Singapore Idol Top 10 : Mae Sta Maria

Mae Sta Maria, 27

29 October 1981*

Married to Michael Sta Maria

*same birthday as Charles!*

updated : 10 Oct 09

Spectacular 4 : A Tribute To Michael Jackson

Performing : I Want You Back

Fave MJ Song : I Want You Back

Voting details : Not available yet. Watch this space!

MJ Week Interview :

If you had 1 minute with MJ, what would you say/do?
I’ll just hug him and thank him for making me a better entertainer. I’ll also tell him that I always knew he had a difficult life and that people were mean to him, but through it all, through the bad times, I always believed in him and believed he had a good heart. If I could make up for all the hurt he’s been through I would.

If you had 1 hour with him, what would you do?
I will ask him to teach me how to do the moonwalk properly.
I’ll ask him to sing ‘I Want You Back’ for me. It my most favourite song ever. I would love to dance with him too and just have fun. I believe he lost a lot of his childhood and I’m very childish, so we’d get along really well.

If you had 1 day with him, what would you do?
It blows my mind. One whole day. I can’t even think of what to do! There’s just so many things I want to do with him!
I would love to get away from everyone and treat him to a day of normalcy. Hang out at my mom’s house, play with my nieces, eat homecooked food. That would be what I would do for him, cos he’s already done so much for everyone else. (Mae got teary eyed just thinking about this! awww!)

Did you believe the child molestation allegations?
Nope, totally no.
I believe he has a lot of baggage and problems that he had to deal with himseld and the way he handled it was to spend time with kids. He’s very childlike and they may have taken what was an innocent gesture or action the wrong way.
That’s how they repay someone for his kindness.
I don’t think he had problems with the ‘sexual’ side.
I think his problems had to do with not having the chance to live a normal life.

When you first heard that there would be an MJ themed spectacular, what was your reaction?

And now that you’re through and will be doing an MJ song, how do you feel?
When I heard it, I like died cos I was so happy! I already got to sing ‘I’ll Be There’. No matter what song I have to do, I’ll still be happy. The producers, vocal coach, anyone, can choose any MJ song and I’ll do it. Just to be able to sing an MJ song is already a bonus!
Right now, I feel good. I don’t know which side of MJ to emulate, concentrate on the song or the dancing?

What will you be singing and why did you choose to do that MJ song?
I will be singing my favourite song ‘I Want You Back’! Its my favourite song, I love it, and it gives me a chance to dance a little. I plan to do a few signature moves, but I’ll be sure to focus on my vocals.

Spectacular 3 : An Asian Feast

Performing : Nobody by The Wonder Girls

Asian Week Interview :

Who is your favourite Asian artiste?

Taufik and Sammi Cheng - can't choose la!

I love Sammi from way back when she did that movie called 'Feel 100%'. She is very cool. Remember that era when she would have one of her eyebrows drawn as the Nike tick? Awesome stuff! I hardly buy albums, but I have Sammi Cheng's album back in Australia.

Who's the sexiest Asian star in your opinion?

Rain! Phwoar!

Who is your favourite Asian person?

My Dad, Hans Vernie. He came up with that name himself you know. Its from his uncle's name which is Vernon. His actual name is Abidin bin Mohd. Kunjung!

Favourite Asian food?

Rojak! No wait, chilli crab! And Japanese food!

Favourite Asian destination?

Islands around Thailand! And Japan too, because I wanna find out more about where I'm from.

(Mae's Dad is apparently half Japanese!)

What Asian culture fascinates you the most?

Indian and Japanese cultures. Cos I have never met my direct relatives which makes me really wanna figure out where I'm from and their cultures. I have Malay relatives and I really want to get to know them too.

What Asian trait are you most proud of?

Family values and how we love hanging out with our families.

What is the one Asian superstition you've held on to since you were a child?

