Uncle Si unanimously won the first edition of Fanilo Voice. The three coaches congratulated the "Kids" Anna (left) and Matteo, young contestants who truly illuminated this event. The talent show "Fanilo Voice" marked the successful return of this type of event to Ilo Hotel in Anosiala, crowning the talented Uncle Si in a first edition rich with emotion. A national tour and the creation of an academy to professionalize future Malagasy talents will soon be launched.
For several years, musical talent shows had nearly disappeared from the Malagasy music landscape. In just two weeks of rapid organization, "Fanilo Voice," organized by Ilo Hotel in Anosiala, Ambohidratrimo, brought this type of event back into fashion. Discoveries, passions, talents, and justified tears mingled through the vocal cords of participants. For this first edition, first place and a check for 5 million ariary were awarded to Uncle Si. A voice of unprecedented versatility and flexibility, whether singing the intoxicating ballad "Pilofasy" by Rah Ckicky or rapping "Anjanamasina" by 18.3. His victory became clear from Saturday's quarterfinals.
"Fanilo Voice" brought together three coaches: Germain Randrianarisoa, or Rajery, Christian Andrianjanaka, founding member of the Salala group, and Rija Harinjaka, recognized after excelling in a talent show competition. This trio rarely found fault with each of the winner's performances. In a sense, a unanimous and well-deserved victory.
For the assessment of this first edition, Manantsoa Ratsimbazafy, spokesperson for Ilo Hotel's organizing team, already outlines prospects. "Certainly, there will be a second edition. These young people will go on a national tour and the Fanilo Voice competition will expand to other regions," he states. Fanilo Voice Academy will also be launched in the coming days.
For the coaches, the observation is more technical. "There is a certain influence of modern singing style that is anchored in the way young Malagasy generally sing. Going forward, it's up to us to encourage them to reveal their true personality," notes Christian Andrianjanaka. He's right: among the female contestants, this feline texture, this tendency to sing sharp, this way of wrapping vowels... have become shared standards. One small note: technical glitches sometimes occurred at the beginning of each performance. Some contestants were penalized by these minor mishaps, which were enough to throw them off during their performance. Small points to improve. Apart from that, it was time for an organization to revive this type of event.
For aspiring singers, it's an opportunity served on a platter. Like Matteo Landry Randrianarivelo: "Actually, I didn't think much about the prize for this competition, I just wanted to sing," he confides. He competed in the "Kids" category with Anna, a phenomenon on the scene. These two young people demonstrate that Malagasy people have music in their blood. The cultural journalists association "Sorakanto" also rewarded a contestant with proven talent. Ny Aina showed originality and tenacity worthy of a professional. Although she didn't reach the top 3 of "Fanilo Voice," she has an immense field to explore in the coming years.