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'He can be better'
Singapore Idol judge Ken Lim tells winner Hady Mirza to live up to his title and deliver like Taufik Batisah did
By Jeanmarie Tan
HIS first words were not to the winner, but the loser.
Right after Hady Mirza was crowned the new Singapore Idol, judge Ken Lim insisted on addressing runner-up Jonathan Leong first.
Singapore Idol runner-up Jonathan Leong (right) and winner Hady Mirza after the results were announced. -- HEDY KHOO, DESIGN: LYNETTE CHIA
'Your journey has just begun. I agree with Dick (Lee). I think you can be a regional star anytime,' he said.
He then turned to Hady and said: 'You are now the Singapore Idol. Make sure you're inspirational. And make sure you do the nation proud.'
It certainly sounded more like a warning than a congratulatory statement to someone who had just won the singing contest by a landslide 70 per cent victory.
Were Ken, Dick Lee, Florence Lian and Jacintha Abisheganaden not-so-subtly rooting for Jonathan Leong to be our next Singapore Idol?
Netizens on the official Singapore Idol forum seem to think so.
Some have questioned the judges' apparent bias towards Jonathan, showering his final performances with effusive accolades and on several occasions, even anointing him as the Singapore Idol.
UNCONVINCING COMPLIMENT
Ken in particular, appeared to favour Jonathan over Hady, whom he fired an unconvincing compliment to when he compared his version of the original single You Give Me Wings to a lounge act, adding rather awkwardly the kicker 'except yours is in a different league'.
At the press conference after the event, it was also hard not to notice that Ken had patted MediaCorp and even the media on the back for a 'job well done', but never once addressed Hady directly or congratulated him.
So, did the Hype boss secretly want Jonathan to win instead?
'No lah,' he said.
Ken insisted his critique to both has been 'fair, balanced and neutral' and that he never showed any favouritism, despite what netizens on the official Singapore Idol forum thought.
He explained that being harsh was his way of giving Hady a reality check and preparing him for the 'battlefield' in the real world.
Said Ken: 'I cannot endorse something I don't feel 100 per cent about. He hasn't got all the qualities yet, he needs to learn a lot more. He can be better.' :bgrin:
Then, in a reference to first season winner Taufik Batisah, he continued: 'I don't want him to take it lightly, because he'll have to deliver like Taufik did - win awards and doing the country proud.'
KEN SPEAK: 'I cannot endorse something I don't feel 100 per cent about. He hasn't got all the qualities yet, he needs to learn a lot more.' - on Hady Mirza
'Your journey has just begun. I agree with Dick. I think you can be a regional star anytime.' - on Jonathan Leong -- HEDY KHOO, DESIGN: LYNETTE CHIA
Hady, 26, claimed he 'wasn't worried' over the seemingly negative references, adding: 'Whatever the judges said pushed me on, and was a chance for me to re-evaluate my performances. But I enjoyed myself so much that the results were not on my mind.'
During the finals, Jonathan was thought to have given our newly-crowned Idol an extremely close fight.
Vocally, he was superior to first-season runner up Sylvester Sim, and arguably exuded more X-factor, star quality, marketability and commercial appeal than Hady.
But in the end, this season's bona fide heart-throb garnered only 30 per cent of the 'close to a million' votes at last night's Singapore Idol 2 finale.
In the first season of Singapore Idol, Taufik Batisah's 62 per cent win over Sylvester Sim's 38 per cent was already labelled a thrashing.
Still, when told of the voting percentage at the post-show party at Giraffe Restaurant & Bar last night, Hady was surprised he ended up being such a big winner, adding that it was 'unexpected'.
Jonathan's parents looked slightly disappointed, while the man himself was a little taken aback when told of the margin.
'Oh really?' the 24-year-old queried gravely, before breaking almost immediately into his familiar sunshine smile.
'This is a voting show, and Hady is Singapore's choice. And he has the greatest voice ever.
'Right now I'm feeling really happy for him because we've been best friends throughout this whole competition. His victory is my victory.'
The rocker insisted he wasn't upset at his voters' poor showing, nor did he expect a narrower margin.
'My aim was always to be one of the two finalists at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. As long as I have that spot, my dreams have come true.
'So many people have brought me this far already, so I don't want to be greedy,' he said.
Whatever it was, Jonathan did not show up at the press conference, which was immediately held after the results were announced.**
Even Hady appeared a bit lost without his bosom buddy by his side. He joked: 'It's kinda strange he's not here with me. We're like twins.'
In 2004, both Taufik and Sylvester were present at a similar session, where it was revealed that both Idols would get a one-year recording contract with Sony BMG and a three-year management contract with Hype Records' Artiste Networks.
SECRETIVE ON JONATHAN
When The New Paper asked whether a unanimously worthy contender like Jonathan would be receiving a similar prize as Sylvester, all the panelists turned secretive.
Ms Selena Ho, Channel 5's vice-president of network programming and promotions, said: 'We've learnt our lesson from Season One. We should focus all our attention on the Idol, so Hady is our main priority now. If anything happens along the way, there'll be plenty of time to announce them on another day and time.'
Mr Gary See, managing director of Universal Music, wants to focus all his attention on putting out Hady's debut 'mainstream pop' album out by end-October or early November.
The one-time nightclub crooner will be awarded a three-year recording contract from the international record label, as well as a three-year artiste management contract from Hype Records.
'This is Hady's night,' said Mr See.
'We'll make our decision (on Jonathan) within the next 30 days, but nothing has been firmed up so far.'
Nevertheless, even though Singapore Idol judge and Hype Records director Ken Lim was not allowed to divulge his plans for Jonathan at press time under his contract, he did hint: 'We are keen (on him). I'll be glad to manage the two of them.'
He even defended Jonathan's loss, saying: 'It only proves that Hady's supporters are very dedicated, consistent and aggressive, and Jonathan appeals to people who may not necessarily vote. 
'In no way does this reflect on the performance, or is an endorsement of his qualities.'
There has also been much viewer buzz about whether Jonathan's controversial song choice cost him the title.
While Hady delivered the Chaka Khan classic, Through The Fire, Jonathan selected a lesser-known number by local defunct band Dreamz FM titled, Should I Stay.
Coincidentally, it was penned by Ken.
But Jonathan denied it was a ploy to suck up to the chief judge, or that he was trying to influence voters with his musical patriotism.
'Oh, no! I have to make it clear that it was on the judges' list, but not on Ken's list.
'Actually I didn't know it was a local song. I remember hearing it on radio last time and really liking it.
''Yes, it's a risk, but it's very important to show that local songs are good too,' he said.
In turn, Jonathan earned Ken's praise.
'He wanted to feel he's part of the local music industry, that was his call, and I was very happy he did that.
'Whether it helped him or not that night, at least he did not lose ungraciously.'
Hady supporter Chantrice Ng, 19, and Jonathan supporter Evon Cheng, 24, were puzzled by the wide margin.
Ms Cheng, an admin clerk, said she expected it to be an even match-up because 'Jon's singing was not bad, and he received better comments from the judges'.
Ms Ng, who is unemployed, added: 'We thought Jon would win because he seemed to have a lot more supporters.'
**mana jon pergi?.. bilik air ke?.. nangis... |
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Post time 27-9-2006 10:32 AM
lol terserlah ketuaan
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