The adventures and mis-adventures of a real-life artiste manager in the city. Come take a peek.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The end of the road.
Hello gentle reader.
This will be my last posting here. Allow me to explain.
I started this blog when I had to close down Diamonds & Studs several months back. And this blog was meant to be a place where I could express my sexuality more openly and also talk about myself and my work. It was fine and dandy for a while. But I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
You see, I also have another blog, more established and read by a vast majority of Malaysian blog readers. I found myself double-posting after some time, and as I'm sure bloggers with multiple blogs know only too well, it can be a bit of a pain trying to maintain two blogs of very similar content.
So now I've decided to only blog at one place, here.
Come over for a quick tour. It's almost an identical mirror of this blog.
Thank you.
Post-script.
If you've linked me, may I kindly ask you to please re-write the url address and point it here. It's 'mrmanager.blogspot' instead of 'vernthemanager.blogspot'.
Not that this blog is the London Underground, but to the few readers who do visit here, I apologise for the lack of updates. Ever since Ning and I returned from Switzerland, life and work have been hectic, to say the least.
To cut a long story short, we landed Kuala Lumpur on the 30th of January, had a few days to recover from jet-lag and then went straight up to the Genting Highlands on the 2nd of February for the Berita Harian Awards, an annual popularity awards show hosted by the country's highest circulation national language newspaper BERITA HARIAN. Nikki was nominated in the Best Duo category for her hit CARAMU, which is a collaboration with Zahid, a big reality show star here in Malaysia.
Ning was not nominated for any category. I like to think that Ning is beyond competition, but the truth of the matter is that she has no new album out and that automatically disqualifies her for any competition. Not that we mind in the slightest. As I say, Ning is beyond competition.
But I was proud that both Ning and Nikki got to perform. The Awards show has taken up all my time this past week, and now that it is over, I can get back to normal life again. Here's a photo commentary of the show.
Our day on Sunday 4th of February started with a live cross-over on TV3's gossip magazine show MELODI at 12.30pm, and Ning, ever the big sister, touched up Nikki's make-up before they went on air.
After MELODI, we went over to the hairdressers at First World Hotel where we bumped into Nana and Marsha.
By 7pm, all my girls were dressed and ready to shine. We congregated at the holding room for the Red Carpet walk.
Nikki wore a gorgeous red creation (satin and silk with lace and Swarovski crystals) by Jovian Mandagie, with matching ruby and diamond accessories by HABIB Jewels.
My best friend Hazami (who has the voice of an angel and a string of hits) and my sms friend Jac (Malaysia's first Malaysian Idol).
Ning waved to the fans during the Red Carpet walk and even stopped several times to allow them to take close-up pics. Now that's a gracious diva.
Hazami and Nikki were interviewed by TV3.
Ning described her outfit (silk and satin with embroidery and Swarovski crystals), designed by Jovian Mandagie, to TV3.
Cleopatra! Or Mortitia Adams?
Yanie wore a sumptuous black satin gown by Hatta Dolmat and posed for the phtographers before she entered the Arena.
After the first opening segment, Ning and Nikki went backstage to change into their performance outfits, which were made by Hatta Dolmat.
Nikki, Ning, Noryn and Dayang rehearsed their vogue poses in the dressing room.
Hatta, the designer of Ning and Nikki's black gowns for the performance, unruffled Ning's train in the dressing room.
Diamonds Are Forever. A three-minute commercial for HABIB Jewels. Ning sang effortlessly and elegantly and Nikki sang stylishly with attitude, albeit at the expense of a few notes, but attitude and style are the hallmarks of a true artiste. Noryn impressed with a loud voice and Dayang, as always, sang deliciously sweetly.
After the performance, Ning and Nikki changed back into Jovian's outfits and sat in their seats in the audience, next to Zahid (winner of Akademi Fantasia Season 2).
After the show, the artistes were ushered to the backstage exit. Whilst waiting for the coach to ferry us to the Post-Party, I took these pics...
Nikki and the handsome Faizal (winner of Akademi Fantasia Season 4) in a very fetching tuxedo with a royal blue bow-tie.
Yanie was interviewed by MELODI.
Pretty Fasha who won Most Popular Actress and Yasheeda, Marketing Manager HABIB Jewels.
Linda, who won Best Female Radio DJ (dress by Jovian Mandagie) and Ning. I sms'ed Linda when she won and she replied immediately! Ooiii! Now that was fast, considering you just made your acceptance speech two minutes ago!
Yanie and Diddy, the SALING TERPESONA pair.
Spotted at the Post-Party...
Marsha. My fellow East Malaysian. Singer.
Sazzy. Always game for a laugh and sporting, looking elegant in dazzling white. TV host.
Hani. Gorgeous in yellow silk (dress by Jovian Mandagie). TV host.
Nana. Radiant in burgundy red satin. Radio DJ.
Cheryl (TV host), Ning and Hazami. Waiting for the coach in the cold night air outside Genting Hotel, after the Post-Party.
We drove home at 2am and arrived Kuala Lumpur tired and sleepy. I am satisfied that the weekend went well and my girls did their best.
Vern is a real-life artiste manager to one of the biggest stars/gay icons in Malaysia, and two fabulous divettes. He is also an executive producer and owns his own record label. Read all about his adventures and misadventures in the Malaysian music industry; an industry fraught with back-biting, bitching, ass-licking (sometimes literally) and plenty of french air kissing (so much love). Formerly known as Diamond Stud, Vern has since shut down Diamonds & Studs and is now proudly out of the anonymous closet.
