Cellink Jingle 2009
It was all entertainment, thrills and excitement as communications giant GT&T got off on the first leg of auditions for this year’s Jingle and Song Competition at the Duke’s Lodge, Kingston, Georgetown.

The auditions, 10:00 hrs each day, ended on Sunday. The semifinal segment is set for July 12, while the final showdown is carded for July 26. June 19 is the date set for auditions in Berbice while the Linden auditions will be staged on June 21.

Over 1,000 entries were received for the Georgetown segment and participants arrived all smiling in their numbers. The GT&T models handled that aspect of the competition and events proceeded smoothly. Even though it was the city leg it was noted that entrants hailed from as far as Berbice, West and East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, and even as far as Linden.

Relatives and well wishers were present to cheer their favourites on as contestants performed a song of their choice. They were given a blue card marked ‘Pass’ if they were successful, and a red one marked ‘Sorry’ if they failed to impress the judges. There were many sad faces as some did not meet the mark but screams of exultation could be heard all around from those who were successful.

Contestants nervously await their turn to be called.

GT&T this year has partnered with corporate sponsors Ansa McAl Ltd, Beharry Automotive Ltd, NCN, Impressions, Caribbean Airlines, Wireless Connections, and HJTV, who all share in the objectives of providing an opportunity for young local artistes to market and highlight their talent and to contribute to the development of the music industry in Guyana.

Under the theme ‘Caribbean Rhythm, Guyanese Vybz’, the competition will see auditions being hosted in Essequibo, Linden, Georgetown and Berbice. For 2009 the company exceeded expectations and is making it possible for the winner to take home a Toyota VIOS (Blue) motor car, a one year endorsement contract with GT&T, complimentary recording of a single, an Apple IPOD Touch, a Samsung Bluetooth Headset and a cellular phone. The second place winner will take home $500,000, a one year endorsement contract with GT&T, an Apple IPOD Touch, a return trip to Jamaica, and a cellular phone, while the third place contestant takes home $250, 000, a return trip to Trinidad, and an Apple IPOD Touch, and of course a cellular phone.

This contestant earned the right to stay in the competition.

After the countrywide auditions are concluded, 25 persons will be short listed for the quarterfinals. The GT&T Cellink Jingle and Song Competition will be aired every Thursday night on NCN, and HJTV.

An elegant ‘Blue Carpet Cocktail’ will be hosted in the honour of the quarter-finalists which will mark the official launch of the competition. At this, contestants will be presented to the public for the first time and will of course mingle and interact with media representatives and special invitees, and use this first opportunity to showcase their vocal abilities. There will be no judging of the contestants’ presentation at this segment.

There contestants will be tasked with composing a jingle for a promotional concept to be provided by GT&T. They will thereafter be directed to a recording studio and their compositions will be recorded at the company’s expense. The jingle of every contestant will be aired on radio and the public will be invited to vote for their favourite one.

The first quarter-final will be staged at the Theatre Guild and tickets will be sold for this and every segment that follows.

Many colourful and artistic Caribbean themes will be created for each night of competition and while the participants will perform in front of a panel of judges, the song they perform will be selected according to the theme of the night.

The judges selected for the competition are Sean Bhola, Oliver Basdeo and gospel songstress, Cheryl Maloney. The scores from the judges and the public would be combined in a weighting of 60:40 to determine who will move forward in the competition.

Fifteen contestants will move forward to the semi-finals and all the previous scores will be erased at this point. They will then perform the same jingle and sing a song based on the Caribbean theme selected for the night in question. At this point eliminations will see only ten persons being selected for the final segment.

Then contestants will be tasked with composing and recording an original song. They will record their entries at a selected recording studio, compliments of GT&T and both their songs and jingles will be given radio air time for the public to vote for their choice of winners.