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Meet the Top 5 of Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023, Mediacorp’s latest talent hunt reality competition

This September, get ready to join the journeys of five aspiring radio personalities as Mediacorp’s talent hunt reality competition The Star Voice returns!

 
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Singapore, 28 August 2023 – This September, get ready to join the journeys of five aspiring radio personalities as Mediacorp’s talent hunt reality competition The Star Voice returns! Back in a Malay edition, Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023 follows the highly successful Chinese version last August and will once again, allow local talents to fulfil their passion in radio broadcasting and hosting.

Hosted by RIA 897 jocks Azura Goh and Fadli Kamsani, this competition underscores Mediacorp’s commitment to nurturing local talents and providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills through its network. The Top 5 contestants, shortlisted after a competitive round of auditions, are Ezam Ernady, Farihin Anwar, Qis Maraj, Raihan Yacob and Rarah Haermie. Please refer to Annex A for profiles of the hosts and Annex B for profiles of the Top 5 contestants.

Starting 17 September, the contestants will battle in various challenges that will test their hosting and interviewing skills as well content creation ability, in which they will be required to script and produce radio talk sets, commercials and digital content. Over five weeks, the contestants will also learn from the industry’s best as they are mentored by established radio presenters A B Shaik, Aura Shai, Hafidz Rahman, Mariam Mas’od, Nity Baizura and RZ. Please refer to Annex C for profiles of the mentors.

Throughout the competition, the Top 5 will be assessed for their creativity, personality as well as proficiency in both spoken and written Malay. They will be evaluated by a panel of industry veterans including resident judges Azlin Ali and Morniyati Tukimin as well as guest judges Adi Rahman, Khairudin Samsudin, Najip Ali and Suhaimi Yusof, and the eventual winner will walk away with a $10,000 cash prize and the chance to be a Mediacorp DJ! Please refer to Annex D for profiles of the judges.

Simone Lum, Head of Growth & Audio, Mediacorp said: “Over the years, we have discovered many exceptional radio talents, who have since grown with us and gained much popularity with our audiences. This return of Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023, as part of a larger suite of ongoing initiatives, reaffirms Mediacorp’s commitment to proactively seek out and nurture local talents. We look forward to providing the contestants with opportunities to showcase their skills and artistic flair across our network, and cannot wait to see what they have to bring!”

Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023 will premiere on mewatch, Suria, Mediacorp Entertainment on YouTube and melisten on 17 September, 8.30pm to 9.00pm. Episodes two to five will air every Sunday, 8.30pm to 9.30pm, starting from 24 September.

For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg/suarajuara.

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Media contact
Nurul Atiqah
Communications Associate
Atiqah.MY@mediacorp.com.sg

About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s national media network and largest content creator. Its purpose is to create engaging and trusted content, as well as to connect communities and inspire people. Mediacorp engages over three million people in Singapore daily across four languages on its digital platforms including mewatch, melisten and CNA.asia, six TV channels and 11 radio stations. Beyond Singapore, Mediacorp also has a growing international audience through CNA and content distributed across markets.

With a focus on nurturing talent and growing the sector, the company is committed to investing in nation-wide initiatives like Star Search, Anugerah, Yaar Antha Star and SPOP, commissioning a wide variety of work from local content creators, and collaborating with institutes of higher learning. As Singapore’s first local Multi-Channel Network in partnership with YouTube, Mediacorp is also committed to developing a network of digital content creators.

For advertisers, Mediacorp has partnered industry-leading brands like ESPN, Mothership, theAsianparent, VICE, YouTube and 99.co to form the Mediacorp Digital Network in offering more effective content-driven solutions.

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.


Annex A – Profiles of the hosts

Hosts

Bios

Azura Goh

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Azura Goh is a DJ with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897. Together with her co-host Fadli Kamsani, they helm the evening drive timebelt RIA Kruz.

Azura began her journey in the entertainment scene at the age of 11, when she started performing publicly with the violin. Since then, she has performed alongside respectable local and regional artistes and musicians, and participated in various events and programmes including the National Day Parade 2010, and Berani Nyanyi?.

Azura, whose broadcasting journey started in 2019, has also dabbled in acting, having land lead roles in dramas such as Runcit and Suparman. On top of these, Azura is also a skilled host, who was given the opportunity to host her first infotainment programme Urbanista in 2017. Currently, she is one of the main co-hosts for Mediacorp’s all-female Hush podcast series.

Fadli Kamsani

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Fadli Kamsani is a producer and DJ with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897. Together with his co-host Azura Goh, they helm the evening drive timebelt RIA Kruz.

