Kumasi select “Soul Search” talents…Tamale is next!

Last Saturday the newly constructed Hotel Hasta in Kumasi was given its first independent production reality show when it hosted the “Soul Search”, the first ever Gospel Reality Show in the country. About a week ago the Accra version took place at the Earl Beam Hotel where 10 out of the 51 qualified for the next stage of the competition.

I think the audition live up to expectation considering the quality of artistes who turned up for the vetting and want recognition. The smoothness with which the program was conducted and the general satisfaction that was experienced during the questioning and singing series say a whole lot about the organization ability of the organizers to triumph in their first experience.

The program which could have come off at Joyflux Hotel was cancelled by the management of the hotel with a flimsy excuses and everything had to be rescheduled to Hasta Hotel. In spite of the early set backs the program came on and run smoothly. There were about 25 contestants who registered to participate in the event.

They went through question time, voice presentation and vocal delivery. At the end of the first day 8 contestants were short listed in addition to another group who came to register in the final day bringing the number to 13 for which 8 were able to make it to the finals.

By 9am on Saturday all the contestants had assembled at the mini-conference room of the hotel for the final lap of the Kumasi event. The judges, Joshua Amuah of Music Department, University of Ghana Legon, Mrs. Helen Yawson head of music Ministry KICC and the Greater Accra, Regional MUSIGA President Ernest Anim really distinguished themselves very well to take the contestants through the various stages of the audition.

The contestants were made to sing in both English and the local dialect and the interview was conducted in English because of the international dimension of the event. Most of them were impressive in their field of endeavor. There were some fine moments by some of the contestants who really show their readiness to qualify as they put up vintage performances to induce some good feelings and perhaps assisted the judges to keep up their spirit and anxiety. They went through Voice Presentation, Diction, Pitch, Facial Expression, Interpretation and Appearance.

At the end of it all the final day 8 participants were chosen including 2 ladies. They are Ampomah Sekyi Eben, Harriet Eben, Alfred Ampomah, Israel, Daniel Aduba, Miriam Osei Kenedy and Lawrence Mensah. They have qualified to join the 10 already qualified from Greater Accra. They would be joined by 12 yet be selected participants from the other regions which would be visited soon to bring the number to 40 where 10 out of them would be selected for the grand finals.

The “Soul Search” event is to unearth good gospel musicians to be produced by Global Media Alliance (GMA). The event is supposed to take place in the whole country which has been divided into four zones, Southern, The Middle, Northern and Western Zones. The event is sponsored by One Touch and Pepsi Cola. The next stop of the Soul Search audition is expected to take place at the Picona Hotel Tamale from 30th May to 1st June 2008.