays since well, all three seasons coincidentally have 3 male AND malay winners. I don’t see a problem with that, cause as long as they’re talented and professional in their own field then we should be proud of them instead of putting them down in that manner. They went through so much, so if they open their mouths to say something it’s probably from experience. We have gone through no shit, so please people, stop being empty vessels and just accept the fact that they are more talented than we are. Sheesh, the extent of which people go through just to portray jealousy.
I read alot of comments which stated that he won just cause he was Malay, and that the only thing Malays are good as they are practically useless in the education sector. And I was bewildered by how these people just shoot their mouths off without having the brains to think through their speech before typing it out and allowing the whole globe to read their very biased comments. That’s pretty degrading, and I think even a 5 year old kid can see so many flaws in such an immature statement.
No, not all Malays vote for Sezairi. We’re living in a democratic world, and I do know that Singapore isnt a racist state where a certain race is predominant over some others. We have perhaps an equal representation of races here, so to state that Sezairi won cause all the Malays gathered together to vote for him would be such a sweeping statement.
We vote for talent just as well. For myself, I was a fan of both Tabitha and Sezairi although it was leaning more towards Tabitha, and I am sure Singapore was blown away by how she manages to ooze out sparkling star quality and professionalism despite her being just at a tender age of 17. Am I malay? Yes. Is she malay? No.
And a look at her fan page would indicate that her fans range from a whole lot of different races and not only the minority as some of us choose to believe. Even for Sylvia, yes she’s from the Phillipines, but are all her fans from that country? No, for she has a whole lot of supporters from Singapore who are of many different races as well.
Now if there’s anything that has proven, it would be that race is definitely not a factor we look for in searching for an idol. Its got to do with the talent.
If we were to look at yesterday’s performances, I felt that both of them were really outstanding in each of their own genres that it really wouldnt have mattered who won, cause by what they showed us, it would be evident that Singapore would end up having someone musically inclined and talented as the winner.
Sezairi’s performance for the last spectaculars a few weeks back was not really that good, and I guess there was an outcry over how he made it through as compared to Tabitha, who I really would have loved to see at the finals.
For a moment, I thought that there was not much of a competition then, cause judging by talent, it would be quite predictable that Sylvia take the crown instead of himself, going by how we all yak about this year being a revolutionary year since it’s pretty much set that the female is going to get the crown and all.
Her opening performance of Duffy’s Mercy left me simply blown away that I felt that nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, could ever top what she just did for that. I head this song ages ago, but trust me, I felt the song was really annoying when Duffy sang it, so it still wonders me how I got so addicted to this song when Sylvia sang it, cause now I find myself humming to the tunes of Mercy unconsciously whenever I feel bored.
And just when I felt Round One would go to Sylvia, there came Sezairi with such a spectacular rendition of Virtual Insanity that it left me completely speechless. Was this the Sezairi I knew from Idol a few weeks back? I don’t think so. His dance moves, his presentation of the song, so perfectly stunning that if I had to choose a Singapore Idol between him and Sylvia just by their opening numbers, I would have no idea who to choose. At all, cause I loved both just as much.
Sylvia took the stage soon after with her rendition of Yellow by Coldplay and my, was she so gorgeous and ladylike in that yellow dress. Her intonation and pitch was definitely up to standards, and she presented the song in her own unique style that left a crowd emoting well to what she was trying to bring across to them.
Sezairi followed suit with his own rendition of Crazy, and boy did he nail it hard at the spot. So who won Round 2 with originality? I still am spoilt for choice.
Then comes the third song, and finally I felt my votes leaning more towards a certain individual. Sylvia belted out her final song effortlessly which left the judges at a state of euphoria, but I felt that Sezairi did just as well with the added bonus of him being able to emote better to the audience with his manner of presenting the song.
Hence, my vote went to Sezairi. He belted out three amazingly beautiful songs well, and for that he definitely deserves to win Singapore Idol just as much as Sylvia Ratonel. So guys stop questioning how he won it, cause he really won it fair and square.
And once again for the record, I’m not saying this cause I’m Malay.
Notes