Fadli’s journey in the entertainment scene began in 2016, after he clinched a third-place finish in the Mediacorp reality competition Anugerah Skrin. Shortly after, he appeared in his first drama 11 Oktober, and has since gone on to star in several other English and Malay dramas including Gunting The Series, Kecoh Kahwin and Adulting.

A multi-talented personality, Fadli was nominated for “Best Host – Info-Ed” at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2019. Programmes he has hosted ranges from lifestyle programmes to info-eds and even game shows, including Manja, Jasa Aktivis, Juara Mic Junior and Projek Lagu. Besides these, Fadli is also actively involved in the Malay arts scene, particularly in dance, Silat and Kompang.


Annex B – Profiles of the Top 5 contestants

Contestants

Bios

Ezam Ernady

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32-year-old Ezam Ernady is a father of three who enjoys socialising with others. An outgoing and driven individual, Ezam’s hobbies include singing, playing and watching football and spending quality time with his family.

Apart from hosting events, including a wedding exhibition at the Singapore Expo, Ezam has also participated in talent search competitions including Malaysia’s Mangga Star Search in 2009, where he emerged as one of the finalists. More recently, Ezam was among the Top 25 in the local talent search competition Suara Wisma Geylang Serai.

Ezam challenged himself to join Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023 to continue building on his experience in the hosting scene. Wanting to prove himself and set an example for his three children, Ezam hopes to win the competition.

Farihin Anwar

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25-year-old Farihin is an easygoing and assiduous individual who enjoys writing songs and gaming during his free time. Having a keen interest in the art of cinematography, Farihin pursued his studies in the field and has even participated in filmmaking competitions.

Farihin is an avid listener of the popular horror programme on Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897 Misteri Jam 12, which sparked his interest in pursuing a career in the world of radio. Among the many things Farihin looks forward to as an aspiring DJ is the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life.

Viewing the competition as a way and platform for him to challenge himself, Farihin signed up for the auditions. Through Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023, Farihin hopes to realise his dreams of becoming a DJ and further spread the use of the Malay language.

Qis Maraj

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22-year-old Qis Maraj is a singer, music producer and actor. Cheery and affable, Qis also enjoys writing, travelling and playing football in her free time.

Having stepped into the entertainment industry almost a decade ago, Qis has released original tracks, performed in various programmes and participated in several competitions including Wisma Geylang Serai’s songwriting competition and the B Dazzled singing competition, both of which she clinched a second place finish. On top of these, Qis has also collaborated with rapper Mawar Berduri.

Qis joined Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023 to represent the younger generation of talents, and hopes to entertain and spread joy to listeners. Qis also hopes that her journey will inspire other youths to be more confident in themselves.

Raihan Yacob

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30-year-old Raihan Yacob is an adventurous and charmingly offbeat individual, whose hobbies include exercising at the gym, whipping up a storm in the kitchen and travelling.

A multi-talented individual, Raihan is not only skilled in hosting but also dabbles in dancing, singing and acting. Raihan has always envisioned a career in the entertainment scene for himself, dreaming of one day becoming a host and radio DJ. In a bid to realise his aspirations, Raihan participated in talent hunt competitions including Anugerah Skrin 2016 and Akademi Radio 2013.

Spurred on by his supportive family, Raihan took the leap in pursuing his dreams and signed up for Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023. Raihan hopes to take home the win and be an inspiration to others in taking their first steps towards realising their aspirations.

Rarah Haermie

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23-year-old Rarah Haermie is an ambitious and tenacious individual who has a strong passion for the arts. In her free time, the feline loving Rarah enjoys playing with her cats, travelling and performing, be it covering her favourite songs or dancing.

Rarah began her journey in the arts at the age of 13, exploring the theatre scene and local theatre productions. Guided by her passion, Rarah then went on to sign up for acting and singing auditions. Her ardour for the arts also drove her to pursue the field as her course of studies.

Wanting to make a name for herself, Rarah joined Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023. Through the competition, Rarah aims to introduce an original and fresh hosting style, and inspire like-minded individuals to step out and work hard to achieve their dreams.


Annex C – Profiles of the mentors

Mentors

Bios

A B Shaik

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A B Shaik is a producer and presenter with Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942. Together with his co-host Mariam Mas’od, they helm the morning drive timebelt Espresso Warna.

Shaik’s journey in the broadcasting industry began in 1991, with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897. For over 25 years, Shaik has been the resident voice-over talent for hundreds of commercials, trailers and documentaries. A versatile artiste, Shaik has also acted and hosted many programmes including Anugerah Planet Muzik 2002, Jus!, Zaman Sekolah, Cakap Cakap, Te:RaSeh! and Warna Ramadan. Apart from these, Shaik also hosts on-ground events including company functions, concerts, product launches, weddings and birthday parties. Since 1986, Shaik has hosted over 5,000 wedding celebrations.

