OMG Guest Judge : Tay Ping Hui

The King of Caldecott Hill presides....

... and he's a real stickler for details. So OMG! contenders and challengers alike .... beware, thou hath been warned....

Since I found out that TPH (lazy la to type whole name, and I feel like I'm not 'friend' enough to just call him 'Ping Hui'; also I like that it kinda looks like NPH, as in Neil Patrick Harris - ok that was rubbish!)....

As I was saying, since I found out that TPH was gonna guest judge on OMG! (and lemmetellyou I found out pretty late), I almost fell off my sofa (thats where I was when I got the sms).

First of all... *swoon*! Second of all *SWOON*!

How the hell was I gonna survive interviewing him without drooling? I silently reminded myself I was a professional and I could do this. I mean, I've interviewed Tom Welling. I managed to keep the drool in check then, I would certainly be able to do it with TPH right?

Or, I could *fail* and it would be like the time I shook Bradley Cooper's hand and mumbled something like "Ohmygawd you're so much cuter in real life!" to which he replied politely, "thank you" and probably sent finger signals to his publicist that I could be a potential crazy fan impersonating marketing personnel. I proceeded to miss Michael Vartan's outstretched hand (it was some meet the Alias cast thing so they were all in a line shaking hands with media people) and then took a step backward to grab it and stepped on my colleague's shoe. *FAIL*.

Suresh made me wait two days to interview TPH. On his last day with the show, I made sure I arrived at 5pm, the Judges' call time, to try and grab him for a chat. Clad in a simple teeshirt, jeans and a pair of really red sneakers, TPH was on time and ready to go - unfortunately for him, no one else was, so I got to chat with him for quite a while. You're in for a nice long read folks, Judge Swoon has opinions k.

Me : Sorry I didn't come say hi earlier, you musta seen me lurking around with my camera. I wasn't allowed to interview you til today.

TPH : Why?

Me : Producers wanted you to settle in and get comfortable on the show first I guess - you'd be in a better position to do the interview mah.

TPH : Settle in? I'm so settled in already!

Do you think you could have been an Idol Judge?

I think I would be able to do it. Perhaps not as credible. Or might not be as convincing since I'm not directly involved in music. But what I do is I look for the details. I always say, "The devil's in the details" and I'm fortunate to have gained some experience due to the nature of my work. So for a show like this, I'm perhaps more credible?

Were you surprised when the producers called you?

No, not surprised, I've been a judge before. I have never really enjoyed the process of eliminating anyone. Its so subjective. I feel that talent shouldn't be judged this way. I mean, who am I to say that you don't have talent or that you don't belong here? But its the way the show is structured. But there are some parts of being a judge I enjoy - the interactions with the contestants.

People say Singaporeans are boring. Not true. Just look at these guys on the show, they are anything but boring. People say Singaporeans are conversative, no guts etc. That's so not true. These contestants are here, and they come on the show and let themselves be judged. That takes guts. I really admire them, I do. I respect each and every one of them. They put in a lot of effort into what they do.

You know, a lot of people underestimate those 90 seconds. If you're a professional, that 90 seconds could lead to your next big opportunity. Thats whats good about the show.

Have you got any hidden talents?

All my talents are hidden. *cheeky smile*

I've been very very fortunate to be exposed to many things since I was young. And I've always had this natural curiosity. I always wanted to know how things worked, whether it was music or science or anything, it was like a real thirst for knowledge. Maybe I'm overcompensating for something, I don't know.

Fundamentally, I don't think I'm very smart or highly intelligent. I'm hardworking and I ask questions. If you know something, don't pretend that you don't. There's a fine line between confidence and arrogance.

What do you think of your fellow judges?

They all think I'm being very technical. I'm just into details. I think they enjoy having a person like me on the panel. As a performer, I've done singing, dancing etc, I bring to this my eye for detail based on a combination of visual/audio and the technical details of what they're doing.

All of us look at things very differently. I provide a different perspective from them. FD has very inspiring things to say, and he can say it all in one line. I like him - he's frank and doesn't mince his words.

What kind of acts do you think are at an advantage or disadvantage on a show like this?

Acts that are slower are always disadvantaged, except singing. If you're slow and trying to be poetic, you may not have enough time to bring the audience along on your journey. Acts that are fast paced, heart-pumping type boosts your adrenaline.

Do you reckon there's a market for more talent shows?

