PETALING JAYA: Promising talents Ernie Zakri and Syamel Fodzly emerged the winning duet partners in Astro Ria's celebrity duet challenge Duo Star.
Their win was announced on Sunday at Liquid, First Avenue, Bandar Utama.
The show's finals was recorded last Dec 8 at Wisma MBSA, Shah Alam.
They defeated fellow finalists Awi Rafael and Kaka Azraff, Haiza and Aepul of Drama Band, and Firman Bansir and Ayai of Ilusi.
Ernie, a singer and music lecturer who won Bintang RTM in 2009 said: "Competition has been very tough, and I'm delighted to have made it. Syamel has been a fantastic partner and we've worked well together in every weekly challenge."
Syamel, runner up of Akademi Fantasia 2015, said: "I decided to join Duo Star because I want to be a good singing partner. For me, a successful singer not only sings well but writes, composes and performs duets with male and female partners.
"I'm very lucky to partner Ernie who has a great voice and passion for music. I think we make a superb team."
Astro Ria and Ria HD channel manager Emarina Mohamad Kamal said that Duo Star had eight teams competing to be the best within seven weeks.
"Duo Star is a first for Astro, a challenge to find the best new duo in the industry. The vocalists are given the freedom to choose their respective partners, based on their compatibility."
Emarina said marks are awarded to the contestants by the judges, and there were no Short Messaging Service (SMS) votes.
"Every week, the two teams with the lowest marks will be given a second chance to stay in the race. They will return to the stage a week later to perform a ‘song of fate’ that is picked by the production team, and the team that gets the better score, stays."
Duo Star, aired on Astro Ria (104) and Ria HD (123) at 9pm on Sundays beginning Dec 25, had producers and composers Datuk Hattan and Datuk Acis, and singer-actress Adibah Noor, as judges.
The weekly show was recorded at Wisma MBSA, Shah Alam. Datuk AC Mizal was the host.
The winning team took home RM100,000 and the runner-ups Awi and Kaka received RM50,000.
Third placed Aepul and Haiza won RM25,000 and fourth placed Ayai and Firman won RM10,000.
Ayai and Firman were also the weekly winners who won RM5,000.