Shaik has captured the hearts of WARNA 942 listeners, and was awarded WARNA’s “Most Popular Radio Personality” in 2007, and thereafter for several consecutive years. He was also awarded “Personality of the Year – Media’s Choice” in 2007 and 2010. More recently, Shaik’s current timebelt Espresso Warna won “Best Audio Programme” at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2021.

Aura Shai

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Aura Shai is an executive producer and presenter with Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942, hosting the lunch timebelt Warna Vista.

With a focus on food, cooking and lifestyle, Shai presents several segments that highly resonates with listeners including Kafe Warna Vista, Cabaran Warna Vista, Petua Mak Kita, Tamu Warna Vista and Panggung Warna Vista. Prior to joining WARNA 942 full-time, Shai participated in Putera-Puteri Ria?, organised by Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897, and was crowned “Puteri Ria”. She also emerged as a finalist in the hosting category of the talent quest Anugerah 12, organised by then TV 12 (now known as Mediacorp Suria).

Shai is experienced in hosting both on-screen and at live events, having multiple programmes under her belt including music showcases, media conferences and red carpets. Most recently, Shai was nominated for “Best Radio DJ” at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2023.

Hafidz Rahman

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Hafidz Rahman is an arts educator, content creator, actor, host and DJ with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897, co-hosting the night programme Malam Ini Kita Punya, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with Dalina Jaapar.

Hafidz graduated from LASALLE College of The Arts, and has since worked with various theatre companies including The Theatre Practice, Checkpoint Theatre, Dream Academy, Teater Ekamatara and Teater Kami. Some of his stage works include Pecah Panggung, Make Hantus Great Again, Beria Beraya, Happy Ever Laughter, Cherita Hantu, Rasa Sarang and Angkat. Hafidz has also appeared in various on-screen English and Malay programmes including Le Prawn Park, Dara Zara and The Bellatrix Rise. More recently, he co-hosted the popular unconventional singing competition Berani Nyanyi?, alongside veteran icons Najip Ali and Era Farida.

Hafidz first stepped into the limelight when his YouTube channel Lepak One Korner rose to fame. Online, Hafidz embodies the comedic persona of a Malay Aunty, “Bonda Bedah” and produces entertaining skits in character. As a content creator, Hafidz also actively curates his Instagram and TikTok with trending topics that are relatable to the online community.

Mariam Mas’od

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Mariam Mas’od is a producer and presenter with Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942. Together with her co-host A B Shaik, they helm the morning drive timebelt Espresso Warna.

Mariam joined the radio industry in 1990 as one of the pioneer DJs for Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897, who was also the face behind the Malay News Hour in the early 90s. Since then, Mariam has proven to be an endearing presenter who has become one of listeners’ favourites.

Mariam was awarded WARNA’s “Friendliest Personality” in the years 2004 and 2007. She also clinched the title of “Most Popular Malay Radio Personality – Media’s Choice” in 2005. More recently, Mariam’s current timebelt Espresso Warna won “Best Audio Programme” at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2021. On top of these, Mariam is also an experienced event host and moderator, and is also a beauty and health supplement ambassador.

Nity Baizura

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Nity Baizura is a producer and presenter with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897. Together with her co-host Zuhairi Idris, they helm the morning drive timebelt #2BudakNakal.

Known for her quick-wittedness, both on-air and on-screen, Nity has a bubbly personality that keeps her listeners entertained. Recognised for her great sense of fashion and style, Nity was a “Best Dressed” finalist at the Singapore Radio Awards 2013.

Nity is also an adept host, who has experience with on-screen programmes and live events. On top of these, Nity also lends her voice for various commercials as well as programme trailers. Most recently, Nity was awarded “Best Audio Programme” for her former lunchtime programme eNtITY! at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2023.

RZ

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Abdul Razak, better known as RZ, is a producer and presenter with Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942. Together with his co-host TG, they helm the evening drive timebelt Dinamika Warna.

Possessing a highly distinctive voice, RZ is also widely recognised on-screen, having acted in programmes such as Aku Hero, Siapa Boss?!, Aduh Bibikku, and Seniwati, alongside Malaysian diva Fauziah Ahmad Daud. Apart from these, he is an amiable host with programmes including Potret Keluarga, Kau Istimewa, Wang Anda and Adam under his belt.

RZ is an avid foodie, presenting the popular radio segments Korang Nak Makan? and Selera Dinamika. He was also engaged to host the Makan Tiub segment within the Malay infotainment programme Manja. RZ continues to create engaging digital content, including food postings, that brings his listeners closer.

