Pure talent

2009/07/24

SUZIEANA UDA NAGU

Asyik FM — the only Orang Asli radio channel in Malaysia — is on a search for the best soloists among the community, writes SUZIEANA UDA NAGU

THE deejay from Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s Asyik FM had made the announcement five times yet there was no response from Jaafar Salleh.

“Could Jaafar Salleh of RPS Pos Betau Kuala Lipis please call us immediately? Your song has been selected for the Juara Asyik 2009 competition.”

Little did the announcer know that the 29-year-old Orang Asli from the Semai tribe had been tuning in to the station all along but could not respond.

Jaafar has no telephone line at home and does not own a mobile phone. Even if he did, he still wouldn’t be able to make the call as there is no mobile reception where he lives.

Later that day, however, he managed to borrow a friend’s phone to make that crucial call.

Juara Asyik 2009 finalists (standing from left) Ramlan Abak, Noraliza Iskandar Zulkarnain, Mazuan Bah Gajah, Nora Hafizah Nordin, Azizi Jefri Awang, (seated from left) Maznah Majid, Wah Moliz Bah Long and Noraini Abu

“It is a dream come true. I have never experienced anything like this in my life,” says Jaafar, who does odd jobs at his village and writes songs in his free time.

He considers being selected for Juara Asyik 2009 as one of his proudest moments.

“Not many people from my kampung get to visit Kuala Lumpur and enjoy this experience. So I consider myself very lucky,” says Jaafar, who sports deadlocks past his shoulders.

Jaafar’s sentiments are echoed by the 16 solo talents and composers competing in Juara Asyik 2009.

Following the overwhelming success of Juara Asyik 2007, aimed at discovering the best Orang Asli band in Malaysia, Asyik FM — the only Orang Asli radio channel, which airs from Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur — went on a nationwide tour in May to find the best soloists among the community.

Some 453 aspiring singers between ages 15 and 30 auditioned at 10 venues in Pahang, Perak, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

Only 40 advanced to the semi-finals held last month. From there, eight singers were picked. They comprised Noraini Abu, Azizi Jefri Awang, Maznah Majid, Wah Moliz Bah Long, Mazuan Bah Gajah, Noraliza Iskandar Zulkarnain, Ramlan Abak and Nora Hafizah Nordin.

At the finals, contestants will sing a song of their choice and an original Orang Asli composition, selected from 25 songs submitted by 12 Asyik FM listeners in May.

The finalists will performs songs written by composers Jaafar, OTG, Kak Ham, Long Exsan Long, Nizam, Mustaffa, Anizan Rosli and Remy.

Some of the finalists, such as Jaafar, come from underprivileged backgrounds and have low academic qualifications.

“However, they are gifted singers and songwriters. With guidance and coaching, they can do well in the local music industry,” says Awang Astillah, vocal coach to Juara Asyik 2009 contestants.
All of them have little to zero experience performing on stage.

That is why the finalists were given lessons on voice, dance and grooming, among others, five days leading up to the live performance to gear them up for the biennial contest.

Contestants also attended the Bintang Asli Remaja competition last Sunday, which helped them take notes of ways to improve their own performances.

While it takes months for a singer to improve his or her vocals, Awang Astillah has only a few days to help the finalists do so.

“Yet they are learning fast. I think they can give some of the top singers a run for their money,” adds the composer and musician.

Although it has been a hectic few days of back-to-back practice sessions, Noraini tirelessly soaks up the experience.

“It has been my dream to compete at a singing competition of this nature. It’s exciting for all of us (the contestants) because we have never got the chance to dress up and have our make-up put on by professionals,” says the 18-year-old Jakun girl.

Noraini may face the biggest challenge among the contestants. Noraini, whose mother tongue is Jakun, has to sing in Temiar, a dialect spoken by the Orang Asli Temiar tribe.

“It is difficult to give emotion to a song that you don’t fully understand. But the composer Suliza Aluej (who goes by the name OTG) helped me improve my pronunciation.”

Yet the Pekan, Pahang lass is not complaining.

“I’m happy to be here and I hope I can win,” says Noraini cheekily.

The three male contestants Mazuan, Azizi Jafri and Ramlan, on the other hand, are in the competition more for the experience than the lucrative cash prize.

“We are proud to be in the finals and get the chance to appear on TV. But the experience is more valuable than the cash prize,” says Azizi Jafri, 22, from Sungai Soi, Kuantan, Pahang.

Kelantanese Ramlan, 25, the quietest of the group, agrees adding that the “money can be spent in a day, but the experience will last a long time”.

Win or lose, STPM candidate Mazuan will “put (his) studies first”.

Azizi Jafri, a guitarist and back-up singer for an Orang Asli indie band Max Raya would like to improve his singing and write more materials to help get his band on the mainstream music scene ala Meet Uncle Hussein and Hujan.

Songwriter Anizan Rosli, 26, is glad to be a part of a programme that unites Orang Asli of all sub-ethnic groups.

“I hope Asyik FM will continue organising Juara Asyik because this contest is a platform for Orang Asli songwriters to showcase their talent. I hope the station will be aired 24 hours a day in the future so we could all enjoy listening to original Orang Asli compositions accumulated from the competition.”

Juara Asyik 2009 champion stands a chance to win RM10,000, a trophy, a certificate of participation and a scholarship to study music at the Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan.
Second and third place winners will bring home RM8,000 and RM6,000, a trophy and certificate respectively.
Consolation prizes are worth RM1,000.

Best Composer will receive RM3,000, a trophy and certificate.
Catch Juara Asyik 2009 live from Auditorium Perdana, Angkasapuri tomorrow at 8.30pm on TV2, Astro’s Rentak Muzik (Channel 180) and Asyik FM (102.5 FM in Kuala Lumpur).