By bluehyppo - Marina Hussain
The hottest singing competition is back. The much-anticipated Malaysian Idol is returning for a second season with auditions starting April 9 th , 2005, in Kuching, Sarawak.
With less than a month to go, excitement is now building for the search for the new Malaysian Idol. More than 13,000 hopefuls auditioned around the country last year, all going through grueling audition rounds and tearful eliminations before an ecstatic Jaclyn Victor was named the first ever Malaysian Idol in front of a packed Arena of Stars in Genting.
Now 6 months on, 8TV is going back on the road, bringing the sounds, lights and cameras again to Kuching, Johor Bahru, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, where eventually 1 lucky person will carry on Jaclyn Victor’s title.
What’s more, this year, Malaysian Idol auditions are open to all those aged 16 to 28, echoing the latest season of American Idol, which has also increased the age limit and has seen a plethora of experienced and exciting talent from the older contestants.
8TV has also done away with pre-registration, thus giving all those wanting to enter an equal footing at the door. This does not mean any less of a queue (queues are what Idol is all about!), but the production crew does hope to process entrants as quickly as possible.
However, if you want to audition, there are a number of items you must bring with you so that you aren’t turned away at the registration desk. For those of you under 18, you must bring with you the signed “Parental Consent” form , which can be downloaded and printed from www.8tv.com.my and from the BlueHyppo website from March 15th onwards. A signed “Legal Release Form” and “Entry Form” must also accompany this. The Entry Form will also be available at each audition location.
The exact audition locations are:
April 9 – 10, 2005 : Sarawak Tourism Center, Kuching
April 16 – 17, 2005 : Eden Garden Hotel, Johor Bahru
April 23 – 24, 2005 : Penang International Sports Arena (PISA), Penang
May 6 – 8, 2005 : Kuala Lumpur (venue to be confirmed)
All contestants must also bring 2 x 3R photos and a copy of their I.C. to complete their registration .
This is only the first step before they truly get the Idol experience, as Roslan Aziz, Fauziah Latiff and Paul Moss are all returning as the fun, caustic and witty judges for the new season.
Plus, if anybody is still having withdrawal symptoms from last year’s Idol, a Malaysian Idol roadshow will also take place at each audition, bringing a number of Malaysian Idol 1 finalists together again on stage for what promises to be spectacular events. So get your audition questions and cameras ready for the guys who have been through it all before. Plus, Malaysian Idol, Jaclyn Victor, will also be performing!
The 8TV team has also listened to its fans by changing certain portions of the show – with better lighting, staging and even a live band for the workshop stages. The workshops, which will take place at Sri Pentas 2 in Shah Alam, will also be open to the public; so do look out for tickets soon.
Plus…
To aid in the hype, Idol winner, Jac, and finalists, Dina, Zamil, Vic and Rydee have been chosen to represent Malaysian Idol’s Main Sponsor, TM Net Sdn Bhd, in a series of exciting commercials, radio bytes and print ads for the new season.
Not to be outdone, 8TV also announced yesterday that Jac’s debut album, Gemilang, has just hit GOLD, with sales of more than 15,000. Moreover, she will not be the only Idol contestant with a record contract.
Saipul, Dina and Sufiah have all hit jackpot and signed recording deals with Sony BMG, Free Nature Records and Interglobal Records respectively. Plus, everyone’s favorite hairdresser, Vic, has landed a part in a Chinese/Taiwanese movie collaboration, to be filmed soon in Taiwan!
So, exciting times ahead for fans and participants of Malaysian Idol. The hunt begins in less than 1 month, so get your vocals in gear, your thick skin ready for the comments and be prepared to shine.
