Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
🎨

Star Awards

arts Maturity 11-13 war conflict Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: war_conflict. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

The Star Awards are a major annual ceremony held to recognize artistic and technical excellence in the television industry. Organized by Mediacorp, these awards honor entertainers under their employment for their outstanding performances throughout the year.

Star Awards Trophy
Star Awards Trophy

The event serves as a way to celebrate both the skill of individual performers and the technical expertise required to produce television. While some awards focus on professional merit, others function as popularity contests that reflect the connection between stars and their audience.

To determine winners, the ceremony employs different selection mechanisms depending on the specific category. For merit-based awards, a team of judges employed by Mediacorp reviews the work and selects nominees. The winners are then chosen by a majority vote from this entire judging panel. In contrast, popularity categories rely on the public. For example, the Top 10 Most Popular Artiste awards are decided through telephone and SMS text voting. Since 2018, the process for these popularity awards has become more complex. An independent market research company conducts a poll of 1,000 people to represent the Singaporean demographic. This poll accounts for 50% of the final result, while the remaining 50% is split equally between telepoll and online votes.

Over the decades, the Star Awards have evolved to include many different types of recognition. The ceremony features performance categories like Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Drama Serial. It also includes variety categories, which were introduced in 1998 to include variety programs and their hosts. In recent years, the scope has expanded further. The 2010 ceremony introduced the Rocket Award to honor improvement and contribution. The 2014 ceremony added the Social Media Award and the Most Popular Regional Artiste Award. By 2022, the ceremony even launched the "My Pick! Awards," which included unique titles like the Male Show Stealer and the Most Hated Villain.

The history of the Star Awards began on February 26, 1994. The first presentation took place at the Mediacorp TV Theatre in the Caldecott Broadcast Centre with an audience of approximately 500 people.

Mediacorp
Mediacorp

During that inaugural year, Li Nanxing, Chew Chor Meng, and Zoe Tay won the first Most Popular Actor and Actress awards. In 1995, the Best Actress category was introduced, with Fann Wong becoming the first recipient for her role in "Chronicle of Life." The Best Drama Serial award followed in 1996, with the show "Tofu Street" receiving the first honor. As the institution grew, it moved from the Caldecott Broadcast Centre to the Mediacorp campus in 2015.

The significance of the awards is reflected in the prestige of the trophies and the scale of the event.

Star Awards Trophy
Star Awards Trophy

Since 2000, the trophies have been designed in Shanghai and weigh 4 kilograms each. Each trophy is valued at $1,000 and features a crystalline shape forming the letters "S" and "A" for Star Awards. The color of the trophy changes annually, ranging from green and purple to blue and gold. In 2025, a special edition trophy was introduced with a radiant golden sheen to mark a legacy of excellence. The event itself has moved to massive venues, such as the 1,500-seater MES Theatre @ Mediacorp, or large public spaces like the Jewel Changi Airport.

Notable milestones have often defined the ceremony's impact on the industry. In 2019, the awards celebrated their silver jubilee. The 2021 ceremony was unique because it was the first time in 13 years that the event was not held in April, due to postponements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2025 ceremony reached a historic milestone when Jessica Hsuan became the first non-Mediacorp and non-Singaporean artiste to win the Best Actress accolade. Additionally, the 2025 event saw the return of Chow Yun-fat to present the Most Popular Artiste award, marking only the second time he has done so in 30 years.

The Star Awards connect the technical, artistic, and social aspects of media. The ceremony uses specific music to set its tone, such as the long-standing theme "Linking the World" composed by Christopher Evans. Since 2021, a new rendition titled "Starlight" has served as the opener. By including categories for radio personalities and audio presenters, Mediacorp ensures the awards reflect the broader landscape of communication.

Sands Theater, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - 20110714
Sands Theater, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - 20110714

Ultimately, the ceremony serves as a bridge between the creators of content and the viewers who sustain the industry.

719 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Star Awards Trophy.png
Star Awards Trophy.png
File:Mediacorp.jpg
Mediacorp.jpg
File:Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.JPG
Suntec Singapore International Convention...
File:Resorts World Sentosa viewed from the Singapore Cruise Centre - 20130311.jpg
Resorts World Sentosa viewed from the...
File:Sands Theater, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - 20110714.jpg
Sands Theater, Marina Bay Sands,...
File:Singapore Airport, Jewel Changi, 20230722 (1) (53337065497).jpg
Singapore Airport, Jewel Changi, 20230722...
More to explore

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.