My Star local musical talent show is at an advanced stage and on point, ready to launch a brand new season’s audition shows across the country- the first slated for Maun during the festive season.
“The auditions will then roll over the across country,” said Master Dee Sesinyi , the founder of programme which has become a hit with the public and is screened even on the local Botswana television.
A series of venues have been selected to be visited including Palapye, Lobatse, Mahalapye and Francistown amongst others with Master Dee envisaging to round off the auditions by the end of January next year.
“We are trying by all means to reach to the people including from far-flung areas of the country, but the problem is money,” he added, unsure whether or not his team will reach places like Ghantsi.
“We have in past visited Ghantsi,” the former musician however reassured, saying his brain-child musical search talent show intends to unearth raw capability and flair from the grass-roots including in rural areas.
From a minor age of 16, the public qualifies for My Star auditions and eventually the finals.
P200 gets the contestants to battle for positions in the auditions, with the audience expected to pop-out P40 to watch the musical aspirants do their thing.
“I will not mention any surprises. Prizes come with the sponsors as they lend support to the programme,” Master Dee said.
For the past two consecutive years, the winner for My Star went away with a whopping P100.000- a far cry from a meager prize of P30, 000 at the inception of the programme 8 years ago.
The director of the Show however decries the conditions of the venues they hold the auditions and competition finals often without sufficient and adequate sound proof.
The venues are often community halls and government schools auditoriums.
Master Dee is that notwithstanding quick to give a pat on the back of government for support so far rendered.
“Together with ministry of Sports and Arts we are working hand in hand to assist in unearthing natural talent,” he concluded.
Master cited the P50.000 annual commitment the ministry has vowed to undertake towards every grand finale in addition to top notch sponsorship for the top three winners.
Notable sponsor for the Show so far is Mascom mobile telecommunications which has todate upped the prize contest for years now, making the programme a darling with both the contenders and general public.
The competition finals resume immediately after January audition wrap up , presumably March.
