Don't Look Back

A lesson in local pop culture.

- Nikita Nawawi

Amylea Azizan was always going to find her way into the music industry. Born in a musical family, the eldest of three siblings came out just as the country welcomed its first reality television show ever—a singing competition that would launch the careers of many aspiring talents. The then-18-year-old did well. She came in third. But her road to the finale was rocky, to put it mildly. Her introverted and opinionated nature rubbed those around her the wrong way, which left her entangled in a narrative that she had no control over.

Did the show actually prepare you for the industry?

I guess the best thing about it is that it allowed me to perform on a big stage in front of a massive audience. That kind of boosted my confidence and made sure that I was ready for that. But to be honest, it was not at all a fast lane into the industry. When I left the competition, I was really overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to do.

Is reality TV real or is it scripted?

It’s mostly scripted. I mean, they cannot make you do things but they can initiate something and wait for your reaction. There’s also the manipulation of the camera and how the footage is edited. I was kind of stubborn in my own way. I wouldn’t do things that I didn’t want to. That’s probably what made some of the contestants feel like I wasn’t playing the game. Like, I wouldn’t come up with a catchphrase for myself before every concert like they all did. It’s just cheesy and it made me uncomfortable.

Did the show cause a distortion of image?