Don't cry in front of food cos you may perpetuate your sadness. And my Mom used to always tell me, 'Don't spit in the air, cos it falls on your face!' <-- OMG, hahahah lovin' Mae's Mom's sense of humour! Good one Aunty - I'll be sure to tell my children this :)

Random facts about Mae :

• Loves animals (she hid a turtle in her bedroom drawer for 2 weeks undiscovered)
• Loves plants (she helps pick up potted plants that have been blown over by windy storms)
• Felt like Miss Universe when it was announced she was #13 in the Top 13!
• Can do a mean Michael Jackson 'moonwalk'
• Had blonde hair for 4 years (dodgy...)
• Is part Portugese, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese and North Indian!
• Is a Neat Freak :)

summerr thinks you'll love Mae because :

Mae's the kinda girl everyone is instantly friends with. She's warm, open and friendly, and can talk your ear off from the minute you stick out your hand and say 'hi'.

Since the transition from Top 24 to Top 13, Mae's lost some of her dearest friends in the competition. Close buds Gabby and Jon didn't make it through. You can see from this vid (shot by Izked) taken at the keycheck session right after Piano Show 2 Results, that it was bittersweet. She says her next song is killer, see below for a sample :)

Back to her chirpy self after the short 'break', Mae has made new alliances with her new Top13 cohorts and is totally ready to show people her 'moves' with Lady Marmalade. Plus, she has an extra reason to celebrate, Mae's husband Michael has finally touched down in Singapore!

Here's a sample of Lady Marmalade, recorded last week at choreo.

And here's a pic of Mae with Mike (and Charles and Sylvia) just after Monday morning's radio interview at 987FM. Aww... reunited...at last!

Here's a look at Mae's idol journey clip from the Piano Shows and her last performance, "Better In Time" by Leona Lewis.

If you wanna know more about Mae, check out the previous profile I did on her here.

Find Mae online :

Mae's facebook fanpage

Mae's YouTube Channel

Mae's MySpace page

xoxo, s.

Singapore Idol Top 10 : Sezairi Sezali

Sezairi Sezali, 22

6 August 1987

Single

updated : 10 Oct 09

Spectacular 4 : A Tribute To Michael Jackson

Performing : Thriller

Fave MJ Song : Billie Jean

Voting details : Not available yet. Watch this space!

MJ Week Interview :

If you had 1 minute with MJ, what would you say/do?
I would ask MJ to write me a song in a minute.

If you had 1 hour with him, what would you do?
Ask him to teach me how to dance.

If you had 1 day with him, what would you do?
Get him to bring me to Neverland and go on all the rides!

Did you believe the child molestation allegations?
No, I don’t believe them, I think people were just after his money.

When you first heard that there would be an MJ themed spectacular, what was your reaction? And now that you’re through and will be doing an MJ song, how do you feel?
Initially, I thought ‘oh crap!’ cos MJ songs are very difficult to pull off. Good MJ covers are an ART! So there’s lots of pressure.
Now that I’m here, I think this theme gives me an opportunity to really show what I can do. Its my style. His songs, the way they are written, is like my style. The musical aspects of the songs are really appealing to me.

What will you be singing and why did you choose to do that MJ song?
I will be singing Thriller, but I’ve given Abang Indra (music director) a real headache cos I’ve totally rearranged the song in my own way, I’m doing an acoustic version. But then, Ann Hussein (Idol vocal coach) said it was good, so I’m happy.

Spectacular 3 : An Asian Feast

Performing : Jeritan Batinku by P. Ramlee

Voting details : Not available yet. Watch this space!

Asian Week Interview :

Who is your favourite Asian artiste?

Maliq and The Essentials

They are an Indonesian jazz funk band . I'm interested in the whole jazz/funk/soul type of music. They play Live in Bahasa, and its so cool, cos usually bands in Bahasa sing rock or pop only.

Who's the sexiest Asian star in your opinion?

Alicia Pan

Who is your favourite Asian person?

Tan Sri P. Ramlee because I grew up watching his movies. The music that he writes/sings during his shows really brings forth a lot more emotion than just acting could.

Favourite Asian food?

Satay! (Iz also loves Satay! Trivia : Iz's mom works for Airi's aunt at Lau Pasat Stall #12 - Jumain Sataysfaction) <-- must try!

Favourite Asian destination?

Bandung, Indonesia.

