‘Astro Star Quest’ Returns After 8 Years, Judge Vangie Praises Contestants as Talented and Expressive

After 8 years, the 'Astro Star Quest' returns with a brand-new look! The brand new season, 'Star Quest: Rise Up!', officially makes its debut, with the Top 20 contestants making their first public appearance at the press conference on the 22nd, where they performed the group songs ‘The Sky Has No Limits’ and ‘The Wind Rises’. Hong Kong singer Vangie (泳儿) was invited as a guest judge and highly praised the contestants for being ‘very talented, outgoing, and more daring in expressing themselves’!

The show is co-hosted by Siow Hui Min and Priscilla Abby, with a judging panel comprising renowned music producer Guan Qi Yuan, 2011 Astro Star Quest champion Yen Hui Ping, and 2012 champion Ly Lai Song Fong. Vangie and Angela Hui serve as guest judges, while Nicholas Teo acts as the ‘Navigator’, accompanying contestants from a mentor’s perspective; Pei Yong serves as the ‘Rise Up Advocate’, providing well-rounded guidance outside of singing, and Mani Fok, CEO of Emperor Beijing Culture Development Co. Ltd. and COO of Emperor Entertainment Group Hong Kong, sits in as the ‘Star Selector’, personally choosing the most eye-catching and promising ‘Star Pick’ contestant in every episode.

During an interview, Vangie laughed and said that having not been to Malaysia for a long time, she initially thought local contestants would be more reserved, but was surprised by their openness: ‘That's the trait of the new generation now.’ She describes Malaysian contestants as passionate like those from other countries, ‘Malaysian contestants are more “E”; they are more willing to express themselves and are not stage-shy at all.’

Coming from a talent show background herself, she didn’t forget to share some ‘words of wisdom’ as a senior. She said, to become the ultimate ‘big boss’, you need to be all-rounded, have a distinctive and recognizable voice, and also need to possess audience affinity. She encouraged the contestants: ‘This journey is a rare opportunity. No matter what the end result is, this is just one door—what comes after is even more important. Cherish this period and absorb as much as you can.’

The mentors and judges also shared their insights. Pei Yong joked that he noticed backstage, ‘The contestants are super well-behaved in front of the camera, but really chatty behind the scenes,’ drawing laughter from the audience. Guan Qi Yuan reminded them: ‘Be brave to be yourself, don’t stress too much about the judge’s scores, and sing in your own way.’ Yen Hui Ping expressed emotionally: ‘Seeing the Top 20 lined up on stage is very moving—it’s like seeing my own younger self who chased dreams without hesitation.’ She added that today’s contestants ‘have even more pronounced personalities and are quite different from us back then.’ Ly Lai Song Fong confessed to feeling complicated: ‘As a judge we have to be strict, but seeing them feels like they’re my little brothers and sisters—I always want to give more advice so they can avoid unnecessary detours.’

The Top 20 contestants are: Zhang Zuoquan (19), Liao Jianxu (17), Liu Yixing (24), Chen Songning (26), Peng Yijun (18), Yang Huiying (21), Liu Qian (17), Ma Haoyi (25), Peng Yuxin (21), Ye Xiaoen (19), Huang Penglong (21), Xiao Chen (21), Huang Desheng (25), Xiao Rujing (21), Lin Yuzhen (18), Zhang Yong (21), Chen Rouen (16), Guan Jiehao (20), Chen Zhixuan (24), and Chen Jiaxian (21).

‘Star Quest: Rise Up!’ is broadcast every Saturday at 8:30 pm on Astro AEC (Channel 306). The program is currently in its second episode, with 4 contestants—Zhang Zuoquan, Liao Jianxu, Chen Songning, and Xiao Chen—already exiting the competition. The remaining Top 16 will continue to battle for their dreams.