AXN viewers will decide the winner of “Asia’s Got Talent” as voting opens following the culmination of the world’s biggest talent competition in the magnificent and thrilling Grand Final episode that premiered last evening on AXN.
The winner is set to be determined by TV audiences across Asia voting through SMS, Facebook and the “Asia’s Got Talent” mobile app, with details available on http://asiasgottalent.tv/vote. The winner will be crowned in the concluding Grand Final Results episode premiering next Thursday (14 May) at 8.05pm on AXN.
The Grand Final last night was contested by nine acts including six voted through by viewers and three joint ‘golden buzzer’ decisions by judges: David Foster, Melanie C., Anggun, and Van Ness Wu which fast-tracked these acts directly to the Grand Final.
The Grand Finalists gave it their all to win the hearts and votes of TV audiences across Asia, for the coveted title, the US$100,000 prize, as well as the opportunity to return and perform at Marina Bay Sands, where the semi-finals, Grand Final and Grand Final Results shows are held.
The night kicked off with Thailand’s hopes in the “polite rockers” ages 11-12, The Talento. The four-piece band brought the judges and live audience to their feet from the off with their powerful rendition of rock classic “The Final Countdown”. They particularly wowed the rocker among the judges, Anggun, who said, “You are right up my alley” and praised their song choice, noting that it was popular way before they were born.
Following that, Chinese couple Gao Lin and Liu Xin took to the stage in what Melanie C. – the judge who gave them her Golden Buzzer in the judges’ auditions – praised as their “best ever performance”. The talented lovers wowed once more in a dreamy, acrobatic dancein spite of Gao’sinjury. Nothing prepared viewers for the romantic surprise and emotionaldrama when Gao got down on his kneeright on the “Asia’s Got Talent” stage to propose to his partner and lover of seven years to which Liu said yes!
11 year old, budding Filipino songstress Gwyneth Dorado was next with a soulful and powerful rendition of David Guetta’s ‘Titanium’. She used the lyrics ‘You shoot me down, but I won’t fall’ to acknowledge the judges especially David Foster, for the lessons she learnt from previous rounds of the competition. In turn, David said, “This is the true you… that beautiful voice killed it.”
Singapore’s hopes in “Asia’s Got Talent” followed as the 11-strong Dance Thrilogy took to stage in a Broadway-style tap dance performance, dancing to the track “We’re in the Money”, from musical 42nd Street. The impeccablesteps and coordination of the girls ages 9 – 13 shone through in an energetic and glamorous showcase. Van Ness Wu praised them for their discipline while David Foster credited the parents of girls who were “well brought up”.
Mongolian ‘throat singers’ Khusugstun then brought audiences on another spellbinding and ethereal ‘journey to their homeland’. Combining their unique singing voices, traditional instrumentsand stunning visuals of Mongolia, the six piece band’s latest‘out-of-body’music experience had Van Ness asking, “Where can I buy your CD?” and David calling them the “One Direction of Mongolia”.
The next act saw Japan-based dance act Triqstar stepup for Melanie C. who exclaimed, “Zig-a-zig-ah! You gave me what I wanted!” The five-man act continued their quest to champion Japanese culture as they demonstrated their incredible dance skills to deliver a very understated yet demanding routine including flips from trampolines seemingly effortlessly. Van Ness called it a “perfect performance”.
Filipino ‘shadow play’ dance group El Gamma Penumbra – Anggun’s Golden Buzzer act from the judges’ auditions – amazed with their latest piece that conveyed the importance of conservation for Mother Nature. The need to protect our Earthcould not be clearer through their stunning depiction and narration using only shadows. The touching performance moved Anggun to tears once again and she proclaimed it ‘wonderful’, while David Foster concurred, “Your message is so clear, so beautifully profound.”
The penultimate act saw Gerphil Geraldine Flores, the 24 year old classical singer from the Philippines deliver a diva-worthy performance of the number ‘The Impossible Dream’ of the Broadway musical ‘Man of La Mancha’. Melanie commended her for having grown through the competition and that she belonged “on the pedestal”. David – who gave Gerphil his Golden Buzzer in the judges’ auditions – said, “the world will hear of you.”
The night concluded on an electric high as Filipino group Junior New System rocked with their acrobatic,American football-themed dance routine. The nine-manteam dazzled with energy and athleticism complete with a ‘hang-time’ moment that left everyone gasping. “I saw the whole Super Bowl in three minutes,” said David Foster, while the dance expert among the judges Van Ness Wu acknowledged the ‘technical difficulties’ of their performance.
With voting closing on 11 May 2015 at 2359 hours, the responsibility of making Asia’s first ever star now rests on TV audiences across the region.
Asia’s Got Talent concluding Grand Final Results episode premieres on Thursday 14 May, 8.05pm (SG, MY, PH, HK) / 7.05pm (WIB, BKK)
