Astro Talent Quest
Encyclopedia
Astro Talent Quest is an annual Chinese singing competition in Malaysia organized by ASTRO Wah Lai Toi, which was first held in 1996.
This competition is aimed at showcasing and unearthing talents among young Malaysian Chinese between ages 18 to 28. The winner (and runner-up, of late) will then represent Malaysia at the International Chinese New Talent Singing Competition. Guest judges and artistes, which are invited every year, include Leehom Wang, Jay Chou
, Jordan Chan
, S.H.E., JJ Lin, F.I.R.
and Yoga Lin
.
While many talents have been birthed through this competition, it also boasts of many contestants who have gone on to become successful artistes in their own right. Notable examples would be Nicholas Teo
(winner of the 2002 edition), Cao Ge (1999 finalist), Vincent Chong
(2002 1st runner-up) and Anthony Chang (winner of the 2006 edition).
As of 2006, a new format was introduced whereby all contestants would go through vocal and dance trainings in addition to other challenges along the way to reach the finals. Although SMS voting was introduced (for the popularity award), the judges still held absolute decision in the contestants' fate. The talent show was eliminated as of year 2005.
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Winner
!align="left"|Runner-Up
!align="left"|2nd Runner-Up
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010
|-
|張詒博 Peace || 劉佩芯 Stephanie ||陳慧瑩 Fyone
|-
|rowspan="2"|2009
|-
|黄毓敏 Min || 劉界輝 Kah Fai || 曾潔鈺Yoke
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008
|-
|颜莞倩 || 林淑晶 Debbie || 朱豪仁
|-
|rowspan="2"|2007
|-
|李政发 Zak || 郑冰来 Wayne || 陈晓燕 Christy
|-
|rowspan="2"|2006
|-
|郑伟康 Anthony|| 陳世安 Andrew|| 许慧珊
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005
|-
|曾国辉 || 符琼音 Meeia || 刘洁琪
|-
|rowspan="2"|2004
|-
|吳國菲 || 王明麗 || Yap Yun Sing
|-
|rowspan="2"|2003
|-
|吴建亿 Kenny || 洪韵诗 || 陈贻兴
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
|-
|张栋梁 Nicholas || Chong Ying Cern Vincent || Yeo Ai Lian
|-
|rowspan="2"|2001
|-
|林健辉 Eric || Wang Wai Yee || Tan Chee Kang
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000
|-
|何芸妮 Winnie || 林凱璇 || Vivian Lea
!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Artist
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008
|-
|Zak Lee , Eric Lim
|-
|-
|rowspan="2"|2007
|-
|S.H.E
, Rynn Lim , Andrew Tan
|-
|rowspan="2"|2006
|-
|Nicholas Teo
, Eric Lim
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2004
|-
|F.I.R , J.J Lin , Kenny Koh
|-
|rowspan="2"|2003
|-
|Tension
, Nicholas Teo
, Z-Chen
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
|-
|Jordan Chan
, Eric Lim
|-
|rowspan="2"|2001
|-
|Jay Chou
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000
|-
|Panda Xiong , Chi Hsiao Chun , Island
|-
|rowspan="2"|1999
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1998
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1997
|-
|
|}
This competition is aimed at showcasing and unearthing talents among young Malaysian Chinese between ages 18 to 28. The winner (and runner-up, of late) will then represent Malaysia at the International Chinese New Talent Singing Competition. Guest judges and artistes, which are invited every year, include Leehom Wang, Jay Chou
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
, Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong.Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances...
, S.H.E., JJ Lin, F.I.R.
F.I.R.
F.I.R. is a Taiwanese Mandopop pop rock band. The band currently consists of Faye Chan , Ian Chen and Real Huang . Producer Ian Chen formed his own band and recruited the other two members to form F.I.R. They are well known throughout Asia with their hit "Lydia", which was the theme song for the...
and Yoga Lin
Yoga Lin
Yoga Lin was born on 1 July 1987. He is a Taiwanese Mandopop singer and the winner of One Million Star, Season 1 , a reality TV singing competition in Taiwan. During the competition, he once contemplated quitting due to the elimination of his good friend, Eddie Tsai...
.
While many talents have been birthed through this competition, it also boasts of many contestants who have gone on to become successful artistes in their own right. Notable examples would be Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo, born November 29, 1981, also known as Nicholas Zhang, is a Malaysian singer signed under Play Music. Before returning to Malaysia, Nicholas was studying in Taiwan, where he won the Best Singer in a competition among all the Taiwan universities...
(winner of the 2002 edition), Cao Ge (1999 finalist), Vincent Chong
Vince Chong
Vincent Chong Ying-Cern , internationally known by his stage name Vince , is the first reality TV star to issue from Malaysian Akademi Fantasia. Chong is popular as a R&B-inclined singer-songwriter...
