By Annabell Naja Tommy & Neville Timothy Sanders
Vocal coach wants aspiring singers to follow in his footsteps
Yudhi Seriestha, father of former beauty queen Dewi Liana Seriestha, recently won the Committee Award at the 2022 Sanremo Senior singing competition.
The competition was held in Sanremo, Italy, a popular tourist town.
There were participants from the United States, Finland, Italy, France, and Malaysia, and Yudhi won with his song “How Do I Stop Loving You.”
In light of his recent win, New Sarawak Tribune spoke with the vocal coach about how he feels about winning the competition, what makes someone a good singer, and any advice he has for anyone who aspires to be a good singer.
The origin
Yudhi, who was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, began singing in 1983 and became a vocal coach in Kuching in 19
86, where he has taught over 2,000 students as of this year.
The same year he became a vocal coach, he established the Bengkel Talent Seni Vocal (BTSV) workshop in Kuching.
“Then I met this beautiful Sarawakian woman named Catharine Noep; we got married and have four children, one of whom won Miss World Malaysia in 2014; you know who she is, right?” he said.
The competition
When asked how he felt about the competition, he said that he was initially hesitant to participate.
“However, thanks to the encouragement of some of my good friends, I decided to take part.
“I was first hesitant because of the transportation issue, as well as the cost of the airplane tickets. I was able to do so, however, thanks to the support of my family and friends, for which I am grateful,” he said.
The journey
As of this moment, Yudhi felt proud of the path he had taken as a vocal coach, songwriter, and singer.
“I am very grateful and proud of what I have achieved, and God has given me the talent to share with the rest of the world.
“I got to see my daughter pursue her dream and succeed in several competitions in London and Los Angeles,” he said.
Despite coming from Indonesia, he pledges to continue developing new talents and the art of singing in Sarawak.
“I would continue to nurture the talents, as I feel there are many outstanding singers in Sarawak.
“I am confident that if they are properly nurtured, they will go far in this field,” he added.
When asked what advice he would give to anyone interested in pursuing a singing career, he said that technique is important.
“To be a great singer, you must learn all of the skills and techniques.
“Aspiring singers can follow my journey to learn how to be a good singer for Sarawak,” he added.
BTSV, Sarawak’s only singing workshop, has over 2,000 students since its establishment in 1986.
