Asia’s got such amazing talent the auditions’ begun – for the second season – right in the auditorium.
Never, ever, hand the mike (microphone) to a member of the audience – because whoever has it for 20 seconds won’t give it back until they’ve sung how their heart will go on and on and on and on. Until you wrestle it away from budding “talent”. (Can you give us a note, we’ll give you a goodie bag.)
Do-re-mi-fa…..that’s far enough girl.
David! Melanie! Van Ness! Anggun! Mike! Mike! Let it go, let the mike go already!
(Here’s your Big Cola, Caltex, GrabTaxi, Jetstar, Pantene, all in an MBS bag.)
And so it was, at Asia’s Got Talent 2015 Grand Final Results Night, in the MasterCard Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, home of the opening and closing shows, telecast on AXN Ch 511.
The house was electrifying as the nine contenders from China, Japan, Mongolia, Philippines (four finalists!), Thailand, Singapore, held their collective breaths (especially judge Anggun in her figure-hugging gown that made me think of doorways in Bali embellished with gold threads).
Asia’s got astonishing, exciting, incredible, outstanding, unique talents. Well it is so many different countries, each with its own performing arts, so how do you make that judgement call?
Spare the panel of judges this, they’ve got to at least be politically correct.
“You touched my heart,” “I loved you from the start,” “Asia has so much talent,” “You are already a winner,” “Do you like my dress?” (Anggun.)
How do you pitch a striking solo voice against acrobatics versus folkloric competing with tap-dancers battling with acapella singers contending with a trained seal who can do impersonations? (Sorry, didn’t mean to boast about myself in the last.)
Ultimately the public voted in six and the judges three, and then back to the public for the outright winner.
We were pumping for Philippines’ El Gamma Penumbra from day one. So did the rest of Asia, as the shadow play troupe – with its very meaningful message, turn to AXN – lifted the US$100,000 prize money. And US$10,000 worth of Jetstar flights (60 destinations). A very worthy winner.
The three largest group of supporters – er, I’m from a distant constituency, may I speak with your leader about recruitment exercises – were Thailand, Philippines, Mongolia.
The latter did some mighty throat cheering, and although there is just the one winner, Mongolia’s Khusugtun could be considered second. (I would consider them for wrestling to the ground anyone who’s not ready to give up the mike.)
It was a many-starred night of multi-talents, lit by song and dance, love and laughter, and a rocking performance by the four judges who gave us Earth Wind & Fire’s Let’s Groove Tonight.
At show’s end we grooved across to Osteria Mozza for Asia’s Got Talent’s cocktail for its sponsors.
For a chance to have your picture with the judges – sorry no selfies.
I was too busy wrestling the serving staff for the trays of brilliant finger food.
See ya next year.
