THE third edition of the annual DreamStar Zimbabwe Talent Show organised by the Chinese Federation of Zimbabwe (CFZ) is heading for its climax, with 20 artistes drawn from Harare and Bulawayo making it into the semi-finals set for November 5 at LongCheng Plaza in Harare.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
Harare and Bulawayo, over the weekend, concurrently hosted the regional auditions, with each city providing 10 artistes, who will battle it out for the top 10 slots before the grand finale set for December 17 at the Harare International Conference Centre.
In Bulawayo, at Rainbow Hotel, dancers dominated the auditions, with five of them being selected alongside four singers and drummers, Southern Djembenatives, while in Harare, three dancers, two beat boxers, four singers and a band were selected for the semi-finals.
DreamStar spokesperson, Tinashe Kitchen yesterday told NewsDay that the level of competition at this year’s auditions was very high.
“It was not that easy to come up with the semi-finalists, as a vast number of young talented artistes turned up for the auditions, giving the judges a difficult time to select the top 20 from both Bulawayo and Harare to advance to the semi-finals set for November 5,” he said.
Kitchen said the ultimate winner would pocket $3 000, while the second and third prizes were pegged at $1 500 and $500 respectively, with academic scholarship and employment opportunities to be awarded to outstanding individuals and groups.
Talent show director, Steve Zhao said the top 10 finalists were set to travel to China for a two to three-week cultural exchange tour.
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“As a way of according the talented upcoming artistes the much-needed exposure and experience of performing, they will travel to China for some performances at some of China and the world’s main stages, with academic scholarship and employment opportunities also to be provided for outstanding individuals and groups,” he said.
Established by the CFZ, Jacaranda Culture and Media Corporation, DreamStar Zimbabwe Talent Show is an entertainment platform that seeks to empower local talented youths aged between 12 and 40.
