Tia the people's choice in singing contest
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.