Winner rushes off to perform

THE winner performed a Houdini-like disappearing act immediately after receiving her award, and suitably so.

DASHING QUEEN: Karen Lin Xiaoting sings after winning the Pao Tai award, which means she's best at running from stage to stage. TNP PICTURES: KUA CHEE SIONG

Getai singer Karen Lin Xiaoting, 38, received the 'Pao Tai' Award at the third annual Getai Awards, organised by The Straits Times interactive website Stomp, last night.

The award literally means she's the best at running from stage to stage.

This is a common practice for getai singers during the Lunar seventh month to earn as much as they can.

But probably none can beat Karen's record last year - 153 performances in a single month.

Sure enough, the getai singer of 24 years lived up to her reputation at the awards at Kreta Ayer Square last night.

Immediately after receiving her award, the svelte singer gave a quick performance of the Mandarin song Only I Would Love You So.

The moment she was done, she left the stage, and disappeared.

When The New Paper finally caught up with her - on the phone - Karen was already in Geylang, about to step onstage to perform.

But she found time to thank the organisers: 'In the past, people might see getai as low-class. With the Getai Awards, people will now see this industry in a different light.'

Not that the crowd is likely to care what others thought.

Madam Ng Siong Choo, a grandmother of six, brought her own stool to catch the show.

Over 3,000 of them gathered - most between the ages of 40 and 70.

They cheered, they clapped and they laughed.

One even brought her own stool to get a better view.

This getai fan, Madam Ng Siong Choo, 69, a grandmother of six, took a bus and got to the venue more than an hour before the show started at 7.15pm.

She told The New Paper in Hokkien: 'I have watched getai for more than 20 years, and I would even go as far as Hougang or Tampines to catch a getai performance.'

Up for grabs were 10 awards, to be given to the winners of the People's Choice Awards, decided by online voting.

Another 10 Special Awards were also given to the best singers, hosts and a band.

Hosts Ah Nan and Li Peifen bantered and joked in a mixture of Mandarin, Hokkien and English throughout the three-hour show.

Songs apart, there was also a fashion show.

Host Peifen, 21 - who also garnered the People's Choice with nearly 300,000 online votes, and clinched the Best Female Singer title - was first decked in purple feathers and sexy shorts, before she changed into a flashy, sleeveless limegreen blouse and finally a blue dress.

Babes In The City - comprising sisters Teresa Ong, 28, and Tracy, 26 - also got into the top 10 of the People's Choice.

They too raised the temperature by singing and dancing in their black-and-white leopard prints frock and catwoman-inspired knee-length boots.

Another People's Choice winner, 16-year-old Lin Zhi Yee, famous for her dance moves, was decked in a short shiny blouse, and even shorter 'Pocahontas' skirt.

And what's an award presentation without someone shedding tears of joy?

When Zheng Yingying, 23, an artiste managed by Jack Neo's J-Team, won the Best Stage Presence Award, she cried onstage.

Had to act like clown

Backstage, the plus-sized performer said: 'When I first joined getai a year ago, I had to act like a clown. I even had to roll about on the stage to make people laugh.

'I couldn't get past myself then. But now I know, not any Tom, Dick or Harry is able to bring laughter to the audience. I've finally overcome my own barrier.'

True to her words, she showed no inhibitions when she gyrated to her rendition of Don't Pick The Wild Flowers Along The Road, even cajoling the audiences to 'come get her', to encouraging applause.

Do all these mean getai will continue to have a colourful future?

Veteran TV and getai host Marcus Chin, 56, who's also one of the judges for the Special Awards, said: 'The young people are busy working, so they won't come watch getai.

'Getai will definitely thrive in the next five years, because all the grandpas and grandmas still take their grandchildren to watch getai now.

'But we can't predict how culture will change after that.'