As Season 20 of the popular competition, Digicel Rising Stars, continues to march on, the quality of the talent in this year’s cohort cannot be denied. However, it’s going to take more than raw talent to win them the top prize. Our news team stopped by the studios of TVJ to catch last Sunday’s staging of the talent show – and the contestants certainly brought the talent portion! However, as the night continued, it was clear it would take more than a great singing voice to wow the likes of veteran entertainment stalwarts and competition judges Anthony Miller, Alaine and Conroy Wilson.
In a conversation with The Gleaner , the trio explained that raw talent will only bring one so far and no more. “We are definitely hopeful,” said singer-songwriter Alaine. “There is a good crop of talent here, and we just want to see them grow.
It is just unfortunate that sometimes song choices bring low votes.” “The competition is about talent, but it is also about your ability to engage an audience and get votes. So, if that doesn’t happen, you could be as talented as the stars, you’re going to get voted off,” Conroy Wilson added.
Their comments come on the heels of fan-favourite rising star Louise Thompson being voted off during last Sunday’s elimination round. As she delivered her final performance, murmurs could be heard from the live audience echoing a similar sentiment – how could someone so talented be eliminated this early? However, the judges used the opportunity to reiterate the need for the wider public to vote to keep their favourite star around. “This is a game of engagement of your audience and carrying people with you along the journey.
And so, while you’re working on your talent, you’re working on engaging people and getting them into your story,” Wilson said. “And take nothing for granted! You have to have a team out there drumming up support and investing in you,” the feared Anthony Miller added. As the singers work on balancing talent with engagement, they are also reminded of the attention that a platform like Digicel Rising Stars affords.
And, series producer, Sharon Schroeter, wants them to make use of it. “What I always tell them is to use this opportunity and milk it for all it’s worth. Cause you are getting a chance that a lot of people don’t have,” Schroeter said.
“A lot of artistes who are out there bleach outside studios every day hoping to get a chance. But what you are getting is airtime ..
. and free airtime at that. Two or three minutes of airtime every week, plus repeats, you can’t pay for that.
So milk it for all it’s worth.” Schroeter, or ‘Auntie Sharon’ as she is affectionately called, has been at the helm of Rising Stars since its inception. She often jokes the show takes up most of her life, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“I came into media in 2001 and 2004 is when I started working on the show. It is a massive, massive part of my life. I think the show can be huge and can go back to where it was – the Chris and Noddy days and stuff like that.
It’s just that the landscape has changed but is just to find new ways to integrate it with this new generation,” she said, even as she made a plea for support for the contestants. “Digicel Rising Stars is still here; we are still making stars. The talent is so amazing.
I was telling them that I want when they leave that they can get a job singing any category needed. But before they get there, they need your support.” The elimination show for Digicel Rising Stars airs every Sunday at 8 p.
m. with live performances starting at 8:30 p.m.
And, with only seven weeks left to go, the public is being encouraged to vote for their favourite star or risk them being eliminated before the finals. [email protected].