Yes, because shows like this provide a window of opportunity for the thousands and thousands of talent out there. Anything and everything goes. Just look at the variety of acts we have here. Personally I am flabbergasted (I was flabbergasted that he used the word flabbergasted, to which he said, "Yes flabbergasted, long word for an actor eh?" - LOL!) by the sheer amount of talents I've seen in 3 days. How can anyone say Singapore is boring? Especially if you have these talents? They just need a platform. The show itself has a long way to go, and I hope to see it grow.

When you say grow, what do you mean? Like how?

I hope to see bigger prize money? Maybe higher stakes? Eventually perhaps it would not be confined to a small stage anymore? Bigger venue?

I've heard people say 90 seconds isn't enough.

That's no excuse. That's the format of the show. You gotta work within the format, work within the system. Its like that in real life too. Pedal to the metal from the word 'Go!'

Any advice for the contestants?

You have 90 seconds. Blow everyone away.

After the 90 seconds, life can dramatically change. You can either head for higher grounds or go back to living a normal life. Whatever it is, after the 90 seconds, leave everything on stage.

At this point Judge Swoon wonders where everyone is. We're sat in the middle of a very empty TV Theatre, with just two crew guys working on the stage. "Are we done?"

Just one last question, list all the 'stuff' you've done on all those charity shows...

Fire work (like Danny)

Cloth/Rope work

Bollywood Dancer

Sing

Play guitar

More dancing

Acrobatics

Martial Arts Performances

And with that, Judge Swoon makes his way backstage to the Judges' Room for some makan - its dinner time/make-up time before his last night on the show.

Watch Episodes 4, 5 and 6 and you'll find that TPH's eye for detail and his experience from training for charity shows gives him that much more credibility cos the guy's been there done that. But what I enjoy most is his eloquence and his ability to articulate (in great detail might I add) those critiques. Plus he's easy on the eyes la.

Catch Judge TPH a.k.a. Judge Swoon on OMG for the next THREE Wednesdays, 8pm only on Channel 5. Be prepared for lots of TPH because, and I quote, "The devil's in the details", so he'll have a lot to say in detail about each performance ;)

ps. Every night, after the show wraps, TPH is swarmed by fans wanting to say hi and take pictures. It takes easily 20 minutes for his minder to extract him from "just one more pic can?"

pps. Need more Ping Hui? He's on Unriddled on Channel 8, and once that's wrapped, there's a new lawyer-drama series (he tells me the title in Mandarin, and says it loosely translates to Walk In Walk Out) that revolves around a group of friends who are - you guessed it - lawyers. The cases revolve mostly around marriages, divorces, adultery - I am already intrigued, sounds like a must watch that you'll get hooked on after one episode. On Ping Hui's part, he says watch it for the good writing. And watch Unriddled for its great production quality - I caught an ep the other night - have to agree. Find out more at xinmsn.com.

OMG! Show Taping on Monday 20th September

Save The Date! Monday, 20th September

Always wondered how a tv show is made? Wanna experience the show up close and personal? (ok, all yous out there who always come for recordings stop sniggering k! There are people out there who have never set foot in tv theatre k!)

Well, now's your chance, I had thought all the pre-recorded episodes were over and done with but nope, OMG!'s Episode 7 is now gonna be taped on Monday 20th September.

Tickets!

Just come to Mediacorp reception at 7pm on the 20th and pick up tickets from there. Then come on in and make yourselves comfy! Please pee before recording begins hor - its very distracting for the performers and producers to see people walking about during the show - and downright disrespectful too hello.

Want to be on camera?

Dying to be 'spotted' in the audience by friends and family watching at home (don't blarf, you know you love it when your niece or grandma points at the tv proudly and says "eh Gu Gu/Ah Boy that's you!")? Up your chances of being caught on cam by blatantly showing your support for your favourite contender! Bring banners/light sticks/posters/props! Anything that you can shake/wave/twirl/raise (not your top or any lingerie, please, we are a family show), will do.

Better yet, want to be ON the show?

Just bring your awesome talent and, in the words of HIMYM*'s Barney Stinson, your "awesomeness", and join the show as a Challenger. Email omg@mediacorp.com.sg and BRING-IT!

Contenders Up Close & Personal @AMK Hub

Don't forget to catch the Contenders from this week's episode at the Channel 5 roadshow at AMK Hub next Sunday (5 September, 2.30 - 4pm). Its your chance to see them in person! Plus they'll also be showing off their talents on stage - fingers crossed if Danny gets through, he won't set off the sprinkler system at AMK Hub! LOL!

