By Minnie Chi
Back by popular demand, the 3rd MTV Asia Awards is set to take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Valentine's day. Once again, 7,000 spectators will gather at the event and 150 million more will watch their favorite international musical talents via live broadcast. Viewers had a chance to cast their votes from Nov. 15, 2003 to Jan. 15, 2004 on the MTV Asia Awards website (www.mtvasiaawards.com), sending a Short-Messaging-Service (SMS) or by snailmail. The winners will be announced live and chosen through an open vote across ten regional countries – China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.
This year, singer/guitarist Michelle Branch, one of the nominees for the Favorite Female Artist category, will be hosting the show. Shaggy and Coco Lee were hosts the previous year and the year before, Mandy Moore, Irish pop star Ronan Keating and guest host actor/wrestler The Rock. Confirmed performers are Dido (Favorite Female Artist nominee), Black Eyed Peas (Favorite Pop Act nominee), Taiwan's hottest boy band 5566, British pop act Blue (nominee and previous winner for Favorite Pop Act), UK's Pop Idol winner Gareth Gates (Favorite Male Artist nominee), UK band Liberty X, Canadian quintet A Simple Plan (Favorite Pop Act nominee), and teenage singer/songwriter Stacie Orrico (Favorite Breakthrough Artist nominee).
With the huge success of MTV Asia Awards, it's only fitting that the event lives on as an annual event. MTV Asia president Frank Brown stated early last year, “For too long Asian auds have felt neglected by their idols so are very loyal to the acts that make the effort to perform here.” The line up of sponsors has increased with new official supporters like Hewlett-Packard and returning partners Toyota Motor Corporation, Singapore Tourism Board (promoting tourism beyond its shores) and plenty others.
So what is the secret to MTV Asia Awards' success? Simply put: the fans. Pop culture has an immense hold on the youth of Asia and MTV and its associates from every corner of the world are appropriately cashing in on it. Nowhere else can the East meet West in such a glitzy, professionally fabricated pan-regional event for worldwide hyper mainstream aficionados.
Check out the list of this year's MTV Asia Awards nominees:
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MTV ASIA AWARDS NOMINEES
Regional Categories
(Listed alphabetically within each category)
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Favourite Artist Mainland China
· Han Hong
· Li Quan
· Pu Shu
· Si Qin Ge Ri Le
· Sun Nan
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Favourite Artist Malaysia
· Jamal Abdillah
· Misha Omar
· Siti Sarah
· Siti Nurhaliza
· Too Phat
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Favourite Artist Hong Kong
· Andy Lau
· Eason Chan
· Hacken Lee
· Joey Yung
· Sammi Cheng
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Favourite Artist Philippines
· Barbie's Cradle
· Ogie Alcasid
· Parokya Ni Edgar
· Regine Velasquez
· Rivermaya
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Favourite Artist India
· Abhijeet
· Falguni Pathak
· Rekha Bhardwaj
· Shweta Shetty
· Vaishali Samant
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Favourite Artist Singapore
· A-Do
· Ayden
· Stefanie Sun
· Sun Ho
· Tanya Chua
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Favourite Artist Indonesia
· Ari Lasso
· Audy
· Cokelat
· Iwan Fals
· Mocca
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Favourite Artist Taiwan
· A*Mei
· David Tao
· Jay Chou
· Jolin Tsai
· S.H.E |
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Favourite Artist Korea
· BoA
· Fly To The Sky
· Lee Hyo-lee
· Wheesung
· Seven
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Favourite Artist Thailand
· Armchair
· “Bird” Thongchai McIntyre
· Blackhead
· Boyd Kosiyabong
· Parn-Thanaporn |
MTV ASIA AWARDS NOMINEES
International Categories
(Listed alphabetically within each category)
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Favourite Male Artist
· Eminem
· Gareth Gates
· Justin Timberlake
· Ricky Martin
· Robbie Williams
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Favourite Rock Act
· Audioslave
· Evanescence
· Linkin Park
· Metallica
· Radiohead |
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Favourite Female Artist
· Beyonce
· Christina Aguilera
· Dido
· Jennifer Lopez
· Michelle Branch
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Favourite Video
· Christina Aguilera (Beautiful)
· Coldplay (The Scientist)
· Justin Timberlake (Cry Me a River)
· Linkin Park (Somewhere I Belong)
· Radiohead (There There)
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Favourite Pop Act
· Black Eyed Peas
· Blue
· Matchbox Twenty
· Simple Plan
· t.A.T.u.
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Favourite Breakthrough Artist
· 50 cent
· Evanescence
· Sean Paul
· Stacie Orrico
· t.A.T.u. |
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MTV ASIA AWARDS CATEGORIES (19)
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Regional categories (10)
10 Favourite Music Artist Awards
from Asia:
· Favourite Artist Mainland China
· Favourite Artist Hong Kong
· Favourite Artist India
· Favourite Artist Indonesia
· Favourite Artist Malaysia
· Favourite Artist Philippines
· Favourite Artist Singapore
· Favourite Artist Taiwan
· Favourite Artist Thailand
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International categories (9)
6 International Music Awards:
· Favourite Pop Act
· Favourite Rock Act
· Favourite Video
The Asian Film Award
The Style Award
The Inspiration Award
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