Friday, August 18, 2006

Siti Nurhaliza


Siti Nurhaliza binti Tarudin (born 11 January 1979) is a Malaysian pop singer. She is one of the most successful Malaysian singers in recent times.

Early childhood
Siti Nurhaliza was born in Berek Polis Kg. Awah, Temerloh, involved in various school activities, such as sports and speech class


Early commercial success
Siti Nurhaliza's family performed at many local ceremonies at their hometown, such as weddings. At the age of twelve, Siti began to learn traditional songs from her mother, and thus went on nickesh singing at special occasions.

Later, as she continued to work on her singing, she participated in numerous local singing competitions. At 16, she competed in the 1995 RTM Juara Bintang competition. While there, she met Adnan Abu Hassan, a locally-famous composer. He tutored her and helped her with her vocal performance, thereby helping her to win the contest. After that, she was granted a contract with Suria Records, where Adnan worked, and in 1996 released her first album, Siti Nurhaliza. Making her first album was a challenge because she had to balance working on her album while preparing for and taking the SPM examination. Despite this, her first album was a great success, and this would pave the way for her extremely successful future albums. [1]


Career development
After her first album, Siti Nurhaliza became a well-known figure in Malay pop culture and soon to be a Malaysian Pop Idol. She continued to have numerous hits, her songs spanning a broad range of genres, such as pop, R & B, and traditional Malay. Her voice and lyrics proved popular with teenagers throughout Malaysia. Because of this appeal, she has garnered numerous awards during her career.

Recently, even though competing artists, such as Ning Baizura, Mawi, Dayang Nurfaizah and Misha Omar, have been challenging Siti's position at the top of the Malay pop industry, she remains extremely popular in Malaysia.

Siti held a successful solo concert at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London in April 2005, although the majority of the audience were Malaysians living in the United Kingdom and Malaysians traveling to see the concert. From the concert also, she's famously acclaimed as " Asia's Celine Dion "


Romance
She was rumoured to be in a relationship with a prominent Malaysian businessman, known as Dato' K. The rumour goes that she will be getting married in 2006 which she neither denied nor confirmed the rumors, which deviates from her usual response to rumors regarding her. The rumors were further fueled during her acceptance speech at the "Anugerah Bintang Popular 2006". In her speech she thanked "her special one", whom she has never mentioned before. Recently reporters saw the family of Siti's supposed lover visiting her house in Kuala Lipis. Many surmise that the family visited in order to arrange for the wedding.

Previously she was also rumored to be involved with singers Zamani, Anuar Zain and Fazley.


On the 17th July 2006, Siti and Datuk Khalid made a press conference announcing their wedding plans which did not go down well with at least 49% of respondents to a local TV SMS poll conducted on the same day of the announcement. She will wed businessman Datuk Khalid Mohamed Jiwa on Aug 21. The engagement and akad nikah ceremony will be held at Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan, while wedding receptions are scheduled for Aug 28 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and Sep 3 in Kuala Lipis, Pahang. Siti's parents' 38th wedding anniversary also falls on Aug 21. The couple have commissioned Datuk Raja Shah Reza from Nusantara Gems as wedding planner, with the reception at the KLCC to feature a "garden wedding" concept. Fashion designers Radzwan Radzwill, Michael Ong, Embun and Ana Avanti have been engaged to design the wedding costumes, which will feature traditional songket and tekat. Makeup artistes Nurul Shukur and Mia have also been engaged for the events.

While her fans feel happy for her, however some of them feel it was the wrong time to announce the wedding since Datuk Khalid was recently divorce from his wife several weeks before the engagement. To make matters worse, his ex-wife is now asking for compensation. This led the media to speculate that Siti was responsible for Datuk Khalid's marraige since he wanted divorce his wife to marry Siti. Some fans feel it isn't right for her to marry him since he is 20 years older than her and the recent scandal might tarnish her once good girl image.



Promotional work
Siti's great popularity meant that the demand for her endorsements is high. She has sung themes for movies (Puteri Gunung Ledang, for example... )and the corporate jingle for the Malay wireless communications firm Maxis. She has also been featured in various advertisements and has been spokewoman to many well-established brands such as Maybelline,Pepsi, Jusco, TMnet, Konica Minolta, Nippon Wiper Blade, Olay, and Samsung.