Because the people there are real. Bandung's like in the mountains, its like a ghetto-semi-city, and everyone's friendly, no pretenses, everyone's genuine. Its great there!

What Asian culture fascinates you the most?

Japanese culture. They're very polite. I also like to watch them eat, they're so passionate about their food - like they slurrrrrppp their noodles!

What Asian trait are you most proud of?

Our humility. Its that one important thing that all Asians, regardless of race and religion, naturally have.

What is the one Asian superstition you've held on to since you were a child?

I was told that if you lie down on your tummy and lift your legs up, your parents will die young. Since young til now, I never lift up my legs, because you just never know.

Random facts about Sezairi :

• Airi loves his kuayteow goreng - now after trying his, I love it too!
• Is really the Guitar Hero - he can play practically anything, any genre on the guitar thanks to the music course he was taking at LaSalle.
• Airi and his 'brothas from different mothas' Jonathan, MJ and Theodore nicknamed themselves the 'pendejos' (which urbandictionary.com defines as a Spanish slang word for stupid, idiots, ignorant, useless people - what are you trying to tell us boys?)
• In case Idol doesn't work out for Airi, he's planning to put a demo out because according to him, music is definitely his calling.
• He can do a seriously good Topman model 'broken limbed' pose. :) Its hilarious!
• Airi also does a lot of impersonations and he's pretty good with accents - especially the black ghetto 'kick-yoah-a**' accent.
• The boy has 4 guitars! FOUR!

summerr thinks you'll love Sezairi because :

His smoky vocals are exceptional when paired with his soulful guitar playing.

I gave him the nickname Guitar Hero ages ago (and some people thought I meant MJ) and his skills are really shining through now. If Syltra's the Guitar Goddess, then he's the Guitar God, as can be seen from the vids that are up on youtube, if Airi's not singing for himself, he's usually accompanying one of the other Idols on guitar.

Soft-spoken, very musical and intelligent, he's not your High School Musical hero or cookie-cutter cutie, but Airi is definitely one to watch - hopefully his talent moves everyone enough to vote for him.

This vid was shot by Izked right after the Top 13 results were announced.

And this is the vid I recorded featuring a sample of 'You Give Me Something' which he'll be performing tonight.

Finally, here's a look back at his Idol journey and wonderful performance of 'Sunday Morning' at the Piano Show.

If you wanna know more about Sezairi, check out the previous Top 24 profile I did for him here.

Find Sezairi Online :

Sezairi's facebook fanpage

Sezairi's purevolume.com page

xoxo, s.

Was the Asian Feast Delicious?

If I had a food name it would have to be Soyabean summerr.

Cos I love tauhuay and tauhuay chui. Especially the one at Rochor. Aiyo die, now got craving.

So how? Did you guys enjoy the Idol Asian Feast? Overall I had a good time. I laughed at all the food jokes. I thought the Idols looked great in their colourful 'Asian'-ish outfits. I thought Gurmit looked very good in that blinged-out, modern-Asian jacket (and stubble). I thought Fried Rice Flo looked awesome in her chocolate saree and extra hair! And Duck Rice Dick's jacket - loved the interesting collar and detail - loved it! And Ken was...ChicKEN Rice..heheheheh.

As always, watching the show live is great. There's the in-studio atmosphere always makes for an exciting experience because everything is heightened. I've also watched the show on tv now. So lets get this review started shall we....

Sashimi Sylvia - 'Sinaran' by Sheila Majid

When I saw her perform this live I thought she did great. It was a great start to the show. Watching it back on tv, I realised she seemed a little shaky, and perhaps a little stressed (but only very little), perhaps trying to remember lyrics. Kudos to her for doing a song in a language she doesn't really speak. Vocally, I think she was pretty good overall.

Judges said :

Dick – You chose a beautiful song and sang it beautifully. Week after week you own the stage.

Flo – It was delicious, delectable and delightful.
Ken – This performance was a lot better than last week’s. You don’t have a unique voice but you can stand out from the rest if you have a style of your own.

Agree or disagree? Totally agree with the judges. However, I think she did Bon Jovi well too last week. Imo, she's showing that she is pretty versatile.