(2002 1st runner-up) and Anthony Chang (winner of the 2006 edition).
Competition Format
In the initial format, the final ten contestants are selected by judges who will battle it out for the title on one night performing one song and a talent time performance each. The top three will then be chosen by a panel of judges, where after they would be subjected to a series of tests which assesses various aspects of their vocal and singing ability, such as vocal range, musical timing, vocal flexibility to adapt to different music styles, etc. The judges then determine the winner, first runner-up and second runner-up.As of 2006, a new format was introduced whereby all contestants would go through vocal and dance trainings in addition to other challenges along the way to reach the finals. Although SMS voting was introduced (for the popularity award), the judges still held absolute decision in the contestants' fate. The talent show was eliminated as of year 2005.
Results
{| class="wikitable" width="800px" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;"!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Winner
!align="left"|Runner-Up
!align="left"|2nd Runner-Up
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010
|-
|張詒博 Peace || 劉佩芯 Stephanie ||陳慧瑩 Fyone
|-
|rowspan="2"|2009
|-
|黄毓敏 Min || 劉界輝 Kah Fai || 曾潔鈺Yoke
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008
|-
|颜莞倩 || 林淑晶 Debbie || 朱豪仁
|-
|rowspan="2"|2007
|-
|李政发 Zak || 郑冰来 Wayne || 陈晓燕 Christy
|-
|rowspan="2"|2006
|-
|郑伟康 Anthony|| 陳世安 Andrew|| 许慧珊
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005
|-
|曾国辉 || 符琼音 Meeia || 刘洁琪
|-
|rowspan="2"|2004
|-
|吳國菲 || 王明麗 || Yap Yun Sing
|-
|rowspan="2"|2003
|-
|吴建亿 Kenny || 洪韵诗 || 陈贻兴
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
|-
|张栋梁 Nicholas || Chong Ying Cern Vincent || Yeo Ai Lian
|-
|rowspan="2"|2001
|-
|林健辉 Eric || Wang Wai Yee || Tan Chee Kang
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000
|-
|何芸妮 Winnie || 林凱璇 || Vivian Lea
Guest Artistes
{| class="wikitable" width="300px" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;"!align="left"|Year
!align="left"|Artist
|-
|rowspan="2"|2008
|-
|Zak Lee , Eric Lim
|-
|-
|rowspan="2"|2007
|-
|S.H.E
S.H.E
S.H.E is a Taiwanese girl group whose members are Selina Jen, Hebe Tien, and Ella Chen. The name of the group is an alphabetism derived from the first letter of each member's name. Since releasing their first album Girls Dorm , S.H.E has recorded 12 albums with sales totalling over 15 million, and...
, Rynn Lim , Andrew Tan
Andrew Tan
Andrew L. Tan is a billionaire businessman from the Philippines who engages in real estate, liquor and fast food. In 2010, Forbes Magazine rated him fifth on its "Philippines 40 richest" list, estimating his net worth at $1.2 billion....
|-
|rowspan="2"|2006
|-
|Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo, born November 29, 1981, also known as Nicholas Zhang, is a Malaysian singer signed under Play Music. Before returning to Malaysia, Nicholas was studying in Taiwan, where he won the Best Singer in a competition among all the Taiwan universities...
, Eric Lim
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2004
|-
|F.I.R , J.J Lin , Kenny Koh
|-
|rowspan="2"|2003
|-
|Tension
Tension (band)
Tension is a Taiwanese R&B/Pop music/A cappella group that consists of five members. The band was first signed by Shock Records, then signed by record label EMI Taiwan.- Jimmy Hung :Chinese Name: Hong Tian Xiang - 洪天祥Birthdate:...
, Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo
Nicholas Teo, born November 29, 1981, also known as Nicholas Zhang, is a Malaysian singer signed under Play Music. Before returning to Malaysia, Nicholas was studying in Taiwan, where he won the Best Singer in a competition among all the Taiwan universities...
, Z-Chen
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
|-
|Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan
Jordan Chan Siu-Chun is a Chinese actor and musician from Hong Kong.Chan got his start by enrolling in the TVB Dancers' Training Class in 1985. Soon after graduation, he joined a few of the studio's troupes that would accompany popular singers during their live performances...
, Eric Lim
|-
|rowspan="2"|2001
|-
|Jay Chou
Jay Chou
Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000
|-
|Panda Xiong , Chi Hsiao Chun , Island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
|-
|rowspan="2"|1999
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1998
|-
|
|-
|rowspan="2"|1997
|-
|
|}