Career achievement
Siti Nurhaliza has garnered many awards over her career. This is a partial list, please see here for a complete list.


Malaysian Popular Stars Award (Anugerah Bintang Popular)Popular Female Singer 2005
Most Popular Star 2004
Popular Female Singer 2004
Popular Female Singer 2003
Popular Female Singer 2002
Most Popular Star 2001
Popular Female Singer 2001
Popular Female Singer 2000
Most Popular Artiste 2000
Popular Female Singer 1999
Most Popular Star 1999
Popular Female Singer 1998
Most Popular Artiste 1998
Most Popular Teenager 1997
Popular Female Singer 1997
Popular TV Entertainer 1997
Most Popular Star 1997

Malaysian Music Industry Awards (Anugerah Industri Muzik)
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Siti Nurhaliza Live In London) 2006
Kembara (Explorer) Award 2005
Best Musical Arrangement Song (Seindah Biasa) 2005
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Prasasti Seni) 2005
Kembara (Explorer) Award 2004
Best Musical Arrangement Song (Bukan Cinta Biasa) 2004
Best Album (EMAS) 2004
Best Pop Album (EMAS) 2004
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (EMAS) 2004
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Sanggar Mustika) 2003
Best Musical Arrangement Song (Merisik Khabar) 2003
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Konsert Mega Siti) 2002
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Sahmura) 2001
Best Ethnic Pop Album (Sahmura) 2001
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Pancawarna) 2000
Kembara (Explorer) Award 2000
Best Ethnic Pop Album (Seri Balas) 2000
Best Album (Seri Balas) 2000
Best Female Vocal Performance Album (Adiwarna) 1999
Best Pop Album (Adiwarna) 1999
Best Album (Adiwarna) 1999
Best Song (Jerat Percintaan) 1997
Best Newcomer Female 1997

Juara Lagu Awards
Viewers Choice Song Champion (Cindai) JL'20
Best Performance (Ku Milikmu) JL'18
Best Performance (Nirmala) JL'17
Ethnic Pop Song Champion (Nirmala) JL'17
Best Performance (Ya Maulai) 2001
Pop Rock Song Champion (Engkau Bagaikan Permata) 2001
Balad Song Champion (Kau Kekasihku) 2000
Ethnic Pop Song Champion (Balqis) 2000
Song Champion (Balqis) 2000
Balad Song Champion (Purnama Merindu) 1999
Ethnic Pop Song Champion (Hati Kama) 1999
Ethnic Pop Song Champion (Cindai) 1998
Song Champion (Cindai) 1998
Best Performance (Aku Cinta Padamu) 1997
Balad Song Champion (Aku Cinta Padamu) 1997
Song Champion (Jerat Percintaan) 1996
Best Performance (Jerat Percintaan) 1996
Balad Song Champion (Jerat Percintaan) 1996

MTV Asia Awards
Favourite Artiste (Malaysia) 2005
Favourite Artiste (Malaysia) 2004
Favourite Artiste (Malaysia) 2003
Favourite Artiste (Malaysia) 2002

International Awards
SCTV MUSIC AWARDS INDONESIA 2004 - Top Foreign Artiste
INDONESIA MUSIC AWARD 2003 - Best Album Malaysia (E.M.A.S)
VOICE OF ASIA 2002 - Grand Prix Champion
INDONESIA MUSIC AWARD 2001 - Most Lucrative Foreign Artiste In Indonesia
SOUTH PACIFIC INTERNATION SONG AND SINGING COMPETITION 1999 - Pop Winner/Top 40 Category International Song (We'll Be As One)& Best Female Vocal Performance (We'll Be As One)
SHANGHAI MUSIC FESTIVAL 1999 - Gold Award in Singing Competition
SINGAPORE MUSIC AWARD 1997 - Most Popular Newcomer Female & Most Popular Song (Mawarku)

