I think it's time

To talk about a reality show again.

Yeah... I hate to admit this too but I caught the AF fever. It sure took a long time for me to caught it. I must have had quite a strong immune system against reality talent shows.

During the first season, all I watched were the final concert and that was only during the interesting stuff like Vince's and Nija's performance. Rest of the time I was just listening to it from my room while I was doing God knows what back then.

Second year, the temperature rises up a little. Apart from the final concert I also watched the weekly concert from to time. But the above condition still applies i.e. most of the time I will just listen to concert from my room and come out when I feel there's something interesting going on. Oh yeah, I also began to Afundi during this season.

This year, I've watched all the concerts from beginning to end, and if I can't help it, I never missed the diaries either. But I still haven't started Afundi yet. Maybe because I still couldn't find that one student I would love to root for.

During AF2, I was so surprised that Zarina went out that I have to jump onto the bandwagon and started voting. Most of the time I voted for Zahid but I threw a few for Fara after watching her performance at the final concert. I don't think she would win but she deserved to be at the top three. When everyone was Afmasuk-ing Linda I was Afmasuk-ing Zarina. Linda may have the voice but I don't think she has the ability to 'work' the audience, you know what I mean? You give her a song and she will sing it well, but throw her a bone she won't know what to do with it. Like the time when two musicians went ahead and upstaged her. Anyway, that's old news.

Let's get back to the present time.

This year, there's something weird going on. While last year it was the Mas phenomenon (can't really sing but still managed to breeze through until the 8th week defeating more talented students like Zarina, Anding, and Edlin), this year the top 2 place are always monopolized by these 2 guys, affectionately called by Cikgu Marlia the "Kembar Siam" [Siamese Twins]; Mawi and Felix at first and second place respectively.

With this kind of 'freakish' consistency, I'm thinking that Akademi Fantasia 3 now has become a competition, not for the first place anymore, but for the third place among the remaining students (currently 7 of them: Akma, Ekin, Marsha, Amylea, Yazer, Aidil and Kefli).

Though I admit that Mawi has a great voice I don't think that he deserves to be the champion. I want Malaysian entertainers not only able to belt out great songs but they must also be consistent, multi-talented, savvy, and smart. Mawi has a great voice, but unfortunately I don't think he's savvy enough to survive the industry. After 5 performances I don't think he's consistent. He forgot the lyrics in the second qualifying concert, he forgot the lyrics and messed up the melody in the first concert and he lost his timing in the last concert. It's quite a shame really. He could have delivered Beautiful Maria beautifully but he blew it. M. Nasir even gave him the thumbs up but I guess it was premature since he messed it up in the end.

His inconsistencies may also be caused by overwhelming emotion due to the great screams from his fans everytime he came up. But that just shows another weakness. If he can't appreciate his fans' enthusiasm, how will he give his best to them in return?

Felix on the other hand is the one that I won't mind seeing driving the car in the end. He may not have the dynamics but he still has great vocals and consistently gives great performances every week. Should I add that he has great personality as well? Previous years we have Vince and Zahid, this year's funny-man is Felix. I don't know if it's just a coincidence but funny-men tend to win people's hearts so I guess Felix could win this. Yeah, Mawi is funny too but I think it's more because of his awkwardness rather than his sense of humour.

This Mawi phenomenon is really outrageous. It has become a fight of who's the fanatic. They insisted that they're not and very eager to deny it whenever someone even mentions the word 'fanatic'. I mean, the people could be talking about fanatic for Akma or Amy or Aznil but they will be quick to deny that they are not a Mawi fanatic. However, if you leave messages like...
"Mawi World!!!!!!!"
"Mawi is the Best!!!!!"
"Afundila Mawi!"
in a thread about M.Nasir, then I think you have a serious problem.

A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject--Winston Churchill

I do hope that Malaysians in general would just stop and think rationally for once. And I hope that supporters of the other students will not give up and start bringing in the votes in busloads. I think it is unfair to allow these 2 students to monopolize the whole competition.

As for me, I think it's time to start voting again. I do like Felix but I want to give another student a chance for once. I think Amylea deserve my vote. Who cares about recent events. She got the talent, she's very consistent, and you can expect nothing but the best from her. She has the making of a great entertainer.

Go Amylea!


but I don't want Yazer to go out either...