The Singapore Hit Awards 2008 had less star power and attracted a smaller crowd at the National Indoor Stadium: Only 2,500 people were present at the event. Nevertheless, those who were there were treated to the energetic performances of local and overseas artistes.

Gloria Kho Yzelman, guest writer for UrbanWire brings you the highlights of this event.

The usual hot favourites like Fahrenheit, S.H.E and Jay Chou were missing. Even local songbird, Stefanie Sun, snubbed at the nominations stage for Best Local Artiste, was too busy to attend the Oct 25 event. Unlike last year, the Singapore Hit Awards was not broadcast live.However, that did not make the 14th run of the annual Singapore Hit Awards any less successful.

In fact, this year recognised the rising potential of newcomers like Yoga Lin (Lin You Jia) and Joanna Wang (Wang Ruo Lin), while it celebrated the achievements of household names like Hong Kong’s Eason Chan and Taiwanese band Mayday.

The event, hosted by YES 93.3FM DJs Dennis Chew, Cruz Teng, Siau Jiahui and Lin Peifen, kicked off with an opening performance by Wu Jia Hui, Chen Diya, Fion of San Yue and Koong Chen Liang of Da Feng Chui. This was followed by the presentation of awards for Singapore’s local music scene. 

Veteran Tanya Chua, beat Stefanie Sun who didn’t even make it into the list of nominees, to win this year’s “Best Local Artiste” award.

It was an evening of surprises as the newcomers bagged many of the awards at the show organised by YES 93.3FM and co-organised by Channel U.

Yoga Lin, winner of Taiwanese talent competition One Million Star, won an individual award, “Most Acclaimed Star of the Year”, as well as “Outstanding Newcomer”. He even joined big names, Jay Chou and Wang Lee Hom, in winning “POTP (Pick of the Pops) Artiste with Most Chart Hits”.

Recently formed band, DA Mouth, won “Best Group” and “Courts Best Video”. They are a team of 4 consisting of DJ Chung Hua, MC 40, Harry and, a very familiar face in the Taiwanese entertainment scene, Aisa Senda.

Project Superstar finalist Derrick Hoh, who recently released his first album after a 3-year stalemate during which he was serving his National Service, was treated to a pleasant surprise when he won “Most Promising Local Artiste” and “Jean Yip Most Stylish Album Cover Look”.

While the newcomers made their presence in the music industry that night, the veterans proved that it takes experience to win the more prestigious awards.

Fish Leong, Jay Chou and Eason Chan won “Outstanding Regional Artiste” in their respective countries, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, while Taiwan’s Pop Princess Jolin Tsai took the female award for “Asia Media Award”.

Eason Chan also won the male award for “Asia Media Award”, taking his tally for the night to five.

Mayday, who were just here for their Singapore concert in April 2008, treated fans once again to an energetic and explosive performance, proving their tenacity in winning the group category for “Asian Media Award”.

Monster, 32, the guitarist for Mayday described the music scene as one bursting with potential from the newcomers as seeing a hundred flowers blooming.

“I’m very happy today, actually. There were a lot of performances and they were all very entertaining, especially from the newcomers.”

 

Photographs of the Singapore Hit Awards 2008 photographs are contributed by and copyright of Kee Ya Ting.