Singaporean singer Iskandar Ismail has won the 12th edition of the Malaysian singing competition Gegar Vaganza, defeating contestants from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The results were revealed on Sunday (Jan 18) at the Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam Auditorium, and with the highest percentage of votes at 78.1 per cent, Iskandar – the sole Singaporean contestant – took home a cash prize of RM100,000 (S$32,000).
Indonesian group Mendua came in second while Malaysian singer Nubhan was third.
Speaking to reporters after the win, Iskandar, also known as Eiss, said he initially didn’t want to join the show until his wife gave the okay.
“I never expected I would be the winner… I didn’t want to look at the screen at all. I just looked at my fans,” said the 47-year-old.
This is the third time a Singaporean participant has won the popular singing competition.
Previously, Hady Mirza was crowned the champion of the sixth season and Aliff Aziz in the eighth season.
‘Encouraging to see our homegrown artists do well’
Lawyer Amrin Amin, who was the Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC from 2015 to 2020, congratulated Iskandar in a Facebook post on Jan 18.
“I’m very proud of him. From Malay classics to the Tamil song Golimar and a classy rendition of Despacito, Iskandar shone with his voice, confidence and heart – standing out among strong talents from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines,” he said.
“It’s encouraging to see our homegrown artists do well beyond our shores.”
He recalled working with Iskandar at the Dadah Itu Haram (Drugs Are Illegal) rock concert in Woodlands in 2018: “I’m glad to see his talent now finding a bigger stage and a wider audience. Perhaps coming from a small market teaches you to work harder, be more creative, and make the most of every opportunity.”
It’s never easy to shine in a foreign market, he added.
“But Iskandar shows that when you’re truly good, it becomes hard for anyone to deny you a place.”
Iskandar, who is the son of late veteran singer R. Ismail, also said in the interview that he wants to enter the Malaysian market and will be there for a few months to complete a few projects.
He was once crowned champion in the SG Mania competition on Suria TV. He has also performed at the Shanghai Asia Music Festival, and participated in the Anugerah 2001, a major Malay music awards show in Singapore.
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