Annex D – Profiles of the judges

Resident Judges

Bios

Azlin Ali

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Azlin Ali is the Assistant Programme Director and DJ with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897, hosting the Friday lunch timebelt Gen-M.

Azlin, who has over 20 years of industry experience, has voiced over a variety of radio and television commercial and trailers. She has been nominated for various local and international awards, a testament to her skills and talents. Most recently, Azlin was conferred the “Best Radio DJ” at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2023.

Adept in presenting and discussing current issues in a light-hearted yet meaningful manner, Azlin’s ebullient and amiable personality often provides an interesting accompaniment to her programmes.

Morniyati Tukimin

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Morniyati Tukimin is the Programme Director with Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942.

Encouraged by friends and relatives who told her she had a voice fit for radio, Morniyati dreamt of becoming a DJ. Her journey in the world of radio began in 1990 as a producer-presenter, with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station RIA 897, who mesmerised listeners with her warm and charismatic voice. Morniyati later moved to WARNA 942, where she continued to pursue her radio career.

Apart from presenting and lending her voice for numerous radio commercials, Morniyati also trains aspiring DJs. Morniyati, whose experience in broadcasting spans three decades, is a natural all-rounder.

Guest Judges

Bios

Adi Rahman

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Adi Rahman is a DJ with Mediacorp’s Malay youth and music radio station, hosting R-ADI-OAKTIF and Gen-M. He is also the Creative Writer and Producer for radio commercials at Mediacorp.

Over the course of his long and illustrious career, which began in 1997, Adi has established an impressive portfolio – not just as a radio presenter but also a content producer for numerous radio programmes. They include Anak Watan and Melayu Manis, where he interviewed inspiring women including then Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob. Adi also produced several episodes of the popular horror programme Misteri Jam 12, which has been adapted into a drama on mewatch and Mediacorp Suria. On the international stage, Adi’s radio trailers have been nominated and qualified for the Finals at the New York Film & TV.

Adi has an extensive background in journalism, specialising in sports, politics and economics. Currently, he is also helping to coach voice talents for radio commercials.

Khairudin Samsudin

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Khairudin Samsudin is a versatile artiste wearing many hats. He is an actor, comedian, host, scriptwriter and director.

An all-rounder, Khairudin began his journey in the entertainment scene when he was only eight, starring in the popular 80s children’s series Mat Yoyo. Since then, Khairudin has only continued to fine tune his craft, and has now established himself as one of the most coveted names in Singapore’s Malay entertainment scene.

Apart from his remarkable performances in various dramas and variety programmes, Khairudin also hosted two seasons of his own talk show Show Malam Ini, which secured him the “Best Host – Variety” award at Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana 2017, amongst other awards.

Najip Ali

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Najip Ali is an entertainment icon with over 25 years of experience under his belt, both in front of and behind the camera.

Known for his quick wit and larger-than-life personality, Najip took the entertainment world by storm as he brought a flair of the future into his presentations. Notably in 1992, Najip co-anchored Fuji Television’s Asia Bagus, which became his training ground to learn from some of Japan’s best variety show producers. Since then, he has gone on to conceptualise and produce numerous award-winning programmes, with his works having travelled beyond the borders to networks including ASTRO, Indosiar and TV3.

Najip embraces his roots while still challenging himself to always portray relevant and fresh appearances in the entertainment industry. Najip emerged as National Winner for the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards’ “Best Lifestyle Presenter” for his hosting performance in the variety programme Muzika Ekstravaganza 2019. Currently, Najip continues to produce entertainment programmes and star on-screen in dramas such as Sunny Side Up.

Suhaimi Yusof

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Suhaimi Yusof is a household name, no stranger to fans of the local entertainment scene. A multi-faceted artiste, Suhaimi is an actor, host, comedian and former radio presenter.

Suhaimi’s entertainment journey started out in his teenage years, when he joined Mediacorp’s Malay news and infotainment radio station WARNA 942 as a presenter in 1990. A little over a decade later, he ventured on-screen, and has since starred in countless programmes such as Police and Thief, The Noose and Tetangga. He has also appeared on the big screen in Long Long Time Ago, Lucky Boy and Wa for Wayang.

Suhaimi has shared the staged, co-hosting and acting alongside popular Malaysian and Indonesian celebrities. For his performances, Suhaimi has racked up numerous awards from prestigious award shows such as the Asian Television Awards, Mediacorp’s Radio Ear Awards and Mediacorp’s biennial Malay awards show Pesta Perdana. Today, Suhaimi continues to spread his creativity behind the camera as a director, writer and producer for both local and overseas programmes as well as VCD/ DVD productions.


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