DENPASAR, BALINEWS – A young talent from Bali has brought international recognition to Indonesia after winning two awards at the Asia All Star Festival 2026 in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China.
Sang Ayu Putu Kinaradewi Dharmaheswari, popularly known as Kinara, won a Gold Award and secured 2nd Runner-Up in the music category at the festival's Grand Final, held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Sais University Opera House in Zhengzhou.
The student of SMP Negeri 10 Denpasar was the only participant representing Bali at the international competition, which featured 71 individual and group participants from six Asian countries: Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Competing as a solo singer in the youth category under candidate number T1-M9, Kinara performed Flashlight, a popular song by Jessie J, featuring a newly arranged musical interpretation.
Her performance earned her the Gold Award and 2nd Runner-Up title, marking a significant achievement in her young musical career.
The accomplishment also secured her a place in the Asia All Star Elite Team, giving her the opportunity to be considered for the Grandprix competition scheduled for 2028. The event is expected to bring together elite team members selected from winners of various grand final editions during the 2027–2028 period.
Kinara's journey to the international stage began in November 2025, when she qualified as one of the finalists at the Rising Star Asia All Star competition held in Denpasar, Bali.
That qualification provided her with a ticket to the 2026 Grand Final and motivated her to prepare for the international competition. For nearly a year, she underwent intensive preparation, including song selection, musical arrangements, vocal training, stage presentation, and mental preparation.
Her success has brought pride not only to her family but also to SMP Negeri 10 Denpasar, the HOCA arts community where she actively participates, and the wider community of Denpasar and Bali.
Support from her school and family played an important role throughout her preparation. Her participation in competitions, sometimes requiring travel outside Bali, meant that she occasionally needed permission to be absent from regular school activities. The school's support and her parents' continuous involvement helped her balance education and artistic development.
Kinara's father, Sang Nyoman Wijaya Darma Dewa, expressed his pride in his daughter's achievement, emphasizing the extensive preparation behind her performance in China.
He explained that the preparations involved carefully selecting a suitable song, developing a new musical arrangement, maintaining consistent training, and strengthening her confidence and mental readiness for an international competition.
"Before the Grand Final, we carefully selected a song that we believed would be suitable for the occasion. We then worked on a new musical arrangement to match our vision and continued encouraging her to be ready on stage as a singer who delivers her best performance to everyone in the audience. Of course, there was continuous practice, along with constant support to ensure she was mentally prepared to compete internationally," Sang Nyoman said.
He added that the family has consistently supported Kinara's involvement in various artistic activities, including singing, dancing, acting, and modeling, as long as they contribute positively to her personal development.
For Kinara, winning competitions is not the only purpose of pursuing music. Her dream is simply to sing on stages around the world and perform in as many countries as possible.
She sees competitions as opportunities to measure her progress and evaluate the results of her training, while awards and trophies are simply bonuses that come from dedication and hard work.
Following her success in China, Kinara has already begun looking ahead to the next challenge: the Grandprix competition in 2028.
Her father confirmed that the family would continue supporting and accompanying her throughout the preparation process.
"We will also continue doing this as part of our preparations for the 2028 Grandprix," he emphasized.
Kinara's achievement in Zhengzhou demonstrates the potential of young Indonesian artists, particularly those from Bali, to compete on the international stage. With the Grandprix 2028 now on her horizon, the young singer from Denpasar is determined to continue developing her talent and pursuing her dream of performing around the world.
