Tia the people's choice in singing contest

Bruce Emond The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Heavily favored Theodora "Tia" Meilani Setyawati overcame some final-night jitters and uncharacteristic pitch control problems to triumph at the second Akademi Fantasi Indosiar (AFI) talent contest on Saturday night.

Amid the cheers and tears of 4,000 fans, the 22-year-old native of Surakarta, Central Java, received the key to a new Chevrolet Aceo at Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta.

Among those on hand for the final were presidential candidates Wiranto and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. President Megawati Soekarnoputri was represented by her daughter Puan Maharani.

Both Wiranto and Susilo sang at the event, although some viewers grumbled that their appearance on the highly popular show clearly served as a vote-getting ploy.

Tia beat second place finisher Mohamad Haikal Putera, 20, and Micky Octapatika, 25, both from Pekanbaru, Riau, based on viewer voting by SMS and premium call.

From a family of musicians, Tia had helped support her family by singing in bars and cafes since junior high school. Her powerful, resonant vocals made her the favorite of many viewers and also members of the jury from the outset of the competition.

"In my opinion, Tia has the capability to develop her considerable singing talent, compared to Micky and Haikal," singer Trie Utami, considered the most critical of the jury members, had told entertainment tabloid Cek & Ricek before the final.

"Tia, you're like timlo," another judge, musician Harry Roesli, said during the final, referring to the Surakarta dish of broth, vermicelli, shredded chicken and fried potatoes. "That stands for Tia memang luar biasa (extraordinary)."

As well as problems with her microphone on the final night, Tia overcame several obstacles during the three-month contest, including a potential scandal from rumors she was a single mother.

There were also fears she would lose in a "sympathy vote" to Haikal, who was reunited with his father in Jakarta for the first time since the singer was an infant.

When the first AFI champion, Veri Affandi from North Sumatra, was selected last February, many considered that his difficult background as the son of a becak (pedicab) driver helped win the sympathy -- and votes -- of viewers.