Asia’s Got Talent has been showcasing skilled performers from all walks of entertainment, but this season has had a triple dose of magic. Three magicians made the show’s semi-finals, and at least one of them will be moving on to the final round.
First up, here’s The Sacred Riana. The Indonesian magician caught our attention earlier in the season for her unique stage persona, channelling the familiar “creepy long-haired girl” trope from horror movies. It’s a really clever concept, especially given how often magicians of old would claim spooky or supernatural powers. Her approach did enough to impress the viewers, and she’ll be appearing in the Grand Final.
Akira Kimura was the second semi-final magician, and he’s the polar opposite of the Sacred Riana. His routine is equal parts magic and comedy, where he appears to be performing a clever sleight of hand, but then promptly reveals the trick prop. It’s a chipper and colorful performance.
Syrian close-up magician Sobhi Shaker also appeared in the semi-finals, and wowed the judges with a routine that combined card tricks with an anti-war message. See what the judges called “the best performance [they’d] seen all night” in the video below.