Olivier receiving his RM11,000 cheque and trophy from Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim after having wowed the crowd with his great performance.

21-year-old Olivier took home RM11,000, a trophy and a certificate for his performance. He was amongst the 10 participants who were picked out of 69 foreign applicants that were selected to be in the finals of the show.

Olivier’s counselor and lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment in Limkokwing University of Creative Technology described him as a smart scholar who perseveres in his studies and stays true to his love of music.

“You wouldn’t notice Olivier unless he is singing. He is a jolly character, who is well behaved and is very dedicated to his studies. We are very happy that he scores big in class and managed to do so as well on stage,” said Grace Beh.

Olivier who is in his second year of perusing his Bachelor of Interior Design is delighted in being able to partake in what he loves the most – music.

“I am happy that I won. People around me know that music is something that I love dearly. I was interested because I knew that it would have given me the opportunity to do what I love the most, to sing and perform in front of an audience. For me it’s a way of expressing myself and being myself. Socially I’m a shy and reserved person, but when I’m on stage I feel absolutely free and open to people,” says Olivier on his love of performing.

Olivier belting out his rendition of the song ‘Lagu untuk Mu’ at the International Sing a Malay Song Competition (PALMA) 2012.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to Limkokwing and Sound and Music Academy for helping me through this journey, and my family and friends for encouraging me to go on even during the toughest times. Their support was priceless. It was a bumpy ride through my journey but they helped me fight till the end.”

Olivier is no stranger to music. He began learning the guitar and had vocal lessons at the tender age of 13 and was a part of the National Music Academy of Mauritius (Conservatoire National de Musique Francois Mitterand) from the age of 17 to 18 years old.

The National Department for Culture and Arts under the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture, Malaysia organized the International Sing a Malay Song Competition 2012 (PALMA 2012) which was held earlier this year on 3rd November 2012.

This year alone the Limkokwing University students have won several awards ranging from Multimedia Creativity to Fashion Designs. The University programs are among the world’s most innovative, designed as a pathway to career success in a high-income industry.