A new competition will give local musicians and bands the opportunity to gain exposure and perhaps fame at this year’s Yasalam concert series at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Flash Entertainment’s Emerging Talent Competition opened to entries from all UAE residents on August 17.
A new addition to the Yasalam 2015 concerts, the contest winners will perform in front of 20,000 people at Yasalam Beats on the Beach 2015, which takes place on Abu Dhabi Corniche, alongside other internationally recognised artists. It is an opportunity to gain phenomenal experience, said Lee Charteris, vice-president of Flash Entertainment and one of the judges of the contest.
Composer Reiner Erlings and local rock-band frontman Jay Wud are the other judges. Clarita de Quiroz, Radio 1 presenter Saif and Sound and Kamal Musallam are ambassadors, who will mentor contestants.
Flash Entertainment’s CEO John Lickrish said in a statement that the competition was part of Flash’s goal for Abu Dhabi to be at the forefront of music. “We’ve sought out the best of the UAE talent and today we are excited to introduce the next stage in our music evolution — the Emerging Talent Competition.”
To apply, entrants’ music should be uploaded onto an online platform and sent through the Yasalam website. “We aren’t leaning towards any genre, all are welcome,” Charteris explained. The deadline for entries is October 3.
The winning musician or band will also have access to guidance from mentors in the music industry.
Media training and studio recording time are all part of the winning package as well as earning the status of Flash’s ‘house band resident’ at The Village, and performances at Du Arena and future Flash concerts.
“The time is right because there has never been so many artists contacting us asking how they can break into the music scene and perform live on stage,” said Charteris.
The reason why a substantial amount of residents are seeking out music opportunities could be because of how easy it is today to post music online and send it out to different people and organisations, he added.
Jae Franklin, one of the talent ambassadors for the event, explained the importance of talent and showmanship. “Talent plays an important part on stage because it is translated to the audience … You have to know when to... give it all you got,” she said.
Although the competition is limited to those living in the UAE, Charteris is hopeful that the event will be able to broaden its scope. “We will see how it goes and it is a possibility to provide this opportunity to the wider [GCC] region,” he said.
— Heidi Pullyard is a trainee at Gulf News
How to enter
Visit yasalam.ae and submit your uploaded music by October 3, 11.59pm. Entry is open to UAE-based vocalists and bands over the age of 16.
