Kavelle Anglin-Christie, Staff Reporter
Left: Rising Star competition winner Christopher Martin. Right: Noddy Virtue - FILE PHOTO
THIS YEAR'S season of Rising Stars promises to be even bigger and better.
According to Mike Hogan, Executive Director of the show, there will be a number of changes, some of which he wished to be a surprise.
"There is even going to be a change in the voting system, but you are going to have to wait on the show to see," he said at the show's launch.
The launch was held at the Courtleigh Auditorium at the Island Life Mall, New Kingston, on Tuesday night. That was not the only promised change - a new face has been added to the Rising Stars team, that of booking agent, Jerome Hamilton.
Hamilton has worked with many successful entertainers, including Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley, Baby Cham and most have credited him as being a dominant force behind their careers. According to Hogan, this was one of the chief reasons he was recruited.
PROBLEM
"We saw a problem when the contestants get to a point at the final stage of the competition. We think that it is important that they don't get in, but they learn as well. So Jerome will be acting as the artiste liaison manager ... and offering advice and training them how to walk, talk and project themselves," he said.
The night didn't consist of only speeches, there were also performances by the winner and runner-up of last year's competition, Chris Martin and Noddy Virtue, and a skit.
The skit was a mock version of the competition which had the audience and the judges - Nadine Sutherland, Clyde McKenzie and Anthony Miller - heaving with laughter.
However, host for the night and the show, Denise Hunt, didn't forget to talk about the prizes. The winner will receive a management contract from Shocking Vibes and a cash prize of $1 million. The second place winner will receive $600, 000 and the third place winner will take home $400,000.
This year's auditions will kick off on Saturday, April 8, at Pier One, Montego Bay, and will continue at Fayors Entertainment Complex, Mandeville, on Saturday, April 22; Wavz Entertainment Centre, Negril on Saturday April 29; Island Village, Ocho Rios, on Saturday, May 6, and finally, the National Stadium, Kingston, on Saturday, May 13.
