Mediacorp’s talent reality competition Suara Juara – The Star Voice 2023 has crowned Ezam Ernady as its winner after weeks of intense competition.
Ezam edged out fellow finalists Farihin Anwar and Raihan Yacob, won a $10,000 cash prize and a Mediacorp contract to be a radio presenter with Malay radio station RIA 897.
Launched as an initiative to allow individuals to fulfil their passion in radio broadcasting and hosting, the competition tested contestants on their hosting and interviewing skills as well as content creation ability.
Hosted by RIA 897’s Azura Goh and Fadli Kamsani, the finals saw Ezam, Farihin and Raihan go head-to-head in two rounds of competition.
In the first, the three showed off their artistic skills by putting up enthralling song and dance items. Creatively mashing up popular traditional tunes, Ezam delivered a lively stage act and captivated the live audience who burst into applause at the end of his performance.
In the second round, the finalists were tested on their spontaneity and ability to deliver an engaging interview segment – essential skills required of a radio presenter. With 60 percent of their scores at stake here, the three were tasked to conduct individual interviews with Najip and were assessed for their creativity, content, personality and phonetics. Ezam sought Najip’s thoughts on the potential of success between an aspiring artiste driven by financial rewards versus another who is fuelled by passion, and whether social media alone is sufficient in ensuring one’s relevant in the industry today. Ezam’s thought-provoking topic impressed the judges and secured his win, given his equally remarkable performance in the previous round.
Expressing surprise at the results, Ezam described his victory as “a dream come true”. He added: “I am beyond delighted to have made my supportive family proud with this win. Throughout this journey, the team of encouraging mentors has imparted valuable advice and knowledge which greatly helped me in improving my linguistic and presentation skills.”
Simone Lum, Head for Growth & Audio, Mediacorp, said: “Today, we witnessed exceptional performances from the Top 3 and we are extremely proud of them.”