Children Grow and Learn with ChiChi & ChaCha Star Search

Children Grow and Learn with ChiChi & ChaCha Star Search. | Anyone kids, brothers or sisters are watching the Malaysian education series ChiChi and ChaCha? One should remember the cute characters of the tiger ChiChi and ChaCha also the energetic orang utan name Atan. Of course the cute girl and boy like Sweet and Afieq!

On the 15 and 16 November, taking place at Main Place, USJ 21, 50 participants from as young as 6 to 18 years old competed for the chance to be the next ChiChi & ChaCha star. Aimed at providing children the opportunity to grow and learn social and leadership skills whilst showcasing their talents, the event was organised by proPassion Communications, a student PR consultancy of Taylor’s University.

Managing Director Big Fish Media Michael Lim (left) and Executive Producer of Big Fish Media Jojo Struys (third from left) presenting the mock-cheques and certificates to the winners of “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star”, Crystalbelle Wong Shiang Yi, 11 (second from left) and Leong Sawyer, 6 (right).  

proPassion Communications is led by Thaera Yousef, advisor and lecturer of Taylor’s University, coached by industry mentors, Group MAD and supported by Big Fish Media who owns the intellectual property of ChiChi & ChaCha, the first children’s edutainment series combining live action and 3D animated characters that recently premiered on Astro Ceria (Channel 611) and Astro Maya HD (Channel 135) on 11 October 2014.

Hosts of the ChiChi & ChaCha TV show interacting with the audience during their special appearance at the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search.

Executive Producer of Big Fish Media, Jojo Struys shared, “Featuring a dynamic group of high energy TV hosts, ChiChi & ChaCha utilises various mediums such as song, dance, music, as well as 3D animation to create a positive environment that educates as well as entertains. The “Be The Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search complements our efforts and vision to ensure a fun-filled environment for children all around Malaysia to grow and learn.”

ChiChi & ChaCha TV show hosts Harris (left) and Sweet (right) teaching the crowd the steps to the ChiChi & ChaCha dance during the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search. 

“To raise awareness of ChiChi & ChaCha, we were very happy to be able to collaborate and support proPassion by presenting them an opportunity to work on a real-time campaign,” added Struys.

Thaera Yousef said that the teaching approach for this project is experiential learning, where students learn through action, discovery and exploration. " Being able to learn outside the classroom and have a hands-on experience is a powerful tool to develop students’ skills and gain knowledge of the industry,” added Thaera. 

Emily Yeo Jing Yong, 12, performing her belly-dance routine on stage during the Grand Finals of the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search on Sunday orgranised by proPassion Communications.

Prior to the event, hundreds of entrants submitted their 15-second-long video showcasing their dancing, beatboxing, singing and body-bending abilities among others via proPassions’s Instagram and through onsite prequalifying video shoots in multiple talent studios.

Winner of the Girls’ Category Crystalbelle Wong Shiang Yi, 11, interacting with the audience during the Grand Finals of the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search on Sunday.

Only 50 shortlisted participants competed in the Challenge Round on Saturday to secure one of only ten spots in the Grand Finals where they were judged based on 3P’s; Performance, Potential and Personality.

Boys’ Category winner Leong Sawyer, 6, entertaining the crowd and judges during his beatboxing performance in the Grand Finals of the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search on Sunday.

At the end of the two-day event, beatboxer Leong Sawyer, 6, and singer-dancer Crystalbelle Wong Shiang Yi, 11, emerged as champions, earning them each a spot in the 2015 ChiChi & ChaCha roadshow where they will stand a chance to train, choreograph and perform with the show’s award-winning hosts, Sweet, Afiq, Farisha, Leen and Harris. The two winners also walked away with RM 1,000 in cash each.

Levin Loh, 9, a finalist in the Boys’ Category of the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search showing off his ‘popping and locking’ skills during the event’s Grand Finals.

Wong said, “I tried my best in the competition and I’m happy that many of my family and friends came out to support me today.”

Children from the audience learning the steps to the ChiChi & ChaCha dance during the teaching session conducted by ChiChi & ChaCha TV show hosts, Harris and Sweet during the event. 

The judging panel for the Grand Finals was made up of prominent locals like Genervie Kam, previously a judge on Astro Ria’s Akademi Fantasia, ChiChi & ChaCha TV host Harris, producer of the ChiChi & ChaCha show Ryan Gerard Felix, professional musician Stan Calvin and Cleona Lee, the general manager and stage director of Mizz Nina Production. Audiences also took part in the event by voting for their favourite contestant to receive “The Popularity Award”, which went to Leong for his entertaining beatboxing skills.

Sharing on his win, Leong, who has only been beatboxing for nine months said, “I’m happy that I won and I’m excited to go on tour.”

Struys added, “All the kids did such an amazing job and I’m just so shocked to see how young and how brave they are. They were so incredible.”

Storm Kids of Pro Danza Talent Studio delighting audiences at the “Be the Next ChiChi & ChaCha Star” talent search with their energetic dance number.

During the talent search, audiences were entertained by ChiChi & ChaCha mascots and learnt the ChiChi & ChaCha dance steps directly from the TV show’s hosts, Sweet and Harris, who have won top prizes in nationwide talent competitions like Idola Kecil and Ceria Popstar. Children also won exclusive ChiChi & ChaCha merchandises through a colouring contest that took place.

Leong Sawyer, 6, shows off his breakdancing abilities on stage during the photo-taking session as finalists of the talent search, judges, mascots and Managing Director of Big Fish Media Michael Lim and Executive Producer of Big Fish Media Jojo Struys look on. 

For the fifth year running, Group MAD collaborated with proPassion Communications as an industry mentor in providing students with practical advice on numerous events.

“At Group MAD, we strive to help clients improve performance by building great brands and inspiring leaders. Through the mentoring with proPassion, it is also a way of us playing a part in shaping these young leaders into the professionals that they will become in the future; by helping them to learn the ropes of the industry through hands-on experience,” said Crystal Koh, Group MAD Branding and Communications Senior Manager.

“We hope that it was a learning experience for them as much as it was for us as we are constantly inspired by their passion and willingness to learn,” added Koh. 

The non-ticketed event was supported by BROS, Big Hug Burger, Faber-Castell Malaysia, Foodpanda, Kiz Sport & Gym, MacGician Distribution, Molly Fantasy, Planet Popcorn and Yites Studio.

Love.Hate.Wisdom

All picture were credited to : Calvin Wong Chi Yoong/proPassion Communications and Choo Teck Poh/proPassion Communications

About ChiChi & ChaCha

ChiChi & ChaCha is a children’s programme that features five teenage celebrity hosts and 3D animated characters who educate children through song, dance, story time, arts and crafts and interactive problem solving. It is an edutainment brand that creates 360 content for children. The 30-minute show airs three times a day, every Monday to Friday on Astro Ceria and Astro MayaHD.

About Big Fish Media

Big Fish Media (BFM) is the owner and creator of the children's edutainment TV programme 'ChiChi & ChaCha'. Kynite.tv and Educate To Learn Sdn Bhd (e2L) have collaborated on producing edutainment content for children. BFM has its own research house for education for kids working with e2L and also its own production/post-production and animation studio. It works with licensees on its franchise and is able to re-distribute licenses back in Malaysia.

For more information, please go to www.bigfishmedia.com.my

About proPassion Communications

proPassion Communications is a Public Relations Student Consultancy by the School of Communication of Taylor's University. It is a component that is part of the Bachelor of Mass Communication that promises to demonstrate passion, professionalism, and quality services to reach clients’ goals.