The
Tribune
Published
On: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
By
REUBEN SHEARER Nassau Tribune Features
Reporter
JOE JACKSON KICKS OFF "WE ARE THE WORLD" ALL
NATIONS
TALENT SEARCH AT WYNDHAM NASSAU RESORT
LOCAL
artists gave their all at an international singing competition
hosted by Joe Jackson, father of the deceased King of
Pop Michael Jackson.
Mr
Jackson visited Nassau last Thursday with partner (Erick
Hansen of Blue
Star Technologies) of his record label in search of
a new singing sensation for his company Mar-Ance Records.
The
talent search was part of the festivities celebrating
the Wyndham
Nassau Beach Resort and Crystal Palace Casino's reopening
last weekend.
Summing
up the local performances, Mr Jackson told Tribune Entertainment:
"Tonight's talent was pretty good. It's been a while
since I've been down here. I needed to get away from all
the stress I was under with my son. All of the performances
were pretty good."
The
event was held at the Crystal Palace Casino Rainforest
Theatre last Friday evening, and ten performers sang an
array of reggae, R&B, hip hop, and even Bahamian hits
for Mr Jackson and his crew in hopes of capturing the
winning spot, which would secure them a contract with
Mar-Ance Records.
The
winning act also opened the Blue Star Talent and Beauty
Showcase on Saturday night in the Rainforest Theater.
Awards were given by Mr Jackson in the following categories:
Island or freestyle music, country, and pop.
But
it was Latin sensation Yulee B of Cuba, whose real name
is Julie Fernandez, who emerged as the winner of the competition,
beating out top Bahamian performers like Sammi Starr,
Sketch, Puzzle, and emerging artists like Tessah Munroe,
Savage Bowe, and Bahamian Idol winner Travis Clarke.
She
was one of the first acts to perform on Friday night,
and wowed the crowd with her distinctive tone and flamenco
dance moves in an entertaining performance of "I
will always love you," a classic hit made famous
by both Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston.
Later
on in the competition, Savage Bowe, a R&B and culture
singer, performed 'It's a jungle out there,' which is
number one on 'Bahama Hot Ones.' He gave an energetic
performance of the song that talks about making it in
the country's rat race.
Travis
Clarke, who is no stranger to singing competitions, belted
out Toni Braxton's popular ballad 'Unbreak my heart',
and wowed the crowd with his vocal range.
Young
Tessah Munroe, 18, brought all she had to the competition
in a sultry rendition of 'Summertime' by Fantasia Barrino,
winner of American Idol 3.
Tessah,
who messed up the song in a first attempt, graciously
asked for a second chance, and came back even stronger.
Sammi
Starr and Christopher 'Sketch' Carey performed together
in a pulsating collaboration. The artists serenaded the
ladies in the auditorium, who swayed side to side as the
duo performed 'Pick Me,' a song infused with Junkanoo
and R&B flavours. Both artists then performed separately,
singing their hits 'I'll Never Leave' and 'My Candidate',
respectively.
Starr
and Carey looked to be favourites early on in the competition
and hoped they would be signed together as artists on
Mr Jackson's label.
Sketch,
who worried about "passing out " on-stage, morphed
into character for a commanding performance.
Alas,
the win was just out of the duo's reach.
Along
with a record deal, a host of other opportunities will
be afforded winner Yulee B.
She
will be live on the red carpet at the advance screening
and premiere of Michael Jackson's film "This Is It"
later this month at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las
Vegas.
Photos of the Blue Star
Talent Search & Beauty Pageant
Photos of the Talent Search by Curt Holstein:
Top to Bottom: Joe Jackson with all the performers at
the Crystal Palace Rainforest Theater. Second: Mar-Ance
artist Zika, Jackson, winner Julie Fernandez, Bahamian
Host Wesley and Blue Star's Erick Hansen. Third: Bahamian
heart throbs Sammi Star and Christopher 'Sketch' Carey
belt out the number one hit 'Pick Me'. Fourth: Recording
artist Puzzle sings 'Beautiful' to Blue Star Girl Tricia
Vargas. Fifth: La Flora Venenosa and Gisitory open the
showcase. Sixth: The winners of the Blue Star Girl Search
are 2nd Place: Melissa Gutteriz of San Diego, CA, 3rd
Place: Jennifer Spencer of Sacramento, CA, and winner:
Jhlechia Ervin of Tallahassee, FL
BLUE STAR TECHNOLOGIES INTRODUCES
BLUE STAR GIRLS AT
WYNDHAM NASSAU RESORT SHOWCASE
The
"We Are World" All Nations Talent Search and
Blue Star Beauty Pageant was staged by Blue Star Technologies
and PlayerXT. The Search will continue to other islands
in the Caribbean, then on to Africa and Europe. The show
was MC 'd by PlayerXT's Marcello Pimental and the beautiful
Maya Rochelle.
PlayerXT's La
Flora Venenosa and Grisitory opened up the show, and
Joe Jackson's Mar-Ance Artist, the beautiful Zika
closed the show. PlayerXT brought in top photographers
from all over the world to shoot these beautiful models
from all over the US. There was famed glamour photographer
Mark Daughn of Mystique
Magazine, Paul
Miller of Bullz-Eye, Bo Hitchcock of Playboy Publications
and John Neyrot.
Special thanks to Joe and Gricelle at
Senior Frogs for a very special Welcoming Party. What
a location.
Look for the Blue Star Girl web site: BlueStarGirl.com
for these beautiful girls adventures. They are a promotional
team that is concerned with health, fitness and beauty.
While in the Bahamas, besides the beauty pageant, they
participated in a fitness challenge and the international
bikini pillow fighting championships won by Ashley Barker.