So erm, yes I have digressed .....

Save the date - Monday night, 20th September, come for OMG! Episode 7 recording. This episode will be aired just two days later on Wednesday, 22nd September, and is the first episode of the Elimination Rounds. Its the next stage - so you're in for a change of set, change of pace and who know what other changes! V. exciting I promise!

xoxo, s.

In the meantime, episode 4 is coming up this Wednesday, check out :

The Profiles of the 4 Challengers :

Pretty Boyz

Johnathan Maximilian Goh

Terence Cheung

Singapore Char Siew Baos

+

My interview with Special Guest Judge Hossan Leong

*HIMYM = How I Met Your Mother (how can you not know this? Barney is AWESOME!)

Challenger #1 : Pretty Boyz

Singapore's answer to the Jabbawockeez?

When I first walked into their dressing area (producers actually gave them a separate room to chill out and change in because there were so many of them), and they all turned around to say hi, I almost took a step back and ran. Six painted faces that looked like Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight stared right at me. It took me a few seconds to recover from the initial shock and as it turns out, they're really sweet boys under all that face cake - but I couldn't help wondering what each of them looked like without the white.

Pretty Boyz is made up of Jr, 19; Isaac, 19; Ruben, 19; Guna, 20; Ragu, 21; Anaz, 20; and their mentor/manager Viknesh, 26. One other manager, David was not available to attend the recording as he had to care for his ailing mum. The original Pretty Boyz crew has 9 members, one other broke his arm during practice and won't be performing - so the boyz had to rework their choreography at the last minute!

How do you guys all know each other?

Isaac (he's basically the voice for the group) : We are secondary schoolmates and childhood friends. We've known each other for like 5 to 10 years. We're a hip hop crew. We danced in school and now we've come out and we're a professional dance crew. We do events and private functions. We get hired through word-of-mouth.

How'd you come up with the name "Pretty Boyz"?

Actually it was kind of given by our fans. Its actually originally my (Isaac's) nickname also.

(I later heard from Suresh that Isaac's pretty cute! Dang! Wish I'd seen his face! LOL!)

Why did you guys join OMG?

We find its the best platform to showcase our talent. We wanna get some exposure for the group too. We are inspired by many crews like MNJ, NPZ and overseas crews like the Jabbawockeez (who wear masks).

So what kind of style will you be presenting?

I'm the choreographer, we all discuss and each of us contributes something to the dance. Basically our dance comes from our feelings for what we want to portray. With our hip hop knowledge, we also add in contemporary, ballet, bhangra and even chinese lion dance moves. Hip hop is street, so we also just freestyle and the guys all chip in.

For tonight, our performance wll be a hip-hop dance with a bhangra flavour and some b-boying. We are using bhangra music, and will be portraying different aspects of hip-hop within the bhangra genre.

What would you do with the $50k is you win?

We are planning to open a studio so that those young aspiring kids who are dancing on the street and doing hip hop have a place that they can come to to practice. We peformed for the kids at the Chen Su Lan Home, and it really inspired us to this. There was a young 2 or 3 year old doing head spins. I taught them some b-boying and really got inspired by them. There are a lot of people out there that don't have a good place to practice. We wanna help out these kids, cos you can get quite hurt practicing on the streets. I also want to teach hip-hop at the studio.

What do you think of the show? Of the Judges?

We find the judges are good and we like the show because you get to see different kinds of talents for the first time on tv. Idol is only singing. In this competition you get to see people who are good at other things.

Who will you be challenging on the show?

Our first choice is Luminiq Crew. We feel that so far, Luminiq Crew is the best and we want to beat the best. Its do or die for us. Our back-up choices will be Desert Roses or C-Murda.

Any strategy going into the show?

If we our best, then everybody should be able to appreciate us, both the Judges and the audience. Lastly, we would like to wish all the contestants all the best and also, would like to thank all our family and friends (aww so sweet!)

Catch the Pretty Boyz this Wednesday on OMG!, 8pm only on Channel 5. If you've got a hidden talent that will blow our contenders away, come join the show - we want YOU! Simply email omg@mediacorp.com.sg today and you could stand a chance to win the prize money of $50k CASH! Did I mention its cold.Hard.CASH! Don't wait, get yourself on the show now!

