I was desperately trying to get the best shot of Hady Mirza on my grossly inadequate camera phone while admiring one very hot back-up dancer. The girls were screaming their lungs out and threatening to tear the security barricades apart. Some were looking at me enviously and wondering who I was. Why? Because I was a RippleVox member for the night!

Being there as a reporter for RippleVox really let me experience something that money could not buy. RippleVox, by the way, provides youth with a platform to actually be heard, be it on new products or special events. The best thing? You do not even have to have any experience being a reporter! The perks? The opportunity to try out new gadgets and get exclusive invites to special events! My first RippleVox assignment landed me at the Singapore indoor stadium for the HYPE UP 2006 concert. I wasn't given those 98 dollar tickets either. I had something even better - a media pass! So there I was, inside the security area, the envy of all those hormone-charged girls I mentioned earlier, sitting right in front of the stage. At times I was as close as 2 metres from the performers and I could even make out the beads of perspiration on their faces while they performed to a capacity crowd!

The concert brought the best from the local music scene together, with the top four finalists from the past two Singapore Idol seasons taking centre stage. They performed everything from jazz, sentimental ballads to hip-hop and high-octane dance hits, wowing the crowd with their slick dance moves and excellent vocals, showing us just why Singaporeans voted for them.

We were also treated to performances by some of the best local bands in Singapore. My favorite was Electrico, performing the song “I’m not made in the USA” off their latest album. If you're looking for a rally-cry to get Singaporeans to support local music, you can't go wrong with this one! The other bands such as Lucify (from channel 8’s Superbands) also sang really high-energy songs such as “It’s my life” that really got the packed stadium on their feet. Don and Drew slowed things down with a very entertaining rendition of “Be my valentine”, while serenading a girl they picked out from the audience.

There were many more fantastic performances, but despite all the great songs and dances, it did hit me that this was really quite an ordinary run-of-the-mill concert. There weren’t any explosive moments, or anything unexpected stunts. It was very much just a concert for fans to scream about their favorite idols. If I’d had to choose, the best part of the show for me would be when Taufik teamed up with Olinda to sing a mandarin song: “The moon represents my heart”. He did a really good job with the song, though he did mispronounce some words while singing it. I’d give him 10/10 for the effort!

Oh and did I mention? As part of my role as a RippleVox member, I got to interview Hady and Jonathan for MTV after the concert ended! I’d never interviewed an artiste before, let alone been on television, so naturally I was nervous at first. I had to introduce myself as well as the both of them, and I went off like a machine gun at first, talking too fast and forgetting basic things such as maintaining eye contact with the camera, and messing up my lines. The producer from MTV was really patient and encouraging though, and the two idol’s friendly banter and warm demeanors soon dispelled all the butterflies in my stomach soon enough.

Their enthusiasm was really contagious, and once we got the pesky introductions out of the way, all three of us were hamming it up for the cameras! They smiled and joked around for the cameras, and took the time to think through my questions, before giving really insightful answers. For instance, Jonathan told me about some of the really important musical influences in his life and how they helped shape him as a singer, and Hady shared his secret to connecting with the song he was singing and his audience. The interview felt like a chat with old friends! It was so light hearted, that my script was soon forgotten and I was enjoying just being myself. Of course, I had to make sure I asked relevant questions, and none that were too sensitive either. I won’t divulge too many details here though - you’ll have to watch the interview on MTV yourselves!

Overall the experience was fantastic. Attending one helluva concert, getting to see the stars up close, experiencing what it’s like being in front of a camera (which at times felt as stupid as it was nerve-wracking – imagine yourself talking to a box with people all staring at you!). After interviewing the two Idols and taking countless photos with them, I finally left the stadium, having enjoyed a night that I won’t easily forget! Want to try something new and exciting? Want to hang out with the stars while being yourself? Then take on an assignment by being a RippleVox member, simply sign up at www.ripplevox.com today!

-David