Dimsum Duane - 'Dang Ni' by Cyndi Wang

When Duane first told me about this song I had no idea what it was until I did my homework and found it on YouTube. It was quite popular on the karaoke circuit. A nice enough song, but not what I would call a competition song, it was perhaps too simple? Both on tv and in studio, the song sounded a little flat. My only 'hurrah' for that performance was that Duane looked comfortable singing it (despite never having sung a chinese song before!) That and I thought he looked nice with the scarf - good styling:)

Judges said :

Dick – You were limited by the song, it just wasn’t you. Your personality was missing, you have a unique character and you need to use it.
Flo – I wished you picked a cuter Chinese song; this was too heavy for you.
Ken – You should have delivered it in your own style. When you try to be like the other contestants, you are opening yourself for comparisons.

Agree/disagree? Unfortunately I kind of have to agree with the judges. I felt the song didn't really do anything for Duane. I disagree with Ken though, because I don't think Duane was trying to be like the others - maybe the scarf made him think Duane was trying to be Faizal?! Dunno la Uncle Ken.

Mee Bandung Malaque - 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' from the OST of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Hindi movie)

I thoroughly enjoyed Malaque's performance. IMO, definitely best performance of the night! It had everything visually and vocally and it was so very convincing! All the little vocal nuances were there. She looked and danced the part too. Wow, I'm sure she won over many fans with that performance - and she looked soooo pretty!! When I watched it on tv again, I was still blown away. Well done Malaque! Clap Clap Clap!

Judges said :

Dick – Your Hindi was very convincing. One of your best performances.
Flo – That was your breakthrough performance.
Ken – If you pick the right song, you will last longer in the competition

Agree/disagree? Totally agree with the judges. Two great performances in a row (last week's Right Here Waiting was very nice too), lets hope for a hat trick shall we?

Ayam Cili Padi Amira - 'Batik Pa' by Jessa Zaragoza

I think Amira should be proud of the way she sang this song. She delivered it with emotion and maturity. I thought it sounded consistent both live and on tv. Although I have no idea what she was singing, I could understand the emotion behind it. She said she chose a Tagalog song because she wanted to dedicate it to the victims of the typhoon that hit Philippines recently, and to me at least, it felt like she meant every word.

Judges said :

Dick – You look the most elegant tonight but you could have picked a much better song, I feel you’re losing it.

Flo – You’ve got the voice but you need to find the qualities that would make you “Idol-esque”.
Ken – You lack flexibility, hence your singing is one dimensional.

Agree/disagree? I kinda disagree about the whole one dimensional thing when she's singing. She came across very sincere to me. But like Ken said, she comes across as someone who doesn't like to talk much - which is rather true. But I don't think that should be held against her. It may 'work' to her disadvantage in a reality show though.

Satay Sezairi - 'Jeritan Batinku' by P. Ramlee

Hands down, best vocals of the night, both live and on tv. Pitch perfect throughout and with so much emotion. I have to admit I wasn't sure if he could pull off this classic hit. I mean, its P. Ramlee, that's like Asia's Frank Sinatra for lack of a better description. And 'Jeritan Batinku' is one of his most recogniseable hits from one of his biggest movies. Its a big task. The last person to sing it was Dato' Siti Nurhaliza. I am so glad to say he did it and he kicked major b*tt! Very well done!

Judges said :

Dick – I like that performance, you sounded very elegant and jazzy.
Flo – You added so much emotion to that song.
Ken – Good vocals, but you need to concentrate on correcting your flaws to realize your potential

Agree/disagree? Hell yea! Agree on all the good stuff! The smoky vocals and jazzy feel were great, and I loved the outfit! Especially the kerongsang - nice touch!

Mooncake Mae - 'Nobody' by the Wondergirls

Everyone knows this song. And most people love it. I loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed Mae's performance! As always she comes across as smooth, calm and collected. Starting off slow, she picked up the beat mid way, added in nicely timed dance moves (similar to what the Wondergirls did, but not exactly, 'because she's Mae and a Wondergirl' :) <-- I'm quoting choreographer Zaki). One thing that irked me was that Mae did a cool move where she posed with her mic stand for dramatic effect, (looked great LIVE) but it wasn't caught on camera for tv audiences. Such a waste!