Other Achievements
PBSMM (Red Cresent Association Malaysia) Ambassador (2 terms)
Model/Spokesperson for Maybelline New York 99-03
Model Mitsubishi Trium Special Edition 2000
Model Nippon Wiper Blade 2001
Given Darjah Kebesaran Keempat Negeri Pahang - Ahli Ahmad Shah Pahang (AAP)
Given Paduka Mahkota Perak (PMP)
Given Johan Setia Mahkota (JSM)
'MALAYSIA STAMP PRINCESS' by Pos Malaysia Berhad
Spokesperson for Jusco and Ambassador With All Our Heart Jusco 02-04
TMnet Ambassador 02-03
Spokesperson for Minolta 2003
Samsung IT Ambassador 2004
Maxis-Hotlink Ambasador 2004
Best Brand Malaysian Personality by Best Brand Council 2005
Spokesperson/Model for Olay Total Effects Skincare Malaysia 2006

Albums
Transkripsi (2006ad)
Prasasti Seni (2004ad)
E.M.A.S (or Emas) (2003ad)
Sanggar Mustika (2002ad)
Safa (2001ad)
Sahmura (2000ad)
Pancawarna (1999ad)
Adiwarna (1998ad)
Cindai (1997ad)
Siti Nurhaliza II (1997ad)
Siti Nurhaliza (1996ad)

Others
Siti Nurhaliza LIVE In Concert Royal Albert Hall (2005ad)
Siti Nurhaliza Fantasia Tour (2004ad)
Anugerah Aidilfitri
The Best of Siti Nurhaliza
Untukmu Sudir (a special album tribute for the late local singer Sudirman)

External links
SimplySiti.Com - English Portal
Siti Nurhaliza - Voice of Asia
UrbanSiti.com - Unofficial Website (English)
MSN group Siti Nurhaliza Homepage
Siti Nurhaliza Official Website
CT Nurhaliza Online - Fans Site
Siti Nurhaliza - Video Database
Devoted Diva- A thefanlistings.org approved fanlisting
AsiaFinest Siti Nurhaliza
SitiNews.blogspot.com - Siti Nurhaliza's Latest News
Siti Nurhaliza's Stepson-to-be

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siti_Nurhaliza"

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

ABOUT THIS BOOK - SECOND CHANCE


Written by Danielle Steel

Eccentric high fashion meets buttoned-up Madison Avenue in Danielle Steel’s captivating tale of two perfect-for-each-other people from two wildly different worlds. In a fresh, funny look at what happens when a woman who has everything finally meets her match, Danielle Steel proves that, in life and love, it’s never too late for a second chance.

As editor-in-chief of New York’s leading fashion magazine, Fiona Monaghan lived a life as hectic and high-toned as the fashion world itself, jetting back and forth between her stylish Manhattan brownstone and the couture shows of Europe. With closets stuffed with Fendi, a snoring bulldog named Sir Winston sharing her bed, and a houseman who favors gold lamé and borrows her shoes, Fiona was utterly content with her life. Until the sweltering June day John Anderson strolled into her office.

After a dinner date left them both wanting more, Fiona impulsively invited John to the Paris couture shows. And in the most romantic city in the world, somewhere between the magic of the runway and the stroll along the Seine, Fiona let this man into her heart. A widower with two daughters, John Anderson was nearly Fiona’s opposite in every way. As conservative as she was freewheeling, John was both amused and appalled by Fiona’s world of high-strung designers, anorexic models, and high-heeled housemen. But within weeks of their return to New York, John was making friends with Sir Winston—and Fiona was making room in her closets.

It didn’t take long for the dominoes to start falling. First, John introduced Fiona to his daughters, their bloodthirsty Pekingese, and a snarling housekeeper straight out of Hitchcock’s Rebecca. It was hate at first sight. Then, after a dinner party with John’s biggest client goes disastrously awry, Fiona and John’s relationship began to unravel with alarming speed. What happens next will set Fiona on a journey filled with pain and revelation, awakening and change.…For when she returns to Paris alone and takes an amazing risk, an extraordinary series of events begins to unfold. And as the snow falls on the city of light, Fiona is about to get the surprise of her life: a second act she never saw coming.

In a dazzling tale of modern misadventures and career-crossed relationships, Danielle Steel brings us into the lives of two unforgettable people as they love and laugh, struggle and survive. With unerring insight, she captures the heady magic of instant attraction, the challenges of change—and the hope that comes when we dare to do it all over again.


From the Hardcover edition.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

QUOTE FOR THE DAY


: HAPPINESS :

The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems,

but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.

Have a nice day!

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