:: pics courtesy of Shawn Pang, Channel 5 Marketing team ::

Challenger #2 : Jonathan Maximilian Goh

GO Jon Max Goh!

Jonathan Maximilian Goh is a mouthful of a name. But remember it. Jon Max Goh for short, this 20 year old has a great voice and plays the piano, violin and guitar - all of which he taught himself to play --- no formal training you guys! Jon auditioned for Idol last year but didn't make it past the first round of auditions - did DFK let one slip through the cracks? (Watch the show and you decide for yourself).

What kind of songs do you sing?

A bit hard to describe? Like pop, soul, inspirational, slow-rock, pop-rock? All the genres are all mashed-up these days! *LOL* But tonight I'll be singing Kings Of Leon's "Use Somebody". Tonight I'll be playing the piano and singing, so its just the piano and me.

How long have you been singing?

Since like forever!

What do you do in real life?

I'm in the NSF, gonna ORD soon yay!

So why'd you join OMG?

This is my opportunity to shine, and my chance to show that Singapore has talent. At first I didn't want to try out for OMG. But some people prodded me and I decided to just give it a shot and now I'm glad I did. (Btw, this guy had a HUGE fan crowd cheering him on k - with banners and all!)

What will you do with the $50k if you win?

I'll give some to my parents. And set aside some to save (first person ever to say they wanted to 'save' the money! Mr and Mrs Goh you raised him well!). And donate some back to my church.

What's your strategy going into the show?

My strategy is just to give my best and enjoy myself. Sing with my heart and soul and hopefully it will impress the judges. Just be myself.

What do you think of our judging panel?

Its nice to have a variety of judges, and they're all familiar faces. I'm happy to see FD there, he's from radio, so he knows about music. Actually they all make good judges. They're all very fluent, so feedback would be more coherent and would make more sense. (summerr : Unlike certain cryptic judges? ;)) I'm glad this set of judges are here this time ;)

Who will you be challenging?

My first choice would be Zul. I'd like to see what else he can do with the beatboxing.

My second choice would be the Vertical Dancers. Again, I'd like to see what else they are gonna do. And my third choice would be David Lin. He would be my last resort choice. I think I can beat him in terms of vocals, but he's a pretty strong contender because he's a judges favourite. I would definitely not pick Danny Koh cos fire is wow! Or Luminiq Crew, cos their energy is so much more, due to the sheer size of the group. Jill's got this amazing voice and great personality, she's also a favourite. And well, C. Murda is just too cool for school. So I hope I get my first choice!

Catch Jon Max Goh on this Wednesday's episode of OMG, 8pm, only on Channel 5! If you've got a talent that's unique and never-before-seen, we want YOU on the show. Just email omg@mediacorp.com.sg now! Think of all the exposure you'll get from the show and who knows - you could win the $50k!

:: Pics courtesy of Shawn Pang, Channel 5 Marketing team ::

Challenger #3 : Terence Cheung

Skaterboi

Meet inline skater Terence Cheung, 20. Terence is originally from Hong Kong but he's been living here for the past 16 years, he's even gonna be serving NS soon, so he's pretty much Singaporean. Terence has tons of inline skating accolades and is ranked 19th overall in the world. He's represented Singapore in international competitions (in fact, he just got back from somewhere, and in a few days is flying off to Hai Ning in China for the Inline Slalom Asia Cup.

Why did you join OMG?

A friend recommended that I join the show. So I came to Mediacorp for an audition.

What will you be doing on the show?

I'm gonna be doing an inline slalom around 20 cones. It's like a dance and although it looks easy, its actually very physically demanding to do. I'll probably start with easier moves and work up to more difficult tricks. I'm gonna try and give a good performance by synchronising with the music.

Oh and what music will you be using?

Its a mix of classical and K-pop - "Shock" by Beast.

What will you do with the $50k if you win?

Give it to my parents? Maybe? :) I don't know, haven't really thought about it so much.

Who will you be challenging tonight?

Maybe the Vertical Dancers, because I want to watch their performance. Maybe C-Murda? He's a good dancer, it'll be nice to watch. Maybe the beatboxer? Cos I want to see what else he can do.

Any strategy to prolong your life on the show?

My strategy ah? Is to pick random people so that they don't know who is gonna get challenged. But I won't challenge David Lin. Confirm he will win, he is a judge's favourite. But overall, I just wanna try and have fun on stage, and give the audience a good performance because inline skating is different.

