Why are some people not given due credit ?

It pained me to read the story of Yang Peiyi, the seven-year-old behind the voice of "Sing for the Motherland," the same voice who touched people's hearts. For starters, Yang did not have the looks. And so, just for the Olympics opening, they used a cuter girl, Lin Miaoke, to lip-sync the song - that too, for the image of the nation. Everyone believed that she was the one who sang it....... until the original photos and story were revealed by the officials. Despite the revelation, Lin's pictures are still online and are still gracing the covers of magazines worldwide, and she even got a huge sum to play a three-minute role in an upcoming film - as a flower girl, that is.

And Yang did not get due credit for her voice. In fact, nothing !

This seems to be a real-life version of Final Fantasy X-2's "A Thousand Words" video - except that Yuna is a CGI-animated character, and the actual song is sung by two artistes - Koda Kumi for the Japanese version and Jade from Sweetbox for the English version. Square Enix, the developer of the game, was kind enough to give due credit to the two voiceovers. Poor Yang, she might be devastated !

Which reminds me......
...how sometimes, the efforts of little unknown, budding talents are just forgotten.

My friend Edelin Johanna appeared on the 1990s kids show Alam Ria as a budding singer. That, I know. She appeared there prior to our performance in Sabah in 2000. At least all that talent was appreciated. And that led her to continue singing - perhaps not always solo, but at least she did continue singing. People need to be appreciated, if not recognised, in order to have the drive to carry on. There are some of us, who are unfortunate enough - that whenever we do duets, we are forgettable.

I remember last year... my other friend Naili Jamal did a collaboration with me for the Bukit Idol talent search in April. She took the trophy home. All I have to remember that shining moment is one small photo inside the 2007 edition of the school magazine. Later, when it came to solo performances, she was well-known as she was, in fact, the lead singer while I was the backup. Well, I do agree that her voice is good, and she is destined to make it big someday. But then again, not a single soul noticed the backup, the person who provided the feel and the hair-raising intensity to Menghitung Hari and changed it from a melodramatic "it's over" song to a lush, heart-stopping one. I garnered the least applause. Nobody wanted to listen to me. I was nobody. I am still nobody.

Yes, the Lin and Yang case even takes root in Malaysia.

The last edition of Malaysian Idol (before it was replaced by One in a Million) saw the tussle between Daniel and Nita for the champion's title. Turned out that Nita, a more experienced singer, was defeated by Daniel, who hardly had three years' experience. He did pay homage to Nita on the day that he won. But then, later, it seemed that the media, and perhaps the majority of the people, remember or know Daniel, and forget Nita. First is first and second is nothing. And with the kind of votes we get here, it is disappointing to note that in many cases, the good talents are all left in the lurch.

I vow to put an end to all this. I shall give the good artistes their due credit, no matter who they may be. God willing, if I make a name for myself as a recording artiste, I will do my part.

Yang Peiyi, I may not have watched the Beijing Olympics opening, but I do know that your voice has touched billions of hearts within and without the Bird's Nest Stadium. God has seen your efforts to sing, and I promise you - rather, He promises you that these efforts will not go unrewarded. Not only will you get your due credit, you will get something greater, and you will go to great heights. I am sure of that.

Love
TroisNyx*