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The MIC – Best Of Africa Talent Search

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3 July 2006 No Comment

The MIC Show is a talent search concept that was born from the passion for technically and economically empowering young unreleased artists in Africa by giving them a free platform to launch their careers from. An event where they would perform then get instant feedback from the audience and judges. MARC (Musicians and Actors’ Resource Center, Botswana) under the directorship of Franklyn M. Moyo, C.E.O of Fresh Ideas, one of the sponsoring companies and the founder of both MARC and the MIC Show concept, started hosting the talent search in Gaborone, Botswana on a small scale on September 8 2005. MARC was launched in May 2005 with his Excellency Sir Joseph Huggins, the former United States Ambassador to Botswana as the officiating guest of honour. The MIC Show is actually a concept that was born from the auditions for the MIC movie. After failing to get satisfactory performance by those who were auditioning for the movie, Moyo thought of looking for characters through the use of a talent search event and the idea worked wonders. The MIC movie itself will be shot in December this year and released some time in April next year.

The MIC “Best of Africa” series is a wider version of the above mentioned MIC concept and also part of the above mentioned movie. Some of the scenes and finalists from this prestigious show will be included in the movie.

MISSION

The MIC (Best of Africa Series)’s goal is to be part of the chain of events that leads to opportunity internationally, as well as market the host country. After many successful years of bringing artists and industry together to network, get educated and enjoy great music, The MIC will remain one of the greatest avenues of discovery for new talent in Africa.

OBJECTIVES

1. To facilitate the establishment of a long lasting networking of African young performing artists.

2. To promote young African performing artists without undermining our diverse cultural and traditional values.

3. To raise funds for assisting young and upcoming artists in different parts of the African continent.

4. To be the best Africa originated event that leads to opportunity

5. To have a share in the development of the participating countries’ economies in the sense that the event will be hosted in a different country each year. This will give the host country a chance to market itself as well as gain economically in various ways such as employment creation.

6. To use this event as a tool in fighting against poverty, crime, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS

7. To fight xenophobia amongst African countries, because for Africa to win in the fight against her ills listed in point 6, we, her people have to be united.

8. To build a strong African “multi Billion Dollar” performing arts industry that will have a significant share in the entire entertainment world market.

9. To encourage the study of music and other forms of performing arts in our African education system.

10. To promote and develop the standard of music performance in Africa by sourcing proper and professional music equipment for the artists.

11. To uphold the importance of performing arts in the development of a country’s economy. The 8 day reality show scheduled for November 26 to December 3 2006 here in Botswana will be viewed by more than 70 million people across Africa and parts of Asia, the Americas and Europe. The show is open to UNSIGNED/UNRELEASED ARTISTS aged between 16 and 30 years.

For the first time this year, MARC (Musicians & Actors’ Resource Center will give Africa something wider and more interesting than other already existing talent search events. Seven (7) categories that include Hip Hop, R&B, Afro Pop, Gospel/Christian, Traditional, Acappella and Dance Choreography. The top two will be selected from each category. US$200,000.00+ worth of prizes will be up for grabs. To participate, aspiring contestants have to send in their demo CD’s and video tapes. The judging team (from USA and UK) will determine a top 40 for each category through the reviewing of these demo’s and those who make it to the top 40 in each category will be notified by post, e-mail, telephone, fax or through the media in good time so they can prepare for the main event.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

 All those who will be selected into the top 40 are advised to be in Botswana by Sunday 19th November 2006 (7 days prior to the start of the event) for the sake of familiarizing themselves with the environment. This is to their own advantage not anybody else’s. Other wise the deadline for check in is Sunday 26th November 2006 at 1500Hours.

Our aim is to produce viable young African stars in the notoriously fickle music business. The Grand Finale will take place on December 3rd 2006.

EVENT SCHEDULE

SUNDAY 26TH NOV –

DEADLINE FOR ARRIVAL OF ARTISTS 1500 Hours OFFICIAL OPPENING OF THE EVENT 1800 Hours

MONDAY 27TH –

90 Seconds (Dash Knock Out Round) Day 1, contestants will be asked to perform only 90 seconds (1Min 30 Secs) of their acts of their choice.. This round will determine who goes to the top 20 in each category.

In these rounds, the judges will be looking for stage presence, creativity and, without a doubt, vocal talent. Contestants are required to bring out the best of themselves, let the star inside them shine forth, and perform with all they’ve got.

TUESDAY 28TH NOV –

ROUND 2 Day 2 will feature the top 20 from Hip Hop & R&B music Categories. At the end of Day 2, the judges and the public will choose the contestants that have made it though to the next round: the Top 15 in each of the two categories.

WEDNESDAY 29TH NOV –

ROUND 3 Day 3 will feature the top 20 from Gospel & Acappella music Categories. At the end of Day 3, the judges and the public will choose the contestants that have made it though to the next round: the Top 15 in each of the two categories. (Please Note that ACAPPELLA refers to any kind of music without instruments: Doo Woop, African Acappella (Lady Smith Black Mambazo style) Acappella Jazz, Pop etc. it can contain Christian lyrics, secular lyrics, contemporary lyrics. It doesn’t matter)

THURSDAY 30TH NOV-

ROUND 4: Day 4 will feature the top 20 from Afro Pop & Traditional Singing Categories. At the end of Day 4, the judges and the public will choose the contestants that have made it though to the next round: the Top 15 in each of the two categories.

FRIDAY 1ST DEC

Day 5 will feature the top 20 from the Dance Choreography Category. At the end of Day 5, the judges and the public will choose the contestants that have made it though to the next round: the Top 5 in each of the two categories.

SATURDAY 2ND DEC –

Day 6 will feature all the Top 5s from each of the listed categories. At the end of day 6 the judges, the audience and the viewers will choose the No. 1s and 2s for each category. Voting will be via sms, telephone (live on TV and Radio) as well as through the MIC Website. Voting lines will open at the end of Day 6 and close at 15 Hours on Sunday 3rd December 2006.

SUNDAY 3RD DEC –

1930 Hours:PRIZE GIVING FINALE It is during this glamorous event, that the number 1s and 2s from each category will be announced and crowned.

ACCOMMODATION

If you are selected into the TOP 40 and you are from outside Botswana, please contact your country rep or call us directly to arrange for your accommodation.

FOR MORE INFO: themicbw@yahoo.co.uk

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