Tia the people's choice in singing contest<\/p>\n
Bruce Emond
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Heavily favored Theodora "Tia" Meilani Setyawati overcame some
\nfinal-night jitters and uncharacteristic pitch control problems
\nto triumph at the second Akademi Fantasi Indosiar (AFI) talent
\ncontest on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Amid the cheers and tears of 4,000 fans, the 22-year-old
\nnative of Surakarta, Central Java, received the key to a new
\nChevrolet Aceo at Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Among those on hand for the final were presidential candidates
\nWiranto and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri was represented by her daughter Puan Maharani.<\/p>\n
Both Wiranto and Susilo sang at the event, although some
\nviewers grumbled that their appearance on the highly popular show
\nclearly served as a vote-getting ploy.<\/p>\n
Tia beat second place finisher Mohamad Haikal Putera, 20, and
\nMicky Octapatika, 25, both from Pekanbaru, Riau, based on viewer
\nvoting by SMS and premium call.<\/p>\n
From a family of musicians, Tia had helped support her family
\nby singing in bars and cafes since junior high school. Her
\npowerful, resonant vocals made her the favorite of many viewers
\nand also members of the jury from the outset of the competition.<\/p>\n
"In my opinion, Tia has the capability to develop her
\nconsiderable singing talent, compared to Micky and Haikal,"
\nsinger Trie Utami, considered the most critical of the jury
\nmembers, had told entertainment tabloid Cek & Ricek before the
\nfinal.<\/p>\n
"Tia, you're like timlo," another judge, musician Harry
\nRoesli, said during the final, referring to the Surakarta dish of
\nbroth, vermicelli, shredded chicken and fried potatoes. "That
\nstands for Tia memang luar biasa (extraordinary)."<\/p>\n
As well as problems with her microphone on the final night,
\nTia overcame several obstacles during the three-month contest,
\nincluding a potential scandal from rumors she was a single
\nmother.<\/p>\n
There were also fears she would lose in a "sympathy vote" to
\nHaikal, who was reunited with his father in Jakarta for the first
\ntime since the singer was an infant.<\/p>\n
When the first AFI champion, Veri Affandi from North Sumatra,
\nwas selected last February, many considered that his difficult
\nbackground as the son of a becak (pedicab) driver helped win the
\nsympathy -- and votes -- of viewers.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tia-the-peoples-choice-in-singing-contest-1447899208",
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