My Star 2010 Soon To Have Its Star

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Monday June 14, 2010 00:00

 

Formerly known as Pop Star, the competition is growing and having quite an impact in nurturing local talent, which has stalled due to lack of structures to see it mature and possibly help various holders eke out a living.

This being the stage that leads to the top three and ultimately the naming of the star, contenders are faced with a mammoth task of not only transforming words into songs but also giving them purpose, taste and something that could leave the audience, like Oliver Twist, asking for more.

Unfortunately, this is not smooth sailing. Packaging is a concern constantly on the judges' lips; they shower praises on contenders for executing other artists' songs well, but are mostly negative when they comment on the local contestants' task songs.

Melody is the favourite of words in the competition.  If the trio of Keabetswe 'Master Dee' Sesinyi, Sidney 'Sid' Baitsile and Kgomotso Tswenyego were to compose and perform songs on their judging experiences; melody could be the title track, and it could form an essential part of the chorus with the aid of the word bridge.

Rightfully so, without melody an artist's breath and talent are better kept to oneself as the audience is unlikely to remember a song without a defined melody.  Yes, it is the tune that is carried throughout the song that is most remembered.

Bridge.  This is another word that does not cease from the trio's lips.This is said to be the part in which a song breaks away from the monotony of the set pattern and injects some excitement. It is hectic as contenders come on stage and forget their own lyrics, a thing most of them rarely do with other artists' songs. 'Try to make your chorus catchy,' has become the refrain not by desire but because contenders lack song-writing basics.

It is unfortunate that Gaone Ditirafalo, one contestant who with the necessary practice could make a good composer, kissed the battle goodbye last Friday. Though she came handy in that part, Gaone did not give the competition the right attitude from the onset as her talent was often buried in her shyness and non-engaging performances.

In battles like this one, the right attitude and self-belief can work wonders for an individual. Ask Kgalalelo Abotseng if you want any testimony.  Like the old adage goes, 'first impressions count'.  She is one contender who planted positive seeds in this battle and the results are visible even to a blind man.

Kgalalelo stands firm as an entertainer who engages her audience and with absolute control on stage. With phrases like, 'I love you all' directed to the audience, she surely has a place in the stardom world; even if she does not make it in this competition her future in the entertainment industry is certainly yellow - not orange!