Today there’s a simpler way to be part of the entertainment industry. All it takes is a registration form to audition for a talent search show. The shows, which have grown over the last decade, offer new hope for people seeking careers in the entertainment industry.

The talent show fever seized the world’s attention when Simon Fuller created the British singing show Pop Idol, followed by its global spin-offs, including Indonesian Idol.

Astute show business moguls recognized the potential for creating more talent shows, such as The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, a show which brings in more diverse talents. Both were created by music executive Simon Cowell, famous for his roles as one of the judges on American Idol and The X Factor.

While The X Factor is searching for potential singers like Idol, Got Talent brings people from all ages — individuals or groups — to display their artistic talents, from singing, playing music, dancing and acting.

The X Factor  has a similar format: participants perform on stage in front of a panel of judges and large live audiences. The judges provide commentary and viewers vote for their favorite contestant through text messages.  

The successful shows and their spin-offs have brought fresh opportunities for young talents who want to showcase their skills and be famous at the same time. The voting process has captured the hearts of viewers around the globe who feel they are participating in the process of creating new superstars from their sofas at home.

Indonesia also has its official version of Britain’s Got Talent, Indonesia’s Got Talent (IGT), which is aired on Indosiar. The program features an all-star panel judges, including actor/producer Anjasmara, actress Ria Irawan and singer Vina Panduwinata.

“We are looking for somebody with multiple talents. What I mean is someone who is not only gifted, but also has a good personality and a charming presence,” Vina said.

Anjasmara is excited at seeing the pool of talent in the nation.  

“Most of the participants have amazing talents. I am speechless when I see them displaying their talents. For example, there was a food court waitress who quit her job because she wanted to devote herself to preparing for the show,” he said.

“She may be an ex-waitress, but she has a great voice.”

Another show is Indonesia Mencari Bakat (Indonesia Talent Search), which follows the same concept as the Got Talent series and uses celebrity judges, including actress Rianti Cartwright,
presenter/actress Sarah Sechan, musician/actress Titi Sjuman and musician Tantowi Yahya.

Trans TV, which airs IMB every weekend, selected eight participants for its final stage, which will eventually be reduced to three finalists for the grand final.

Klantink, a musical group from Surabaya, East Java, is one of the remaining six finalists. The five members of the band – Budi, Imam, Nurdin, Mat and Wawan – never imagined they would perform on a national television program in front of millions of people.   

“We were just a bunch of buskers who struggled to earn money in bus terminals and other public areas in Surabaya [East Java],” Budi said.

“It was a hard life. We had to run from police and Public Order Agency officers,” he said, adding that the five only became a group after they joined an event held by “Kelompok Penyanyi Jalanan”’ (The Group of Street Singers).

Klantink normally worked from six in the morning until seven in the evening, and if they were lucky, they could earn around Rp 50,000 (US$5) a day, Imam said.

When the group heard about the IMB, they decided to try their luck by taking part in the audition, and rented a bemo (three-wheeled minivan) for Rp 100,000 to get to the venue.

“We don’t want to be famous. Our main goal is to change our lives in a positive way, because we don’t want to live on the streets for the rest of our lives,” Imam said.

“We also hope that people will listen to our music and appreciate it. That’s all. Being popular is not on the top of our list.” Wawan added.

Rumingkang perform at the Indonesia Mencari Bakat talent show. courtesy of Trans TV

Other finalists include 9-year-old hip- hop dancer Brandon, Sundanese traditional dance group Rumingkang, soprano Putri Ayu, singer Hudson and hip hop group Funky Papua.

Rumingkang group decided to participate because they wanted to popularize jaipong, a Sundanese traditional dance, group member Aulia Permatasari, 13, said.

“We want to show that jaipong is not just a regular traditional dance. It can also be mixed with other dances, including modern styles. That’s the most important thing for us. Fame is number two.”

It takes hard work and sacrifice for contestants to get to the top. The young contestants in the IMB have to study independently through home schooling programs due to the rigorous practice and rehearsal schedule.  

Putri Ayu, the 13-year-old singer from Medan, North Sumatra, has just discovered the reality of life as a celebrity. Even though she’s committed to developing her singing career, she still wants to finish her studies.

“Education is still number one for me. I hope I can be like Tompi [a singer and songwriter who also works as a medical doctor],” Putri said.

What do TV stations have to offer the winners? The winner of Indonesia’s Got Talent will appear on Indosiar’s programs and will also have the opportunity to record his/her own debut album under Sony Music Indonesia.  

For IMB, Trans TV has already signed the final eight contestants to contracts, while the winner will receive a car and a prize of hundreds of millions of rupiah.  

But victory in the competitions is not enough to become a superstar.

“As judges we only give contestants advice. It’s about how long they can last in the highly competitive entertainment business. Even a diva might face a setback in her career,” Anang Hermansyah, an Indonesian Idol’s judge, said.

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