Production giant FremantleMedia has secured Singapore Idol a third season on Mediacorp TV Singapore, with transmission set for August.
The series will again be hosted by Singaporean actor Gurmit Singh and co-hosted by last season's Singapore Idol and reigning Asian Idol, Hady Mirza. Returning to the judging panel is musician Dick Lee, Mediacorp Radio MD Florence Lian and music producer Ken Lim.
FremantleMedia CEO Patrick Schult said: "With a record turnout of applicants, we have seen some great talent and also some not so great, who were very entertaining all the same.
"FremantleMedia has taken the Idols programme to more than 40 countries around the world with great success. Singapore has been waiting a long time for another Singapore Idol and I don't think it will be disappointed."
source: www.c21media.net
Fremantle wins Singapore Idol reorder
Hady Mirza to co-host S'pore Idol
IT IS confirmed. Hady Mirza, winner of the 2006 Singapore Idol, will co-host the third season of the talent competition with Gurmit Singh.
The format of the popular reality TV show, which returns to Channel 5 on Aug 9 at 8.30pm, has also been tweaked.
Hady, who was also Asian Idol champion in 2007, will have his own segment where he mentors Idol wannabes.
'I will be playing big brother to the contestants,' the 28-year-old told Life! at The Cathay on Friday.
'I've gone through the same things these people will go through during the competition, so I can give them advice based on my experience.'
source; http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_386480.html
Over 4,000 turn up for Singapore Idol auditions
SINGAPORE: Over 4,000 people turned up for the Singapore Idol auditions on Saturday as of 5pm. That is double the number of the last Singapore Idol season three years ago.
Organisers have decided to extend the auditions to Sunday due to the overwhelming response.
The barricades were up at 8pm on Friday night at The Cathay and the queue started forming immediately. Many of the idol hopefuls went without sleep the entire night but they were certainly not low on energy.
Supportive families, tired friends and enthusiastic fans kept many of the idol hopefuls company throughout the long night.
For some, the sleepless night was well worth the effort.
One idol hopeful said: "I'm just going to give my best shot for the second audition and hopefully I can make it through. It's time for real talent to step through."
And for those who did not make it, they are not giving up on their dreams just yet.
Singapore Idol premieres on MediaCorp's Channel 5 on August 9. - CNA/vm
source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/434278/1/.html
Overwhelming response for Singapore Idol auditions
SINGAPORE: The third season of Singapore Idol is kicking off in two months and response for the first round of auditions was so overwhelming that producers have had to extend auditions by one more day.
The rain on Sunday morning did not deter Kris-Allen and Adam-Lambert hopefuls from standing in long queues to show off their vocal powers.
Over 4,000 people registered to audition for the show.
Producers of Singapore Idol said those who did not manage to get the chance to be auditioned can do so next weekend.
source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/434444/1/.html
Hady is handy for the return of Idol-mania
SINGAPORE: The success of "Singapore Idol" can only be spelt in two words - Hady Mirza. So it's no surprise that the 2009 season will see the winner of the Singapore talent search and also Asian Idol, joining the stellar line-up.
Playing the role of 'big brother', Hady will share his first-hand experience that should prove to be valuable to the next generation of "Singapore Idol" hopefuls.
The multi-talented Gurmit Singh will lead season three of "Singapore Idol" which is slated to be the toughest yet.
Taking the judges chairs once again will be Singapore's answer to American Idol's Simon Cowell - local music producer Ken Lim, as well as musical genius Dick Lee and Florence Lian, who will be the 'rose among the thorns' but don't forget roses can be prickly!
Leaving the show are two familiar faces from season two - judge and jazz singer Jacintha Abisheganaden and Gurmit's co-host Daniel Ong.
And don't expect it to be business as usual.
In a new twist this season, "Idol" fans can start voting for their favourites from the start of the show, so expect to see who’s in and who’s out 'Live' on the same night.
As for the contestants who stand to win a recording contract with Universal Music, they don't just get to compete on how well they can belt out a tune.
The hit series will empower contestants who get to showcase talent that makes them stand out from the pack by being allowed to play musical instruments from the theatre rounds onwards.
Other new elements to "Singapore Idol" include the Judges’ Save – a one-time privilege used by the judges to prevent one contestant from going home during the “Spectacular” episodes, and the Salvation Song – which is a common song that all contestants will prepare and can be performed by the two bottom-ranking contestants to stay in the competition.
"Singapore Idol" hits the TV screens on 9 August with a peek into the auditions that start Saturday 6 June, and climaxes on 20 December with the finale.
Get ready for Idol-mania!
source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainmentfeatures/view/434007/1/.html
ASIAN IDOL, Here I come
SINGAPORE Idol 2 champion Hady Mirza will be representing Singapore in the inaugural Asian Idol, the Asian version of World Idol.
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The reality singing competition will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia next month.
World Idol, which took place in Britain for the first time in December 2003, saw past Idol winners from 11 countries - including America's Kelly Clarkson, UK's Will Young, Australia's Guy Sebastian and eventual winner, Norway's Kurt Nilsen - going throat to throat for bragging rights.
Singapore Idol judge Ken Lim, who's also the director of Hype Records which manages Hady, told The New Paper: 'We've been communicating through e-mail with the organiser. We're waiting for the dates and we haven't committed on paper, but it's most likely on. It's a great regional opportunity for Hady.'
According to the Bangkok Post, Hady will be competing against Idol winners from across the region, like the Philippines' Mau Marcelo, India's Abhijeet Sawant, Malaysia's Jaclyn Victor and Vietnam's Phuong Vy.
Indonesia hasn't selected its representative yet, but it will be either Delon Thamrin, Mike Mohede, Ihsan Tarore or Rini Wulandari, who are all former Indonesian Idol winners.
Hady, 27, told The New Paper: 'This is 10 times more exciting and yet 10 times more stressful than Singapore Idol because it's on a bigger stage!
'I'm trying to sleep these days but it feels like I'm going to war!'
What does he think of his chances then?
'It will be an exciting show because all of them are such good vocalists,' he said.
The crooner has spent the past two weeks preparing for Asian Idol and is in the process of shortlisting his song choices. He will be required to perform one English song and one Malay song.
SMS VOTING
According to AFP, three shows will be broadcast to all six countries, where viewers will be able to vote for their favourite Idol by SMS.
Channel 5 will be airing the shows on 14, 15 and 16 Dec.
The first show is a 'Road To Asian Idol' special premiering at 8.30pm, the second day features the performance show at 10pm and the third day is the live results show at 10pm where the winner will be announced.
To prevent viewers from voting along purely patriotic lines, each will have to choose two performers. The winner will be the Idol who receives the most SMS votes from their fellow countrymen as well as fans from other countries.
He or she will win a round-the-world trip. Invited judges from the Asian editions of Idol, including Ken, will be present to comment on the performance of each singer.
Source: http://tnp.sg/show/story/0,4136,147974,00.html
update on Hady Mirza
Hady Mirza will perform for Singapore Radio Awards 2007 at Suntec
Ballroom on 30 November 2007. Below are the details:
Event: Singapore Radio Awards
Date: Friday 30 November 2007
Time: 8pm
Venue: Suntec Ballroom 2, Level 2
Price: $28
Where to get tickets:
1) GILA MOVIES @ Square 2, #04-74 near Novena MRT Station.
2) JOTHI Store & Flower Shop, number 1 Campbell Lane.
3) The Centrepoint, Customer Service Counter - Ground Floor from 11am
to 9pm.
Or call 6359 7360, Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 6pm.
