Two Sabah schoolgirls clinch Special Gold at Tian Lai Xin Sheng global singing auditions in Beijing

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 25 — Two accomplished young singers from Sabah have earned the Special Gold Award at the Tian Lai Xin Sheng 2026 Global Auditions in Beijing, China. Chloe Chong Zi Han, a 10-year-old from Keningau, scored 98.76, while Rainie Wong Jing Ru, an 11-year-old from Kota Kinabalu, achieved a perfect score of 99.46. The competition, which attracted over 700 young singers from more than 10 countries, marked Chloe's debut on the international stage.

Chloe, a pupil at Yuk Kong Chinese Primary School in Keningau, was also named the 'Global Top 100 Young Singers.' Despite the nerves of competing against international peers, support from her family and vocal coach, Susheena Yap, enabled her to deliver her best performance. Rainie, who participated in the five-day, four-night Tian Lai Xin Sheng 2026 Vocal Training Camp, described performing in China as an unforgettable experience, emphasizing the unifying power of music despite language barriers.

Keningau Hakka Association president, Kapitan Anthony Chong Kong Ming, commended the young singers' achievements, highlighting the potential of young Sabah talent. JinV Wong, a Sandakan-born vocal educator and the only Malaysian invited as an expert judge, praised the young performers, emphasizing the influence of Sabah's multilingual environment in developing musical versatility and performance skills.