THE MANDEVILLE PRELIMINARY auditions brought out a slew of hopefuls. Many had their eyes twinkling with dreams of being rappers, divas, and deejays. Some contestants quickly distinguished themselves by their attire.
From a veritable clown to a randy rooster, outfits were part of the performance. Leon Haigs from May Day in Mandeville dressed to represent his moniker, 'Mad Askel'. Dressed to the twos in a white and blue jeans gaucha, purple and black jersey, black slippers and white socks and sporting a yellow heavy-rimmed glasses, Mad Askel was one of the most engaging of the group on stage, even though he nearly outdid himself when he used his water bottle, half filled, as a mock microphone.
The 'righteousness' DJ, who earned a spot in the second preliminary round, believes that he was just doing what a star of his ilk would. "I got to go with the name. My name is Mad Askel and I got to wear tings to carry off the name, especially as a young star coming up", he said.
Rooster Rhyme
Brian 'Rooster Rhyme' Taylor nearly brought the house down when he came dressed as a rooster, complete with feathers plucked from his own roosters. Taylor's major goal is exposure.
Hailing from Milk River, Taylor's rooster suit is a chaotic combination of his grandfather's once dapper wine jacket, potholder mittens, a horn and several feathers. Strutting around the venue, the other waiting competitors had to be quieted when it was his turn to take the stage.
When not playing one, Taylor rears roosters. He took his act on the road two years ago, and hopes this will bring him the limelight he needs. "Mi jus kill one one day and cook it down to di gravey and mi decide seh a it dat," says Taylor, explaining how the Rooster Rhyme act was born. Before that day two years ago, Taylor says he had never tried being a deejay. At least up to Saturday night, watching the chickens scratch around his yard was paying off for him.
Though the main prize is an international management and recording contract, Denver Robinson still strove to be a rising star. Unlike most of his competitors, his talent was comedy. Dressed as an oldman, Robinson also got much attention as he moved around the grounds, keeping to his limping character and speaking with his adopted lisp.
From his padded bottom to his discoloured white socks into which one pant leg was stuffed he was an eye-catching stereotype, and that was exactly his intention.
Like Rooster Rhyme, this barber's main goal was exposure. "I would like to get a good feature out of it (the competition)" explains Robinson.
Robinson was not alone among those whose talents stood outside the mainstream. Though not flamboyantly dressed, at 51 years, Bunny Hewitt's age allows him to stand out from the rest. Unlike most of the competitors, his art was poetry.
Bunny has been practicing the craft for 27 years and came armed with a poem he wrote in 1982, Earth Runnings. Though he made it to Sunday's eliminations, Bunny noted that he had not yet informed his two children of his venture to be a star. He noted that he would inform them if he were more successful.
409 persons had answered stardoms' call. They had hailed from Mandeville itself and from surrounding parishes. At the end of the day, just over half of them were sent home. The others would return on Sunday to again see if fame had finally called their number. FROM 17 GOING on 70, the would-be stars came in search of a chance at an international recording and management contract. They came armed with popular R&B songs, gospel, rap and reggae. With only 30 seconds at their disposal they were ready to prove that they were stars.
200 persons advanced from Saturday's auditions at the Fayor's Entertainment Centre in Mandeville, to be whittled down again to a mere ten, on Sunday. They were vying for their chance at fame, courtesy of TVJ's talent competition 'Rising Stars'. Mandeville's auditions had pulled more than the Ocho Rios and Portland stops of Rising Star combined.
Elation wrote itself upon the faces of those who would move to the next day's selection process, suggesting that they had arrived. It seemed that Sunday could bring only sunshine, but the already overcast sky forecast the reality.
"I'm destined to be a future superstar," quipped 25 year-old Maxine Bryan into the microphone when told to introduce herself. At 4'6" Maxine bubbled with energy and assurance. This pint-sized diva in the making, was ready to embrace stardom.
Desmond Lovelace a.k.a 'Prince Abukar' travelled from Clarendon to thrill with his guitar and sing You and I, a song he wrote. The Bob Marley-inspired singer advanced to the second preliminary auditions but reserved his judgement about his chances in the competition. "I really feel good", he said. "It depends on my potential and what these people feel about my songs."
Wrol Foster jumped at the chance to realize his dream a lot earlier than planned. The 24-year-old student of the Mandeville Craft Institute where he specialises in Food Preparation says he wanted to get into the Hotel industry as a means of one day breaking out as a singer. To him the possibility of becoming the Rising Star was a better lure than tourism's sea, sun and sand.
Young ones
Even those who were still in school and just barely over the 16 year age limit had their sights firmly glued on superstardom. 17-year-old student from DeCartet College in Manchester, Terese Heron seemed one of the obvious contenders for the ultimate prize. Her strong voice rose above the mutterings in the Fayors Entertainment Centre as she belted out Etta James' At Last.
Tashiana 'Baby Sweet' Petgrave from Denbigh High School in Clarendon also advanced to the finals singing Celine Dion's hit, 'Goodbye'. Dressed in a black mini skirt and yellow strapless top, boots and broad-rimmed hat, Tashiana appeared at the auditions outfitted for the stage.
18-year-old Arnella Whyte was so overcome by her success that she could barely speak. "I'm just so, hmmm, right now," she exclaimed literally grining from ear to ear as she fanned herself in a futile attempt to calm down. Arnella had come with the encouragement of her cousins although she says that she had never tried a talent competition before.
Keron Palmer is also 18. He came armed with his guitar and The Rain In Your Eyes a song he had written for his girlfriend. Palmer who works at the Bethlehem Moravian College through the National Youth Service programme explained that he had been playing the guitar for just three months.
Unique experience
"I just wanted to see the reaction I would get from the judges to see if the song would be accepted," he said, explaining why he had come to the auditions.
Even so, even separate from the camera, his skills were called for. Palmer soon found himself the centre of an impromptu jam as the contestants sharpened their rhyming skills while he strummed the guitar. Palmer explained that it was a unique experience, for before that he had never played reggae.
The experience however, seemed to have bolstered his confidence which may have helped him get that coveted slip of paper which told him to come back the next day.
"I have never felt so much anxiety and yet I've never felt so confident," said Palmer. Fitting words for one who may yet become a rising star.
