KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 7th February
2026 – The Manekineko International Karaoke
Championship Grand Finals was held at Karaoke Manekineko Malaysia’s Berjaya
Times Square outlet.

During the qualifiers, contestants from
Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia submitted their entries, and the shortlisted
candidates were invited to compete in the semi-finals held in their respective
countries. From over a thousand entries received during the qualifiers, nine
outstanding performers advanced to the Grand Finals.

For the Grand Finals, the team at Karaoke
Manekineko invited a distinguished panel of judges:

·        
Ms. Akiko Nishio

Managing Director of A to Z
Language Center, Ms. Nishio has judged several competitions related to Japanese
culture in Malaysia.

·        
Mr. Takeshi Kuramochi

Managing Director of
INSPION GROUP, a collective of studios that produces songs, sound arrangement,
and music composition for popular video game titles such as Smash Bros., Final
Fantasy VII Rebirth, Persona series, Elden Ring and many more.

·        
Mr. Guess Yang

Professional musician,
songwriter, arranger, producer, recording and mixing engineer who has provided
songs for artists like Michael Wong
光良, Victor Wong品冠, Angela Chang张韶涵, Lui Fang, Huang Jia Qian and China doll.

·        
Mr. Mohamad Fareed bin
Marzuki

Professional degree in
music. He has been in teaching music in Malaysia’s schools, nurturing young
aspiring talents.

Each finalist delivered an exceptional
performance, captivating both the judges and the audience with their talent and
stage presence. After much anticipation and careful deliberation by the judging
panel, the winners were announced as follows:

Champion:
Ms. Zahra Vania Ardhani Sulistyo

Ms. Zahra was awarded the Grand Prize of
RM3,000.00, along with a return ticket to Japan sponsored by ANA. The prize was
presented to the Champion in person by Mr. Tamura, General Manager of the ANA
Malaysia Office.

1st
runner up: Mr. Muhammad Hafsham Hadi Bin Hanapi

2nd
runner up: Ms. Nurul Aini Shahira Binti Hariadi

Karaoke Manekineko would also like to
express its sincere appreciation to the other finalists who participated in the
competition and delivered vibrant and powerful performances. Some contestants
travelled from out of state and even overseas, and their passion and dedication
greatly contributed to the energy and success of the event. The finalists are
as follows:

·        
Ms. Siraphat Tongdeenoi

·        
Ms. Nittaya Panthaisong

·        
Mr. Parto Fransiskus

·        
Mr. Tai Eimran bin Azlan

·        
Mr. Aric Lau Zhe Peng

·        
Ms. Cheryl Lee Ka Xuan

Karaoke Manekineko would also like to
extend its sincere appreciation to its valued sponsors, ANA Malaysia and Lipton
Tea from Etika Holdings. Their generous support and contributions played an
important role in elevating the competition and ensuring the success of the
event.

As Karaoke Manekineko continues its
expansion across Southeast Asia, the company remains committed to enhancing its
events and delivering more exciting competitions for karaoke enthusiasts across
the region. With its growing presence, Karaoke Manekineko looks forward to
bringing even more engaging and memorable experiences to communities throughout
Southeast Asia.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES