HE may not be a Malaysian citizen, but Syrian Sobhi Shaker is happy to have represented his host country at the grand finale of Asia’s Got Talent (AGT) Season 2 last Thursday.
“I’m happy that I have made it this far. I hope that I’ll win. To be able to reach the grand finale of this competition by performing with a deck of playing cards is an achievement for me,” Shaker, 24, said.
“But, I hope for a bigger reward, and for people to understand the message of hope that I am trying to convey, without me talking. For the semi-finals and the grand finale, it was tough. But, I’m glad that many understood my performance and its message.”
For the semi-finals and grand finale, Shaker performed magic tricks using a deck of cards, but without saying a word.
The message that he included in his performance was a reflection of the struggles he endured during his journey. It was about how keeping his hopes high led him to survive in a foreign land, far from his beloved family.
Shaker is one of the nine grand finalists who battled it out last Thursday at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
The three judges on the show were David Foster, Anggun and Jay Park. Foster commented that Shaker was the best magician he had ever seen.
After Shaker’s debut performance on the show, Anggun remarked: “That performance was flawless... the best performance of the night. I have never experienced goosebumps during a magic performance. Thank you.”
Shaker arrived in Malaysia more than a year ago. Sent by his parents to escape the hardship back home, Shaker is determined to make good the opportunity he has been given.
“When I arrived, I did not have any money. I did not speak English or Bahasa Malaysia. I picked up both languages while working at a fast-food restaurant in Shah Alam,” Shaker said.
During his free time, Shaker would entertain people at the restaurant with card tricks, which he learnt from YouTube while in Syria.
“Before this (taking part in AGT), I never thought about doing it (entertaining people with his tricks) for money.
“I just enjoyed seeing their reaction when I performed my tricks,” he said.
The Results Show will be aired this Thursday on AXN and AXN HD (Astro channels 701 and 721) at 8.30pm.
Voting is open till 11.59pm on Wednesday. Fans can vote via Facebook Hashtag, Facebook Messenger or Google Search.
For more information, visit www.AXN-Asia.com/AGTVote.