KUALA LUMPUR: Gegar Vaganza (GV) returns for a fifth season beginning Sept 30, yet eyebrows are raised over one of its 12 contestants.
The most junior of them happens to be “boy band” Forteen comprising Ridzuan Sharifuddin (One), 29, Saiful Ridzuan Abdul Hamid (Ariz), 29, Arif Ameerais Azhar (Ameer), 28, and Izzue Islam Mazlan (Izzue), 28, who specialise in ballads and pop songs.
Since the seven-year-old group are considered regulars in many music showcases in recent times, and Izzue often stars in TV dramas and films, many Netizens feel that Astro ought to have selected more experienced and senior pop groups, particularly those from the 1990s and 2000s.
The rest of the GV5 participants are considerably more senior — Safura Yaacob, Maya Matahari, Amelina, Elite, Noryn Aziz, Zamani, Billy Zulkarnain and Shafie of Rio who have all begun singing in the 1990s while Hetty Sarlene, Dia Fadila and Farawahida started their singing careers in the 2000s.
Some Netizens questioned Forteen’s involvement in GV5, in the show’s official Instagram account yesterday.
Khai said: “Why Forteen? Can’t the more experienced Indigo or Shades join GV5 instead?”
Shah said: “They’re too ‘fresh’ in the industry. Astro should stick to artistes who started singing more than 10 years ago.”
“It would be a lot better to see VE or Ruffedge in GV5. Forteen is just too junior,” said Fiq.
Forteen’s most experienced singer is One who represented Malaysia at the World Championship Of Performing Arts 2013 in Hollywood, the United States. In 2006, he was the country’s representative at the Shanghai Asia Music Festival.
Izzue is best known for appearing in drama series as Sebenarnya Saya Isteri Dia and he even won Most Promising Actor at the Malaysian Film Festival 2013 for his portrayal of a blind man in KRU’s historical movie 29 Februari opposite Remy Ishak.
Forteen bagged its first Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) trophy in 2012, when its song Seperti Dulu, from 29 Februari won Best Vocals In A Song.
Astro Entertainment head of content development and strategy Raqim Ahmad said there was no strict rule against relatively junior contestants joining GV and all they needed was to be a one-hit wonder with a good following.
GV5 which is introducing duos and groups for the first time, will see the return of Datuk Ramli MS and Datuk Khadijah Ibrahim as the show’s permanent judges, while Nabil Ahmad and Jihan Muse remain its co-hosts.