Nice job Mae, totally enjoyable! I also liked it when they interviewed the Korean language coach (good job MediaCorp on providing a language tutor to perfect the Idols' diction!) and she said Mae's Korean was good! :)

Judges said :

Dick – You performed it well.
Flo – You were cool, calm and collected. You rocked it!
Ken – I am still waiting for that performance that would be awesome. Hopefully you will bring it next week

Agree/disagree? Yup, agree. I even agree with Ken in a way. Mae's been consistently good, but I would love to see greatness, which I KNOW she is capable of. MJ week perhaps? :)

Fishball Faizal - 'Hapus Aku' by Nidji

I loved Faizal's performance. It was so nice to see him change it up and do a more 'rock' song as opposed to the usual R&B and pure pop he's been doing. Granted it was 'pop rock' but at least got 'rock' right? I liked it. And like always, the camera (and all the little girls out there, including mine) loves Faizal.

Judges said :

Dick – You are a very good performer but you need to give the audience good songs. Not your best.

Flo – You nailed the presentation but you need to focus. Not your usual best.
Ken – Your song was fine, but you need to lose that lady-like sensibility you’re portraying.

Agree/disagree? Watching it back on tv, it did come across a little flat, like the music was drowning him a little. But he seemed focused to me, perhaps it wasn't the right song, but I give him props for trying something different - and like I said, I liked it. Uncle Ken - he where got lady-like leh? <-- so random lor!

Tandoori Tabitha - 'Ting Hai' by A*Mei

Big song, but Tabby has the vocal chops to do it. Imo, she sounded better on tv than she did live. Maybe because in studio, you could 'feel' her stress too? It was such a tough song choice, plus in a language she's not comfortable in, so major major kudos and props to Tabby for doing this song.

Actually, I heard she totally nailed it during practice. But as some fans of the song will know, she made a lil boo boo in the lyrics after the first verse, and that just sent her into a tailspin - so I give her even more props for carrying on like a trooper and keeping her calm. Good job girl, you pulled it off, really you did! Now breathe, cos Asian week's over!

Judges said :

Dick – You pulled it off quite well.
Flo – You look gorgeous, well done!
Ken – That was a brave song choice. You need to relate to younger audience, you are 17 not 27!

Agree/disagree? Totally agree with the good comments. Kinda agree with Ken on the '17 not 27' comment. But I put it down to good grooming and upbringing. She's a very poised young lady, so perhaps that makes her seem more mature than her 17. Lets see her let loose next week for MJ week!

Fish Head Curry Farhan - 'Teman Istimewa' by Taufik Batisah

I think this is Farhan's best performance so far. The song may seem simple but actually is a pretty tough song to sing. I liked the 'mandarin' start and finish - nice touch. And he looked so charming (as Flo said). Farhan, you gotta always wear lots of white - you look good in white dude!

Even Ken gave him props for listening to advice and working on his flaws AND he improved. Perhaps it was just a little too late...or it was the whole exams thing - conspiracy theorists are gonna have a field day with this one!

Judges said :

Dick – You did pretty well but not a great performance. I need to see something more.

Flo – You look absolutely charming.
Ken – You need more time to work on your vocals.

Agree/disagree? Agree. Ken also made a comment about how it was exam week and that it would impact his votes. Imo, Ken may just have been spot on with that one.

Chee Cheong Fan Charles - 'An Jing' by Jay Chou

I was really looking forward to this performance and it didn't disappoint. Vocally it was good, both live and on tv. But Charles did look a little stressed throughout and it looked like it was due to the piano playing. Nonetheless a very commendable rendition of a beautiful song.

Dick said he shouldn't have played the piano if he wasn't comfortable. But I think the piano added to the whole 'feel' of the song, I think it wouldn't have been as emotional if he had just sung to the backing track. Maybe a live pianist would have been ideal?

Judges said :

Dick – Your singing has improved a lot tonight.

