As the Battle of the Municipalities (Bom) Gospel Music Talent Search nears the end of the audition phase, plans are in place for workshops to assist the top 35.
The Orient Theatre was packed on Saturday with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) hopefuls seeking the R50000 prize and recording deal.
Phelisa Sonjica, 25, speaking ahead of her audition, said: “I’m so nervous. This is my second audition ever in my life. I auditioned for I Want to Sing Gospel season three.”
Sonjica discovered she could sing in 2009 while studying at the Walter Sisulu University.
“There was a talent search and I was just trying my luck. I’ve been singing ever since.”
She has made a career of back-up singing for gospel music groups.
For Roberto Mentoor, 42, singing has been a passion for two decades. He started singing in a church choir at the age of 17 and loves a variety of genres, including RnB and classical. He has also sung for a number of groups.
He said ahead his audition: “I have mixed feelings. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”
Bom kicked off across the province in March. Organised by Sydney Qoqonga, the talent search competition has partnered with the South African Local Government Association (Salga), Vodacom, the Daily Dispatch, veteran musicians and a number of other organisations.
“We auditioned 68 people on Saturday,” Qoqonga said.
He said this was extremely good considering the Orient Theatre was the second venue within BCM to hold auditions.
“When you look at the system, there were more than 100 people who registered, but maybe some got scared or couldn’t wait. But the figure is average. There have been less in other venues like Aliwal North,” he said.
Qoqonga said BCM had seen the best turn-out in the province, and their two venues in the metro had produced 200 hopefuls.
He said only three more venues remained – Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and Queenstown.
“After that we will be doing three-day workshops in all the municipalities with the top 35 contestants.
“The workshops will focus on the basic overview of the value chain of the music business,” he said.
Qoqonga, together with other bodies in the industry such as the South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) will hold the workshops which should enlighten the singers on issues of copyright, distribution and marketing. — vuyiswav@dispatch.co.za
Best of gospel on trial in EL
The Orient Theatre was packed on Saturday with Buffalo City Metro (BCM) hopefuls seeking the R50000 prize and recording deal.
Phelisa Sonjica, 25, speaking ahead of her audition, said: “I’m so nervous. This is my second audition ever in my life. I auditioned for I Want to Sing Gospel season three.”
Sonjica discovered she could sing in 2009 while studying at the Walter Sisulu University.
“There was a talent search and I was just trying my luck. I’ve been singing ever since.”
She has made a career of back-up singing for gospel music groups.
For Roberto Mentoor, 42, singing has been a passion for two decades. He started singing in a church choir at the age of 17 and loves a variety of genres, including RnB and classical. He has also sung for a number of groups.
He said ahead his audition: “I have mixed feelings. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”
Bom kicked off across the province in March. Organised by Sydney Qoqonga, the talent search competition has partnered with the South African Local Government Association (Salga), Vodacom, the Daily Dispatch, veteran musicians and a number of other organisations.
“We auditioned 68 people on Saturday,” Qoqonga said.
He said this was extremely good considering the Orient Theatre was the second venue within BCM to hold auditions.
“When you look at the system, there were more than 100 people who registered, but maybe some got scared or couldn’t wait. But the figure is average. There have been less in other venues like Aliwal North,” he said.
Qoqonga said BCM had seen the best turn-out in the province, and their two venues in the metro had produced 200 hopefuls.
He said only three more venues remained – Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and Queenstown.
“After that we will be doing three-day workshops in all the municipalities with the top 35 contestants.
“The workshops will focus on the basic overview of the value chain of the music business,” he said.
Qoqonga, together with other bodies in the industry such as the South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) will hold the workshops which should enlighten the singers on issues of copyright, distribution and marketing. — vuyiswav@dispatch.co.za
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