KOTA KINABALU, Sept 25 — Two young Sabah singers have struck gold on the international stage, earning the Special Gold Award at the Tian Lai Xin Sheng 2026 Global Auditions in Beijing, China.
Ten-year-old girl Chloe Chong Zi Han from Keningau scored 98.76, while 11-year-old Rainie Wong Jing Ru from Kota Kinabalu scored 99.46 in the competition, which drew more than 700 young singers from over 10 countries and regions.
Chloe, a pupil of Yuk Kong Chinese Primary School in Keningau, was also named the ‘Global Top 100 Young Singers’.
The Beijing competition marked her first overseas performance.
Chloe said she was nervous about competing alongside participants from different countries, but support from her family and vocal coach Susheena Yap helped her deliver her best performance.
Yap said both Chloe and Rainie remained committed despite having to adapt to Beijing’s weather, long backstage waits and the pressure of competing internationally.
Rainie also attended the five-day, four-night Tian Lai Xin Sheng 2026 Vocal Training Camp and was selected to perform with young Chinese singers for the Tian Lai Xin Sheng television programme scheduled to be broadcast by BRTV in October.
Rainie described performing in China as an unforgettable experience, saying music enabled her to connect with other participants despite language differences.
“I am very happy with this achievement and hope to have more opportunities to perform on international stages and sing for more people,” she said.
Keningau Hakka Association president Kapitan Anthony Chong Kong Ming congratulated the pair, saying their achievements demonstrated the potential of young Sabah talent.
Sandakan-born vocal educator JinV Wong, the only Malaysian invited as an expert judge, also praised the young performers, saying Sabah’s multilingual environment could help young singers develop across different musical genres and performance languages. — The Borneo Post
