‘Digicel Rising Stars’ returns

“The auditions are more compact than the previous three years which makes the competition more intense. There will be one grand audition at Fiesta Plaza, Movie Towne over the 5th and 6th of September,” says Sacha Thompson Digicel’s Marketing and Brand Manager.

The shortened audition period is not the only exciting change that will debut this season. Award winning musical director and voice coach, Glenda Collens, will join long-time Digicel Rising Stars judges Michael Salickram and Johnny Gonsalves to lend her expertise on a celebrity panel.

The trio will determine who goes through from the two-day audition to the live performances. While Salickram, Gonzalves and Collens will have their say after every performance, it’s the viewing public that determines who will advance to the next round of competition and who will go home. Voting via telephone and text messaging begins immediately after each broadcast performance.

Eventually the competition is narrowed down to three finalists who this year will compete for a over $200,000 in cash prizes, a major recording contract, a music video and the coveted Digicel Rising Stars title. The seven live shows will be held for the first time at the Alchemy Night Club, the refurbished Strand Cinema in front of a studio audience.

Past winners Eclectik, Kay Allen and Erica Samuel have become household names and are all developing careers in entertainment.