A contestant on "Melody World" at an audition earlier this year. Pic: Aung Tun Win

FINALISTS in Myanmar’s own version of “American Idol” are counting down the days as they vie for the title of Myanmar’s best amateur singer in the TV show named “Melody World”.

Since December, viewers have tuned into the Myawady television network at 5pm every Sunday to watch what started with 160 contestants competing for one of four top spots, who will go on to record an album together at the end of the year.

The three judges have so far whittled the group down to 32 contestants.
One of the judges KAT, a well-known composer, said some changes have occurred since they began filming the competition.

“We have made two major changes since the beginning of the program,” said KAT. “The first is that there will only be three levels for the contestants to get through, down from four. The second is that we will also produce a compilation album featuring the final 12 as well as one for the final four.”

A spokesperson for Zomia Media, sponsor for “Melody World” and the company producing the compilation albums, said they should be out by November after the competition has finished, which they don’t have a set date for.

“We are confident they will all be talented singers,” said the spokesperson.
Famous singer Rebecca Win will join the four winners on their album.
There are 44 contests in total. Thirty-two in the first level, eight in the second and four in the final.

They are currently filming the second level of the competition, though the first level has not finished airing.

Singer Nwet Yin Win, another judge on the show, said the final 12 will perform two songs each, one they have composed themselves and one by an artist in a different genre.

“They have to sing something completely different so that we know that they can sing something outside of their usual vocal range,” he said. “The two other judges Myint Moe Aung and KAT are composers, so they will help them write their own songs.”

KAT said being on the judging panel is harder than it looks.

“When we test their voices in the studio, we have to point out their strengths as well as their weaknesses in order to help them become better singers,” he said.

Zomia Media said they hope to film “Melody World 2008” next year.
“We want to introduce fresh talent into the industry and this a great way of doing that.”