Flo – You did the song well but I miss the beat-boxing Charles. Bring him back.
Ken – You are supposed to connect with the audience and your performance was terrible. But everyone should still vote for Charles as he is someone with potential.

Agree/disagree? Agree that he has improved. Agree that he is someone with potential. Disagree with the 'bring back beatboxing' comment - I mean, c'mon, you guys just crucified him two weeks ago for beatboxing so much and now you want it back - way to confuse a guy. I disagree with the comment, but I DO want to hear him beatbox again :) hrm, beatbox + MJ = magic?

Nagasari Nurul - 'Made In India' by Alisha

There's always pressure on the person who ends the show. And I think Nurul did a wonderful job of closing the show. It wasn't even about the song anymore, it was everything else - her colourful outfit, the setting, the groovy beat and her 'bollywood-esque' performance.

Good job on the colourful. I miss her husky vocals though - so am so glad she is still in, I can't wait to hear her sing an MJ song next week!

Judges said :

Dick – There was not enough fun on stage, it was a little too tame.

Flo – You seem to be very comfortable with gimmicky songs but you need to balance them with great vocals.
Ken – Whether you “Walk Like An Egyptian” or you’re “Made in India”, something does not seem to be working. You pick songs that do not showcase your vocal tones.

Agree/disagree? I kinda agree about the vocals part - that Nurul should focus on showcasing her best asset which is her vocals. Yes she's a natural comedienne, but the vocals should come first in a 'singing' competition.

Overall, a very enjoyable show. I didn't expect to enjoy this theme, but I thoroughly did. The colourful outfits really complemented the show too so kudos to the stylist who dressed the Idols, especially their Results Show outfit! They looked so good doing Jaiho!

The Results Show

Every week I sit on this rollercoaster ride called The Results Show. Why don't they just add a height requirement chart at the door? I mean seriously, this can't possibly be healthy right?

When the unsafe group stepped forward and it was Sylvia (shocking!), Tabitha (were her fans THAT unforgiving for a little lyric boo-boo?!), Farhan (I'm sure the parents confiscated their phones - I never thought Farhan would ever be in the bottom few!) and Sezairi (but he performed so well!), Justin Jap and I were huddled in a corner stage right, gripped with panic.

Justin : If its Airi I'm gonna collapse right now.

Me : Oh no, this is too much, I'm like gonna pee in my pants already!

Justin : If its Airi I'm gonna collapse now. Gasp! If its Sylvia I'm gonna collapse now.

Iz : I can't watch. (eyes transfixed on stage of course)

A moment later, Sylvia and Tabby were sent to safety and fwaah, relief for like 2 secs then it was back to....stress....

Justin : If its Airi, I'm gonna collapse now.

Me : OMG, its gonna be Airi right, cos Farhan's fans are like crazy voters. Aiyo I can't watch....

Justin : 'see above'

Me : I hate this part of the show.

Justin : 'see above' .

And then, it was over. For Farhan.

I was surprised. I had all but convinced myself that Farhan was invincible. The way things were going, I was expecting a Farhan - Faizal finale at Indoor Stadium this December. Perhaps that's what all his fans thought too, and they got complacent. Either that, or everyone else's fans stepped it up a notch this week.

Regardless, perhaps it was Farhan's time to go, considering the kind of nasty negative stuff he's been getting online on almost every platform, it may have been a blessing in disguise for his self-esteem and overall well-being to be spared the public 'hatred' (it was terrible for Jerry Ong and Joakim Gomez).

Farhan dear, you know you will always have my support, keep reaching for your dreams.

In the words of your Idol :

"Doesn't matter if I win,

Or the colour of my skin,

Cos the race is all about

Believing in yourself"

- from 'I Dream' by Taufik Batisah

Keep your dream alive, always....

xoxo, s.

ps. I thought it was quite clever of MediaCorp to schedule in Vasantham Star winner (and cutie) Viknesh (did I get his name right? I googled and couldn't find his full name :P tsk!) to perform. Was it just me or did we get a free Bollywood night on Idol - woot! loved it! Malaque, Nurul, Jai Ho and Vik! Niiiice!