A Birmingham City University wowed audiences in his native Indonesia, after coming second in an X Factor-style TV talent contest. Gerald Prayogo was studying International Business as part of the University’s ‘International Summer School,’ but left to fly to Jakarta and appear on The Remix, a show which sees teams consisting of electronic dance music producers paired with already-popular singers to compete live for the top spot through a series of public votes.
Gerald, 20, competed with his friend Ken Raka under their stage name KMKZ and they were joined by Aqi Singgih – who fronts successful Indonesia band Alexa – and together they were known as Shout! He said that his time at Birmingham City University helped him prepare for the competition: “From the lectures, I learned the key factors of good entrepreneurship, how to negotiate in business - ethically and how to properly analyse the market,” he said.
“I also learned how to come up with solutions quickly and present it, and I was also able to discuss business-related topics with people from all over the world.”
Similar to The X Factor, the acts were judged by four industry insiders, and the show aired on Saturday evenings, with an elimination show the following day. All acts were tasked with remixing or rearranging one song per week during the first four weeks, followed by two songs per week for the remainder of the show’s run.
The grand final saw SHOUT! come second , with Prayogo saying he has no regrets about appearing on the show: “I was given the opportunity to meet many prominent producers and DJs throughout the show, giving me promising work deals here and there. The Remix was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a big stepping stone for me to showcase my potential in the music industry.”
He added “I want to thank the University for being very cooperative and letting me leave slightly early for The Remix. I really hope I get the opportunity to go back to Birmingham and visit Birmingham City University in the future.”
Gerald now plans to balance his musical career alongside his studies, as he seeks to finish his degree in Accountancy at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
