Malawi music talent show: Sunbird Search for a Star auditions starts 21 July

Malawi’s music talent search show, the Sunbird Search for a Star (SSS) returns with Season 2 this year and the auditions are scheduled to start on 21 July, about three weeks away from now.

Sunbird Tourism Limited, who are the main financiers of the event, in partnership with the producers, E-Wallet, made an official announcement on Friday that the competition was back this year.

Sunbird, who came in as main sponsors last year and rebranded the competition from E-Wallet Talent Show to Sunbird Search for a Star, told the press in Blantyre that the 2013 edition proved to be a success and promised that Season 2 would be bigger and better.

“The competition was a success in 2013 and the competition has been proven effective to showcase innovative singing talent as well as discovering and developing new young talent in Malawi,” said Sunbird Tourism group sales manager Titania Katenga Kaunda.

“Sunbird Search for a Star will continue to focus on unearthing individual musical talent. We are excited about the prospects of the competition being bigger and better than last year,” she pledged.

Announcing dates and venues for auditions, Katenga-Kaunda said as last year, the search will take place at six of its seven hotels in the south, east, central and northern regions of the country.

The auditions are slated to start on 21 July at Sunbird Ku Chawe in Zomba and will be followed by Mangochi at Sunbird Nkopola on 23 July. Third on the list is Sunbird Mzuzu where auditions will take place on 25 July.

From the north, the SSS team will go to the central region where auditions will be conducted at Sunbird Lilongwe on 27 July, then Salima at Sunbird Livingstonia Beach on 29 July. Blantyre will be the final destination for the crew and they are expected to conduct auditions at Sunbird Mount Soche on 31 July.

“The search will take the form of a competition open to 18-35 year old contestants,” said Katenga-Kaunda, adding “the auditions will then be followed by the eviction shows which will be held at Sunbird Capital and Sunbird Mount Soche.”

In his remarks, E-Wallet boss Felix Njawala, added that this year, people should expect changes in the format the show is presented.

“We had a lot of suggestions in the previous season and I’m pleased to assure the public that we have managed to incorporate some of the ideas, hence they should expect new things this year,” said Njawala.

“People had suggested the use of a live equipment from the word go and I can assure them that from the onset this year contenders will be backed by a band from the onset, no CDs,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sunbird Search for a Star has maintained two of last year’s judges namely Marvin Hanke and Dumisani Mfune. According to the officials, the third judge will be announced in due course.

As for the host of the show, which is beamed on MBCtv, the producers will be conducting an open audition for an MC at Sunbird Mount Soche on 10 July.

The 2014 SSS is expected to run for about four months, with the grand finale likely to be held on 5 October at Sunbird Mount Soche where five finalists will compete for the ultimate prize to be announced at the start of the show. Last year’s winner, Adrian Kwelepeta from Lilongwe went home with K500,000.

Sunbird Tourism and E-Wallet say they have also prepared a special package for two journalists, who are adjudged to have written the best stories during the contest and they will win a weekend trip for two to any Sunbird Hotel and Resort.