KUALA LUMPUR: Popular singer Ning Baizura is no stranger to reality shows. One fine example is TV3’s Mentor, in which she finished third with her late protégé Yanie Julkarim, 11 years ago.
This year, the R&B singer will soon return to reality television on Dec 25 at Wisma MBSA in Shah Alam, when she joins as a duo with Harris Baba to compete in Astro Ria’s latest singing competition, Duo Star.
“It’s great to be in shows like this, and I’m looking forward to a heated but friendly musical match throughout its run. My team mate is cool. Harris Baba has a promising voice with a dashing personality,” said Ning at the launch of Duo Star in Ruyi & Lyn Restaurant in Bangsar Shopping Centre here today.
For Aweera Norhisham, 8TV’s One In A Million Season 3 (OIAM3) second runner-up, the singer is just as happy as Ning to be back.
“It has been seven years since OIAM3, and while I’ve been going places, I’ve decided to join Duo Star to strengthen my teamwork. Since I’m one of two all-boy teams, my partner Asfan and I will have to take turns ‘playing the female’ in duets!” said Aweera who is set to release new single, Wanita Cinta Teragung, which he co-wrote with Taja.
As for Sarah Fazny Mahadzir, the protégé of Amy of Search and runner-up of TV3’s Mentor Legend, she is delighted to team up with OIAM Season 2 contestant Ronnie Hussein.
“We hail from Johor Baru and (we both) look up to Amy and that makes us a team of sorts,” she said, adding that she will open for Zamani’s Kembali Terjalin in Gold Coast, Sepang, on Dec 31.
Astro Malay programming head Raqim Ahmad said that Duo Star will see eight teams (comprising junior and senior singers) competing to be the best within eight weeks.
“Duo Star is a first for Astro, a challenge to find the best new duo in the industry. The vocalists are given the freedom to choose their respective partners, based on their compatibility.”
Raqim said marks are awarded to the contestants by the judges, and there will be no Short Messaging Service (SMS) votes.
“Every week, the two teams with the lowest marks will be given a second chance to stay in the race. They will return to the stage a week later to perform a ‘song of fate’ that is picked by the production team, and the team that gets the better score, stays.”
Duo Star, which will be aired on Astro Ria (104) and Ria HD (123) at 9pm on Sundays beginning Dec 25, will have producers and composers Datuk Hattan, Datuk Acis, and singer-actress Adibah Noor, as judges.
The show will be held at Wisma MBSA, Shah Alam and the other teams include Syamel Fodzly and Ernie Zakri, Awi Rafael and Kaka Azraff, Ila Damia Johar and Yasin Sulaiman, Haiza and Aepul, and Firman Bansir and Ayai. Datuk AC Mizal is the host.
The winning team will take home RM100,000 and the runner-ups will receive RM50,000. On top of that, every week, the Best Performing Team will win RM5,000 and RM1,000 Go Shop vouchers.