ARE you American? That question often springs forth with immigration officers since Marsha Londoh’s two-digit MyKad code for place of birth shows 91 — for the United States.



Marsha’s typical reply — born in the USA but always a Malaysian — usually begs the next question about which part of the United States she was born in.



The answer is the small, largely unheard of mid-Western town of Berrien Springs in Michigan. Marsha’s parents were doing their tertiary education there when she was born. Today, she is far removed from that setting.

“I was only an infant there for a few months and I cannot tell you much about the scenery nor the friends I had there,” she says during an interview with Star Motoring.



Hometown for this chirpy 25-year-old Kadazandusun and finalist in the third season of the Akademi Fantasia reality talent show, is Tamparuli, Sabah where she grew up after Mom and Dad returned from America.

In fact, Marsha has rarely ventured out of Sabah if not for Akademi Fantasia.



“It was Akademi Fantasia that brought me to Kuala Lumpur in 2005. Otherwise, I will still be in Sabah, probably studying music and might even have ended up in India. 

“Music has been part of my life and everyone in my family sings,” she laughs.

It was by accident that Marsha got into AF3.

“I was there to accompany a friend who was trying for a spot in AF3 during the initial auditions held in Kota Kinabalu.

“I got sucked in to be one of the participants. My friend, however, did not make it past the third stage of the auditions,” she says.



Marsha did not win Akademi Fantasia that year, (it was won by Asmawi Ani or better known as Mawi), but the show helped launch her career in the entertainment industry.

At first, it was mostly singing and TV commercials that went on to acting and music composing.

Her latest movie - the musical Magika - premiered a few weeks ago and Marsha has another movie 4 Madu slotted for release by the end of the year.

Magika, she says, is a bit like a Malay-version of Alice in the Wonderland except it’s a musical and everyone has a singing role, something that is up Marsha’s alley.

Also she’s currently acting in Hotel Mania, a musical drama that revolves around the lives of hotel employees for 26 episodes.

When it comes to what she likes, shoes are quite high on her agenda, particularly when they are high heels.

She is five feet two and in her books, only heels over four inches would do. She’s got a collection of high heels but won’t go into details.

After making a name in Akademi Fantasia in 2005, offers for live performances started pouring in.

“But when doing stage performances, you need to get the right chemistry with your shoes. And that extra height can easily boost your confidence,” says Marsha, who does stage performances weekly.

Most of her performances are in the peninsula but she also enjoys those held in Sabah as they offer the opportunity to balik kampung.



She used to crisscross the country in the Proton Savvy and Honda City of her manager, Syadha Rosli, until she got herself a white Toyota Vios G last Christmas.

“It’s my very first car and also my Christmas present,” she says.

She chose white, she says, as it is her favourite colour and makes the car look sexy.

“Besides, white is also the cheapest colour,” she says.

Her furthest drive in the two-month-old car was to Johor Baru and back.

For a long time now, Marsha has refused to drive after witnessing a cat being run down by a car a few feet away from her.

She eventually overcame her fear after moving to Kuala Lumpur where travelling and driving is a necessity.

“I try not to drive alone and always get a ‘navigator’ because my sense of direction in KL is not so good,” she says.

But she knows where the good shopping malls are and will gladly show you the way.

And if there’s a sale going on, do let her know about it.