KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 7th February
\n2026 \u2013<\/b> The Manekineko International Karaoke
\nChampionship Grand Finals was held at Karaoke Manekineko Malaysia\u2019s Berjaya
\nTimes Square outlet.<\/p>\n
During the qualifiers, contestants from
\nThailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia submitted their entries, and the shortlisted
\ncandidates were invited to compete in the semi-finals held in their respective
\ncountries. From over a thousand entries received during the qualifiers, nine
\noutstanding performers advanced to the Grand Finals.<\/p>\n
For the Grand Finals, the team at Karaoke
\nManekineko invited a distinguished panel of judges:<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMs. Akiko Nishio <\/b><\/p>\n
Managing Director of A to Z
\nLanguage Center, Ms. Nishio has judged several competitions related to Japanese
\nculture in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Takeshi Kuramochi<\/b><\/p>\n
Managing Director of
\nINSPION GROUP, a collective of studios that produces songs, sound arrangement,
\nand music composition for popular video game titles such as Smash Bros., Final
\nFantasy VII Rebirth, Persona series, Elden Ring and many more. <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Guess Yang<\/b><\/p>\n
Professional musician,
\nsongwriter, arranger, producer, recording and mixing engineer who has provided
\nsongs for artists like Michael Wong
\n\u5149\u826f, Victor Wong\u54c1\u51a0, Angela Chang\u5f20\u97f6\u6db5, Lui Fang, Huang Jia Qian and China doll.<\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Mohamad Fareed bin
\nMarzuki<\/b><\/p>\n
Professional degree in
\nmusic. He has been in teaching music in Malaysia\u2019s schools, nurturing young
\naspiring talents.<\/p>\n
Each finalist delivered an exceptional
\nperformance, captivating both the judges and the audience with their talent and
\nstage presence. After much anticipation and careful deliberation by the judging
\npanel, the winners were announced as follows:<\/p>\n
Champion:
\nMs. Zahra Vania Ardhani Sulistyo<\/b><\/p>\n
Ms. Zahra was awarded the Grand Prize of
\nRM3,000.00, along with a return ticket to Japan sponsored by ANA. The prize was
\npresented to the Champion in person by Mr. Tamura, General Manager of the ANA
\nMalaysia Office.<\/p>\n
1st
\nrunner up: Mr. Muhammad Hafsham Hadi Bin Hanapi<\/b><\/p>\n
2nd
\nrunner up: Ms. Nurul Aini Shahira Binti Hariadi <\/b><\/p>\n
Karaoke Manekineko would also like to
\nexpress its sincere appreciation to the other finalists who participated in the
\ncompetition and delivered vibrant and powerful performances. Some contestants
\ntravelled from out of state and even overseas, and their passion and dedication
\ngreatly contributed to the energy and success of the event. The finalists are
\nas follows:<\/p>\n
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\nMs. Siraphat Tongdeenoi <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMs. Nittaya Panthaisong <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Parto Fransiskus <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Tai Eimran bin Azlan <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr. Aric Lau Zhe Peng <\/p>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nMs. Cheryl Lee Ka Xuan <\/p>\n
Karaoke Manekineko would also like to
\nextend its sincere appreciation to its valued sponsors, ANA Malaysia and Lipton
\nTea from Etika Holdings. Their generous support and contributions played an
\nimportant role in elevating the competition and ensuring the success of the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
As Karaoke Manekineko continues its
\nexpansion across Southeast Asia, the company remains committed to enhancing its
\nevents and delivering more exciting competitions for karaoke enthusiasts across
\nthe region. With its growing presence, Karaoke Manekineko looks forward to
\nbringing even more engaging and memorable experiences to communities throughout
\nSoutheast Asia.<\/p>\n