Do you have a favourite judge?

Jeanette Aw. Its a pity she is not on the show anymore :(

Catch Terence skating up a storm on the OMG stage this Wednesday, 8pm, only on Channel 5. Are you a fellow inline skater? Think you beat the skates of Terence? Come join the show - email omg@mediacorp.com.sg and you could be the one going home with the $50k!

ps. Check out Terence's blog here - he's got some pretty cool videos on there.

:: Pics courtesy of Shawn Pang, Channel 5 Marketing ::

Challenger #4 : Singapore Char Siew Baos

Musical Dim Sum?

You know how when you eat dim sum, you have a lil bit of this and a lil bit of that, its a meal made up of many lil plates of different delicacies. Well Singapore Char Siew Baos are apparently something like that - when I asked them what kind of music they play, the four-man band all replied at the same time ... with different answers (jazz, pop, rock, chinese, hokkien all came flying at me!)

Meet the Baos

From left to right, Bandleader-in-Pink/accoustic guitarist Jacob, 29; saxophonist Dominic, 28; singer-with-a-sweet-smile Ruby, 24; and 12-string accoustic guitarist Jason, 31.

So why are you called Singapore Char Siew Baos?

We wanted to come up with a name for the Shanghai Jazz gig. That was our first gig together, 2 years ago. We wanted something heartlander-ish.

How do you all know each other?

Some of us are band mates from school days or band mates in semi-pro bands.

What kind of music do you play?

We do everything! We sing hokkien songs, chinese songs, pop, rock, jazz, covers.

What will you be singing tonight?

Dancing In The Moonlight (by Top Loader). Its kind of a mash-up with Jason Mraz's 'Make It Mine'.

So why'd you join OMG?

Jason : We have an agent and he told us about the show and suggested we join. We said 'why not?'. We also want to challenge ourselves in terms of our musicality and our showmanship. We always perform for people who are dining or drinking. So its an opportunity to also get a different kind of exposure.

What would you do with the $50k if you win?

Dominic : Buy char siew bao and eat :)

Speaking of char siew bao, we all have nicknames you know. Char Siew Bao is actually Jacob's nickname.

Jacob : Dominic is Twa Bao (LOL - how adorably apt lor!). Jason is Lin Yong Bao (apparently cos he's a motormouth - but I don't get what that has to do with the sweet lin yong? Oooh, maybe he's a sweet talker?) and Ruby is Siew Mai (there was some private joke goin' here... so I'll just leave it to your imagination).

Who will you be challenging tonight?

Jacob : First choice would be Desert Roses. And second choice Vertical Dancers. I think. Actually we haven't really decided. We're just gonna go out there and watch their performances and decide on the spot!

Any OMG strategy at work here?

Thing is, naturally we want to challenge another musician/singer. But watching the first few episodes of the show, looks like maybe we should go cross-genre. Going up against a singer would be pure competition. We can't decide whether to go with the norm and stick to one genre or restrategise.

What do you think of the judges?

Dom : Aiya, Jeanette not here already ah? Ok lah, I will have to impress Tay Ping Hui now.

Any judges you think you may need to impress more than the others?

Beatrice and FD. FD is exposed to music a lot and Beatrice is quite cross-genre. They offer very good critiques and each judge has a different critique. Hopefully we can impress them with good music, strong showmanship and energy and rich, lush harmonies.

Catch the Char Siew Baos bring their music and harmonies to the OMG stage this Wednesday, 8pm only on Channel 5! Think your band is cooler? Or have you got a talent that will beat any of our contenders? Bring it on - we want YOU on the show! Email omg@mediacorp.com.sg and you could be the one to walk way with the $50k!

:: Pics courtesy of Shawn Pang, Channel 5 Marketing ::

OMG Guest Judge : Hossan Leong

Catch Judge Hossan! Special Appearance! One Night Only!

OMG! has got a real treat lined up for everyone next week. When a scheduling conflict arose, and Judge B couldn't make one of the recordings, producers cracked their heads for someone who could fill her shoes - after all, B had just been confirmed as a resident judge, we would need someone just as credible.

Lo and behold they invited the very experienced, very talented and might I say, rather flamboyant, Hossan Leong to keep the seat warm for that one night. Hossan is an actor, director, radio presenter, host, standup comedian, corporate trainer and motivational speaker (check him out on Twitter). Like FD, he's on a morning show (on Gold 90.5FM), so after Sunday night's taping, both had just 4 hours to get home and get to bed before they had to be back at MediaCorp to prep. I managed to catch up with Hossan just before taping began.

What do you think you'll bring to the judges table?

I bring a sense of style and flair to the table *big flashy smile*, well you know, somebody's gotta bring it! Coming from a theatre background, I guess I'm looking for enthuasiasm. I've seen it all before, so I'm just looking to be impressed.

What do you think of the show's format - the Survival Rounds?

I think its a great way to pit the contestants against one another. And choosing their own challengers, it lends an element of surprise to the whole thing for the people watching. Who will they pick and why, and how do they plan to challenge them.

What type of acts are you looking out for?

Singers and dancers. If you're a singer, what else can you bring to the table? You just sing. But for a dancer, I mean, look at shows like So You Think You Can Dance, the dancers on that show are amazing. There's just so many things you can do with your body, with your choreography.

What do you think of the judging panel?

The line up of judges is a pretty varied group. I've been in theatre for over 15 years. Ping Hui is your Channel 8 stud, he's done so many variety shows, he's done a little of everything. Irene and FD are veterans. Our experience in the business is so varied, so we'll be able to offer a nice range of comments and hopefully constructive ones that will encourage them.

What type of acts do you think will be at an advantage or disadvantage?

Dancers have a good chance, for me if you're a real dancer or popper or whatever, it takes a lot of skill and talent to do it all in synchronicity. I mean, I can't do it! If you can show me you can move, make me laugh, I'll sit up and take notice.

Those at a disadvantage would be people who put on bland performances. Bland. No joie de vivre (love this term, it means 'joy for life or joy for living', and in this case, he probably 'enthusiasm for one's own performance').

(I asked him a few more questions after the show - don't worry, no spoilers!)

On a scale of 1-10, how tough was it to judge the contestants and come to a consensus with the other judges?

Judging - 8 (waah that's pretty tough!)

Coming to a consensus with the Judges - 1 EASY PEASY! (cheyyy, no big-bang-table-type rows or anything ah? so undrama!)

What kind of act would you personally have liked to see on the show?

I would have liked to see something that was out of the ordinary, like a lion tamer ... or an iron chef!!

Have you any hidden talents?

I can't mention it. Its definitely NOT for General Viewing ... call my personal number and I'll show you :) (bwahahahahhahahahhahahha!)

If you had to join a show like this, what would your talent be.

erm....play the piano upside down while reciting a mandarin poem, all this while shaving my legs.

O.O

Out of all the contestants you saw on your episode, which one did you connect with/feel for the most and why.

Danny... coz he didn't really do anything that episode except stand there and look cool. Very difficult to do that you know!

(Danny has immunity on this episode having won his challenge against Fatema the week before).

Thank you Hossan for a lovely interview - he is such a character - you have to watch the show to listen to his comments. Look out for his hilarious facial expressions and pretty interesting takes on the contestants' performance! Good job producers for finding someone big enough (actually he's quite petite) to fill Judge B's shoes.

Catch Judge Hossan *for one night only* on Episode 4 of One Moment of Glory this Wednesday at 8pm only on Channel 5.

Can't get enough of Hossan? Want to get in touch with him? Follow him on Twitter and check out this website.

xoxo, s.

OMG Episode 3 : The Review

"Aiyaaa!"

Aiya indeed! That one colloquial expression so summed up everyone's thoughts the minute Judge B uttered it. It was my favourite comment all night! She said it in response to BottleFlipz' rather unfortunate performance last night, and as usual, Judge B was on the money.

Dan's The Man

Before I move on to the review proper, I just realised in my haste to congratulate those that made it through to the next round, I forgot to give Challenger Dan Thompson a pat on the back for winning his first challenge - good on ya mate! Its a pity he didn't get to stay longer on the show - who'da thunk Jill Marie would choose to challenge him? Well, first time for everything....

Ok on to the review ....

Tonight's four Challengers are all single performer challengers, ie no groups. So you'd think they'd aim for similar numbers. Two of 'em took on groups, for varied reasons, despite the risk that visually and in terms of energy, they could have been at a great disadvantage. As Judge Irene would say, "Confidence maaah!"

Challenger #1 : Dan Thompson

Contender : Jumping Jewels

I loved Dan's lil video clip before his performance - haha, so drama. Hands down the best scripted (and executed - cos we all know corny lines are not easy to execute!) VT so far. Dan's reason for picking the rope skippers was that he wanted to see what else they could do with their routine. He sang Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up' pretty flawlessly. Host Michelle Chong even commented that when she closed her eyes it was like Josh Groban was singing.

What did the judges say?

FD : Dan, you enjoy what you're doing and you connect with the audience. Jumping Jewels, you guys have so much fun on stage, I love your choice of music, always fun to watch.

Beatrice : Dan, you're a good looking guy, you're confident, but I wonder what else you're gonna bring to keep yourself in the game. Jumping Jewels, you sell a great feeling.

Jeanette : Jumping Jewels, I love your energy levels. Dan, you're a very polished peformer but your pirouettes at the end threw me off a balance. (summerr says : Word sista! I thought it was a little out of place too!)

Irene : Jumping Jewels, you guys are like anti-depressant pills! Dan, you're good looking, you sing well, but I felt you weren't singing to the audience.

summerr says : As much as I like their energy and all the bouncing around - its entertaining to watch - I felt that JJ's routine was pretty similar to the week before. Granted I don't have a trained eye and they could have added more technically difficult tricks and moves etc, but thats the thing, to the untrained eye, its pretty much the same routine from Ep1 - loud music, leap frogging, some somersaults and thats it. I would have liked to see them speed up like double time. (So easy to judge right? I bet you I can't even do half time on those ropes *pfft*)

Dan's a crooner. That was my first impression. He sang the song very well, but I don't know, something about him is just too polished. I'm inclined to agree with Irene. Maybe he's too polished. Maybe its cos he's tall? Can't put my finger on it. But the guy definitely has a good voice.

RESULT : Dan Thompson

Judges felt that Dan brought showmanship, brought a great song and had a great voice. But had Jumping Jewels upped their game, he wouldn't have gotten through.

Challenger #2 : Fatema

Contender : Danny Koh

Belly-dancing vs Fire. How sexy is that? I have to give Fatema props for challenging a fire artiste because fire is naturally very visually entertaining, fire always has the 'wow' factor (if you don't screw up la and burn your hair). I guess Fatema believed her routine was also very wow (actually imo it was very WOWza), the girl definitely 'brought it'.

What did the judges say?

B : Fatema you're a truly sexy girl and I think you should have capitalised on that. There's nothing wrong with the routine, it just lacked drama compared to Danny who was so intense.

J : Fatema, I wasn't getting the vibe from you.

I : Danny, the poi (the two string thingies he was swinging around that had fire balls attached at the ends) technique was very basic and I preferred what you did previously.

FD : Danny, you were very impressive, but did you bring enough? Fatema, you're dancing and you're loving it.

summerr says : Super tough decision to make. When Fatema chose Danny my heart sank a little cos I knew she was a really good belly dancer and I wanted her to be on the show. I also wanted to Danny to stay on the show cos his fire act is just so riveting to watch. Sigh, but since she chose to challenge him - one had to go. And unfortunately, as gorgeous and sexy and wow her routine was, its hard to beat fire and lemmetellyou, Danny was seriously INTENSE. He FOUGHT to defend his place, and he fought hard - I was like holy crap that fire is all kinds of burning him and flyin' around. That move, bringing the fire up close to the judges was inspired - a bit risky - but inspired nonetheless.

Eh all contenders take note - you don't have to stay on the white stage - can move down waaaan. It leaves a bigger impression if you get up close and personal!

RESULT : Danny Koh

The judges admitted that it was a really tough decision and both put up a good fight, but they could see "so much fire in his (Danny's) eyes, so much hunger, you can see that he wants to do so much more".

Challenger #3 : Zul Mystroe

Contender : Bottle Flipz

If I hadn't spoken to him before the show for an interview, I woulda thought this guy was super arrogant. But he's not. He's actually a pretty nice guy. But the way he justified choosing Bottle Flipz when asked by the hosts - Singaporeans call this 'ya-ya-papaya' k.

What did the judges say?

J : To Bottle Flipz, as a performer, you have to see your act through to the end. But you also have to learn not to let your earlier mistake affect the rest of your performance. Zul, that was a confident performance.

I : Zul, you really save a lot of money hor, all the instruments in one voice! I'm impressed. Bottle Flipz, you were very brave, you dropped the bottles but still went on.

FD : Bottle Flipz, there's nothing to comment about, it didn't work for you. Zul, I love the whole beatboxing thing, it was really good. A little more attitude and more physicality would have been good.

B : Zul, you're a good beatboxer. A little more attitude and this place would have been thumping. Bottle Flipz.... Aiyaaa.....

summerr says :

Its so unfortunate that the flairing boys dropped not one, not two, but three bottles AND the stacked glass pyramid. Really quite an 'Aiyaya' moment. Its a pity cos the boys were one of my favourites - they had personality and they had an interesting act. As for Zul, I think he's a good beatboxer, although I felt the parts where he sang (again I know this is tremendously difficult and takes a lot of skill, I wouldn't be able to do it in a million years), was quite distracting for me. It was offkey at points and I was so distracted trying to make out what song it was. Maybe its cos I am spoiled by Charles' impeccable beatboxing. Miss that guy. Anyway, imo, if it hadn't been for the screw ups, Bottle Flipz may have earned themselves immunity. Hello practice more - not just the night before ;)

The Result : Zul Mystroe

No need to explain la. The Judges went backstage and came back out in like less than a minute k. Pretty unanimous that Zul blew 'em away!

Challenger #4 : Jill Marie Thomas

Contender : Dan Thompson

Jill chose Dan cos, "He sing. I sing. We all sing together la." Jill sang 'Nobody' by The Wonder Girls. Dan sang 'Me & Mrs Jones' (my fave version is still Taufik's at the SI Finals). Half way through his er 'seductive' performance, he sidles up to sing to the Judges one by one - kisses Judge B's hand, dances with Jeanette, flirts with Irene's clipboard (cos she covered her face with it - shy meh?) and sat on FD's lap!

What did the judges say?

I : Dan, you sang very well, you're a true showman, its a tough fight. Jill, we saw you on youtube and now you're here, its a joy to see you perform live and you're so cute!

FD : Dan, you're a showman. You have a great voice and you put together a great show. Jill, I wanna hear you sing some more!

B : When Jill came on the show, she changed the game.

J : Dan you're a real performer, a real entertainer. Jill, I loved how you changed the arrangement of the song.

summerr says :

First time on the OMG! stage, a Challenger decides to challenge a fellow Challenger who's just made it to the podium. Haven't even warmed up the footprints, and he's back down on stage preparing to defend his spot. Very strategic move on Jill's part I have to say. On paper it was singer-songwriter vs crooner. But on stage, you could see Jill's bubbly personality winning people over before she even started singing, "I bring FIVE Wonder Girls into...ONE-der girl!" LOL!

I think what Jill had that trumped Dan, because both had good vocals, was her connection with the judges and the audience through her humour and personality. Also, I think Dan's choice of song wasn't suitable for his clean vocals. Imo, you gotta get a little husky with a song like Me & Mrs Jones.

The Result : Jill Marie Thomas

Beatrice : "We loved having Dan on the show. We had to choose between 'polished' versus 'real' performer. We chose the 'real' performer. Jill, you brought heart and soul to the show.

So at the end of Episode 3, we have two new Contenders - Jill Marie Thomas and Zul Mystroe. Congratulations newbies, welcome to the OMG! podium!

Extra congrats in order for Danny who succeeded in defending his spot on the podium :)

Next week, soooo many things to look forward to....

1. New guest judge Tay Ping Hui joins the show. *swoon swoon swoon*

2. Special One-Night-Only guest judge Hossan Leong also joins the show.

3. David Lin and Desert Roses no longer have immunity - will they get challenged?

4. And of course - 4 brand new challengers - we have a local band, an in-line skater, a solo musician and hip hop crew! Will Luminiq Crew finally get challenged? They've been relaxing for

the past 2 weeks and are just ITCHING to be challenged!

So stay tuned to the blog - this weekend, look out for the new Challenger profiles and my interview with Judge Hossan! Plus, I've just been told there are some rehearsals this Saturday afternoon - hrm....

will go. will see. will twitpic!

So follow me on Twitter!

Thats all for tonight folks! Keep checking the bulletin board (top left corner of this blog) for updates on OMG! roadshows/tickets/showtimes etc!

xoxo, s.

ps. Did you notice, the only person who wasn't always supporting a Contender no matter what was C-Murda? Whenever he got interviewed, he always gave a different answer from everyone else! LOL! Either the dude abhors sheep mentality (its still very much Contenders vs Challengers backstage) or he was just being honest. Probably the latter - he's really such a nice boy.