ESSENCE looks to seamlessly make the transition into music as they team up with R&B mogul and legend, Pebbles to present R&B Star: Search For the Next Singing Sensation. Beginning March 19th, aspiring hopefuls can log on to Essence.com/RBStar to enter into the contest. Live auditions will be held in the nationâs most notable music hotspots: Atlanta, New York, and Los Angeles.
Upon winning, ESSENCE is offering an instant pass to superstardom as the winner of the competition will receive a one year artist management contract with music icon Kevin Lilesâ KWL Enterprises, a feature in an upcoming issue of ESSENCE, and a debut performance at the magazineâs coveted 2011 ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans.
Pebbles is the ideal choice for this project. Hailed in the industry as a visionary with a keen eye for talent, she is sure to bring to the genre a fresh face with a classic R&B sound. “It is an honor to partner with ESSENCE an iconic brand that shares my love and commitment to the celebration of black music,” says Pebbles. “I look forward to furthering our contributions to this genre by identifying the next undeniable superstar talent!”
Fans will be able to follow along with Pebbles and ESSENCE via photo galleries and interactive webisodes of the entire process. Contestants unable to make it to the selected audition locations have nothing to fear. ESSENCE.com is allowing online submissions on their website from March 21-April 20th. Judges will then begin the difficult task of narrowing the bright-eyed singers down to six contestants. From that point on, the finalists will enroll in a one-week artist boot camp in Atlanta, developing media skills, styling, and voice lessons. At the conclusion of the boot camp, voting will begin on Essence.com and mobile devices.
Based upon viewer and fan votes, the final three will finish their months-long journey to New Orleans for ESSENCEâs festival in July, where the ultimate winner will be announced.
Singersroom was one of the first media outlets ESSENCE chose to give an exclusive on the competition. Our team recently caught up with Pebbles as she gave us her thoughts on ESSENCE, the competition, and what it takes to become the next R&B Star.
âI think especially with having a project of this magnitude being done with ESSENCE is going to make it that much more interesting and vital,â Pebbles tells Singersroom. âWeâre laying a new blueprint of what people should look at. Being a woman and being that Iâm involved with womenâs ministry, Iâve kind of always been in leadership positions. I think we should talk to each other about the trials, triumphs, and even the tragedies in life and music as well. From being broken to being made whole – itâs not even just about music, itâs almost like music is what draws you in but itâs more about helping the overall wholeness of an artist.â
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