The ‘AF Megastar’ concert tomorrow night sees Idayu, Bob, Marsha, Syamel and Shahir going all out to win.
A KELANTAN-BORN singer who was eliminated early, a Sabahan whose beauty is often seen over her talent, and Sarawak’s top crooner in state events — these three have rightfully earned their spots in the final five of Akademi Fantasia (AF) Megastar.
Joined by two manly-voiced AF graduates — a past winner and runner-up — they were all predicted to dominate the eight-week reunion season of AF by no-nonsense judge Syafinaz Selamat because of their consistent performances at Shah Alam’s Royal Theatre every Sunday.
Contestants Idayu Yaakob (AF3), Bob Yusof (AF2), Marsha Londoh (AF3), Syamel Fodzly (AF2015) and Shahir Zawawi (AF8) are preparing for their final showdown tomorrow, having emerged the top scorers almost every week.
Announced at the conclusion of the seventh concert last Sunday by host Datuk Aznil Nawawi, each of them has elicited roaring applause from audiences. Idayu, arguably the “power voice”, made even chief judge Datuk Ramli MS give her a standing ovation.
The singer from Kota Baru, Kelantan, who suffered a cruel blow when she was voted out at No. 12 in AF3 in 2005, described her successful march to the top five as her moment of joy.
“It’s going to be a tough fight on Sunday. Each of us has individual strengths, but I’m determined to win,” Idayu said.
Idayu “nailed it”, in the words of Syafinaz, in the seventh concert when she sang a duet with R&B singer Azharina Azhar for the song Kerna Ku Sanggup, made popular by Indonesian singer Agnes Monica.
Sarawak’s best known crooner in official events, Bob, also impressed with a duet with Dayang Nurfaizah with Kerna Hati Ini Telah Dilukai (Ajai and Kris Dayanti).
He said: “I did well in Season 2, finishing fifth, but now I’m going all out to be No. 1!
“Competition is tough. Having good vocals isn’t enough. What’s needed is an entertaining performance and the right song, but most of all, I have to keep healthy so that I can make all the difference.”
Sabahan Marsha, who sang a duet with Jaclyn Victor for Lay Me Down (Sam Smith), said: “To win, one needs to be more than a singer – entertaining is key.
“It’s going to be a real tough battle, but I’m glad I’ve come this far without depending solely on audiences’ votes.”
“It’s great to be a finalist once again, but this time, I want to push myself further to be the champion, not the runner-up,” said Syamel, who finished second in AF2015.
He said being the most junior finalist did not hinder him from aiming for the top. “In a contest, we are all equals, and my challenge is to go all out to entertain,” he said.
AF8 champion Shahir said pressure was piling on him to defend his position as the only winner in the final five.
“It’s a struggle, but I don’t think it’s an uphill task because I’ve got a few good songs to choose from for the big day.”
Syafinaz advised the finalists to pick songs that they were good at, instead of experimenting with songs they were unfamiliar with.
“To win, a contestant must entertain and impress audiences. We’re not looking for great voices but all-round entertainers who will wow the crowd.”
Marks for each contestant are determined by the judges (60 per cent) and viewers’ short messaging service (SMS) votes (40 per cent).
In the show, which began on Sept 3, one or two contestants with the lowest marks were eliminated at the end of each concert.
Only one of them will be crowned the Megastar, and the winner will take home RM100,000.
AF Megastar’s finals will be telecast live from Shah Alam Royal Theatre at 9pm, and it will be aired on Astro Ria (channel 104) and Ria HD (channel 123).