Curtain closes on Silver Jubilee of Star Awards 2019 with an exciting epilogue – the reveal of the return of Star Search

Singapore, 14 April 2019 – Revelry reigned at Star Awards as the largest local Chinese entertainment event came to an electrifying end – before segueing seamlessly into Star Search’s hunt for the hottest new talent in town.

Held on the evening of 14 April 2019 at the MES Theatre at Mediacorp and themed “The Moment”, the 25th anniversary of Star Awards was marked by a medley of momentous milestones, including a touching tribute to the late Aloysius Pang.

The night was also lit by the lustre of international guest presenters and performers like Cecilia Cheung, Wu Jinyan, Jerry Yan and Blue Lan, all of whom contributed to an exhilarating evening of entertainment. The Walk of Fame and Star Awards 2019 main show were both broadcast live on Channel 8 and Channel U, as well as livestreamed via Mediacorp’s over-the-top service Toggle and Channel 8’s YouTube channel.

There were thrills and spills aplenty as bouquets were bestowed on the best performers and productions for the year, with a total of 18 key awards conferred at the ceremony (refer to Annex 1 for the full list of winners).

These included winners for two brand-new categories – “Love At Cavenagh Bridge (加文纳桥的约定)” for Best Short-form Drama Serial and “Workman Diaries (我的打拚日记)” for Best Short-form Variety Programme* – both of which acknowledge the increasing importance of over-the-top streaming and accommodate our audiences’ preference for programmes of varying length in an ever-evolving multi-platform mediascape.

Also announced was the avidly anticipated list of Star Awards 2019’s Top 10 Most Popular Male and Female Artistes, an annual ranking representing the public’s positive reception to the prime players in the local entertainment ecosystem**.

Awards aside, the programme was punctuated by poignant segments that shone a spotlight on the people and passion behind the initiative since its inception in 1994. These emotive elements were elevated by a new theme track that was treated to a melodic makeover by Mando-pop maestro Jim Lim. Titled Starlight “星光”, the refreshed refrain was performed on-stage by celebrity crooners Zoe Tay, Chen Hanwei, Rebecca Lim and Desmond Tan (refer to Annex 2 for repeat telecast details).

Doreen Neo, Chief Content Officer, Mediacorp, said: “The 25th anniversary show affirms our commitment of connecting with our audiences through compelling content created by our carefully cultivated cache of talent, both in front of and behind the reel.”

Added Ms Neo: “The Silver Jubilee of Star Awards provided a platform for a rousing retrospective of how far we’ve come, as well as a preview of bigger and bolder projects to come – like the re-introduction of Star Search, which we hope will allow us to find fresh faces to groom as the future generation of Ah Jies and Ah Ges.”

Revealed in a surprise showcase starring 23 accomplished alumni, the 11th edition of Star Search will return after a nine-year hiatus to track down talent, and is indicative of Mediacorp’s mission of expanding the local entertainment ecosystem.

Beginning May 2019 and stretching across a seven-month integrated programme, open auditions will be arranged in the central district***, culminating in a compelling Grand Final to be broadcast live in the last quarter of the year (refer to Annex 3 for Star Search 2019 telecast details).   

And in a passing of torches of sorts, shortlisted candidates will be coached by Star Search veterans, before being appraised by an astute assembly of industry experts on their acting ability, oratorical competence, charisma and confidence.

Irene Lim, Chief Customer Officer, Mediacorp, said: “Star Search exemplifies Mediacorp's preeminence as a platform for incubating ingénues in Singapore. We hope viewers will enjoy embarking on this journey with the participants as we prime them for the main stage by sharpening their strengths.”

Added Ms Lim: “We hope this enterprise will entertain and engage our audiences, and solidify our status as a superlative storyteller and champion of creative talent.”

For more information on Star Awards 2019 and Star Search 2019, visit toggle.sg/starawards2019 and www.8world.com/starsearch2019.

* Eligibility criteria: 20 minutes or less in net duration.

**A poll of 1,000 people cutting across a wide demographic swathe of Singapore’s population was used to select the top 20 male and 20 female artistes, who proceeded to the next round of public voting. The poll was conducted independently by an accredited market research company,

Fifty percent of the final result was derived from this pool of 1,000 people, while the other 50 percent comprised telepoll and online voting as a barometer of each artiste’s fan support. These measures are part of a continuous effort by the Star Awards Committee to quantify the popularity of the Top 10 Most Popular Male and Female artistes in the most representative way.

*** Eligibility criteria for Star Search 2019: Singaporeans, permanent residents and foreigners aged 17-35. The first open audition will take place on 4 May 2019, 10am to 7pm, at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. The second audition will be held on 12 May 2019, 10am to 7pm, at Bugis+.

Annex 1 – Star Awards 2019 Winners’ List

Annex 2 – Star Awards 2019 Repeat Telecast Details on 21 April 2019 (Sunday)

Annex 3 – Star Search 2019 Telecast Details

- ends

Media contacts
Eugene Quek
Corporate Marketing & Communications
+65 6359 7450 | Eugene.Quek@mediacorp.com.sg

Angeline Yap
Corporate Marketing & Communications
+65 6819 7549 | angeline.yap@mediacorp.com.sg

About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s largest content creator and transmedia platform, operating seven TV channels, 11 radio stations and multiple digital platforms including CNA, Singapore's most used news app, and Toggle, its digital video platform. Its mission is to engage, entertain and enrich audiences by harnessing the power of creativity.

Mediacorp pioneered the development of Singapore’s broadcasting industry, with radio broadcast in 1936 and television broadcast in 1963. Today, it reaches 99% of Singaporeans in four languages and has a growing Asian audience base through CNA as well as entertainment content that is distributed across markets in the region.

The Mediacorp Partner Network brings Mediacorp together with industry-leading brands like ESPN, Edipresse Media and 99.co to deliver rich content for consumers and effective solutions for advertisers.

Mediacorp is the recipient of industry accolades including New York Festivals, World Media Festivals, PromaxBDA (World and Asia) and Asian Academy Creative Awards.

For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg.