Malay girl, 11, aces Chinese reality TV singing competition

When Adinda Tasya Mansorwent on stage and sang for the first time on Chinese reality TV singing competition Let's Sing Kids, she received a standing ovation and praise from the three judges.

The 11-year-old Malaysian, who flew to China to compete, belted out Taiwanese singer Lin Yu-chun's ballad Next Stop In The Future in well-enunciated Mandarin.

Her performance was in the first episode of the fourth season of the show, which aired on July 2. Contestants on the show are children under 14.

One of the judges, Malaysian singer Gary Chaw, told her in Mandarin: "I have goosebumps. Your performance was excellent."

In an e-mail interview with The New Paper, Adinda said: "I was so surprised and happy. I want to thank the judges, the audience and my teacher."

Videos of her performance have gone viral on YouTube and collectively garnered more than 600,000 views since they were uploaded about two weeks ago.

Adinda said she was flattered by the attention, adding: "I am so happy that my singing is able to bring happiness to all audiences."

Adinda, who is from Taiping, Perak, studies at Sin Min Primary School, a Chinese-vernacular school. According to Malaysian daily The Star, her parents enrolled her there as they wanted her to learn Chinese.

Adinda has been competing in singing contests for four years and came in fifth on Malaysian reality TV singing competition Ceria Popstar last year.

NERVOUS

Even with that experience, Adinda is still "a little nervous" about Let's Sing Kids, her first singing competition outside of Malaysia.

Adinda said: "I am very excited... regardless of whether I win or lose."

In February this year, she began training with Malaysian vocal coach Jacob Teo, 36, who runs a singing school in Kuala Lumpur.

 Adinda (left), 11, with her vocal coah Jacob Teo (right). PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB VOCAL AND ART STUDIO

"I started vocal training because I wanted to learn more and sing well, rather than just singing on my own," said Adinda.

Although she has been learning Mandarin since she was seven years old, it was still a challenge to sing in the language.

Adinda, who has taken part in several Mandarin singing contests, said: "My Mandarin is okay and my sister speaks it too. (But) I got a lot of help from my teacher.

"I sometimes needed him to explain the song's meaning to me and to help me with the lyrics."

She auditioned for Let's Sing Kids by submitting a video of her singing.

Adinda flew to Hunan province with her mother on July 1 for the first round, making her the first Malay contestant from Malaysia to compete.

After performing Next Stop In The Future, she was given the opportunity to sing another song, so she sang popular hit Let It Go from the Disney film Frozen with Chaw.

"Gary Chaw is a fellow Malaysian and I wanted to take the opportunity to sing with him. We enjoyed ourselves on stage together," she said.

Since returning to Taiping last Sunday, she has been interviewed by the Malaysian media.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ADINDA TASYA MANSOR

She also described her classmates and teachers as "very supportive".

She will be returning to Hunan tomorrow to continue competing on Let's Sing Kids.

Netizens have also dubbed Adinda "little Shila Amzah", a reference to the Malaysian singer who won Chinese reality TV singing competition Asian Wave in 2012.

But Adinda is "not pressured" by the comparison. "(Shila) is a sister in my heart. I would like to be a good singer like her in the future."

I started vocal training because I wanted to learn more and sing well, rather than just singing on my own.

- Adinda Tasya Mansor, who gets vocal coaching from Jacob Teo