Search for A Star launches Oct. 5: Contestants undergo training

Sunbird Search for A Star selected contestants have started undergoing a week-long intensive training before showcasing their skills on stage on Saturday October 5, 2013 when the competition gets started.

Meanwhile, the organizers have replaced some of the contestants who pulled out due to other commitments.

The competition kick-start on Saturday at Mount Soche Hotel with tough contest awaits the contestants. The event is expected to be curtain-raised by blossoming singer Patience Namadingo.

In an interview, Project Coordinator for the contest, Anthony Kafuwa described the training as very important as it will, among other things, help the contestants acclimatize themselves with stage performance with cameras and lights on them.

Kafuwa said through a week-long intensive training, the selected 22 contestants will learn music nitty-gritties and on how to develop their career to greater heights.

“Our vocal trainer will also help contestants polish up mistakes which the judges picked during auditions. this competition opens up opportunities the contestants to learn more beyond the stage performances,” explained Kafuwa.

The competition, formally named E-Wallet and has been adopted by Sunbird Tourism, and this year’s auditions were extended to other districts of Salima, Zomba and Mangochi.

On overall assessment, the ride through auditions was made tough enough with only 22 contestants made it, two down from targeted 24, clearly stating how the judges were strictly on their guard sieving talent from incompetency.

Zomba has contributed four contestants, Blantyre seven, Lilongwe five, Mzuzu four, Salima two and Mangochi contributed none.

On fair note, the judges’ strictness screamed out one fact, not every great voice can sing, and not every soul could turn out to be a singing sensation; no surprising only 22 stood out set to defy the ordinary once the show rolls off early next month.

The panel of the judges, made of Marvin Hanke, Dumisani Mfune and Mildred Ligoya proved, however, beneficial on the part of shelled-out contestants with advice and tips on how they could improve their talent.

Some of the notable shortfalls, pointed out of failed participants, were lack of confidence, diction and most of all, poor voice projection with most of them tend to swallow words to the dismay of the judges.

The competition sponsored by Sunbird Hotels who are providing all the logistics, accommodation, foods and the prize money with this year’s winner expected to pocket K500,000 as a grand prize with a second and third runners up getting K300,000 and K200,000 respectively.

The competition has been devised to find new singing talent-unlike last year where some dancers were incorporated.

The competition reigning champion is Wakhumbachi Kalua who won last year.

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