Esther wins Sabah singing contest

0

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysian Idol runner-up Esther Applinius Chin emerged as Sabah’s Artiste Champion in the fourth season of the ‘Juara Carta Lagu Artis Sabah’ held at 1Borneo here yesterday.

The winners of the Juara Carta Lagu Artis Sabah held at 1Borneo.

The singer sang her own composition entitled ‘Selalu’ and wowed viewers at the atrium of the shopping mall.

When met after the award ceremony, Esther said that she was shocked to have won.

“I’ve competed with musicians who were more senior than me in this field, and they were all very great,” she said.

Esther also said she did not expect to win as she did not prepare herself well for the competition and had not competed in any contest for a long time.

However, the crowd had expected her to win due to her powerful and alluring performance.

Esther said that the song she performed is featured in her second album called ‘Selalu’ and it was her first try as a lyricist.

She added that her second album features songs in five languages — Chinese, Kadazan, Dusun, Malay and English — all of which she is well versed in.

As to where she is heading to after the win, Esther said she is getting ready to market herself and her music outside of Sabah.

“I’m in the midst of preparing this,” she said.

Esther won RM3,000 in cash prize, a trophy and a certificate.

She also won the best vocal which carries a RM1,000 cash prize, a trophy and a certificate.

Momain Blues won the ‘Most Popular Singer’ and ‘Best Love Song” categories which came with a RM1,000 cash, a trophy and a certificate.

The best performance award went to Dayang Noraini with her song ‘Kelawar o kelawar’. She took home RM1,000 cash, a trophy and a certificate.

Meanwhile, the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry will work with RTM Sabah to promote the Juara Carta Lagu Artis Sabah Award next year.

Its minister, Datuk Masidi Manjun, told reporters the event is one of the many ways by RTM to promote local musicians in Sabah and it is a commendable act.

“We will work with them to ensure the show is bigger and better next time around,” he said.

Masidi added he hoped for the inclusion of more categories to be won by local musicians.