Talent hunt mania thrives

- Search for Guwahati’s best campus singer over four days

A STAFF REPORTER

A promotional of the music contest

Guwahati, Sept. 27: As Shillong lad Amit Paul contemplates life after Indian Idol 3, it’s time for a localised talent hunt on television with text messaging as the public voting option.

TVS College Icon, a hunt for the best campus singer in Guwahati, will begin on October 6. But unlike most such contests on television, SMS voting alone will not decide the winner.

“Three well-known personalities of the state’s music scene will judge the winner. To make the contest interactive and ensure people’s participation, people will also vote through SMS. However, the judges will have the final say,” said Rajneesh Das, whose Joya Communications is organising the contest.

Amit, singer-composer Zubeen Garg and the region’s first talent-hunt winner, Debojit Saha, are likely to take turns in cheering the participants in the four-day contest. A source said Debojit or Amit, or both, could be among the panel of judges during the final round.

Apart from a one-album contract with an Assam-based music company, the winner will get a motorbike from TVS, the sponsor of the contest. The organisers refused to divulge the name of the music company because “certain formalities are pending”.

J.S. Rathore, the area manager of Northeast TVS, said the company was happy to be associated with the contest. “When we came to know about the contest, we just grabbed the opportunity to associate ourselves with the unique event. Our association with the contest is to ensure that the best of singers from Guwahati get the right platform to showcase their talent.”

The contest will be part of the pre-puja carnival, Guwahati Mahotsav, at the Sonaram School Field in Bharalamukh from September 30 to October 9.

The contest will be aired live on Prag Channel Plus, a local cable channel.

Debojit, who won the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Voice of India contest on Zee TV last year, was all praise for the attempt to find the best campus singer in Guwahati.

“It is a step in the right direction. Small cities and towns in the country are full of young, talented people and Guwahati is no exception. But they hardly get the chance to showcase their talent. I am so excited at the prospect of seeing the first campus icon of Guwahati,” he told The Telegraph over the phone from Mumbai.

National award winner Tarali Sarma echoed him. “I am sure the contest will bring many undiscovered talents of the city to the fore,” she said.

Besides the three judges, a celebrity — from the music or film industry — will be on the panel on each day of the contest.

“We have already selected the judges, but will declare their names later,” Das said. “We have sent formal invitations to all major colleges of the city to send their best campus singer for the contest. We are in touch with the offices of the principals and students’ unions of these colleges. The response has been quite overwhelming and we hope to make the show a grand one.”

Go ahead, Guwahati, choose your singing icon.

Next Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10