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Tuesday, August 15, 2000
So you wanna be a Popstar |
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By BILL BRIOUX -- Toronto Sun
TORONTO -- "It's Canada's largest open audition."
That's how Allan Reid, vice-president of Universal Music Canada, describes this week's cattle call for the upcoming music series Popstars.
The auditions, hosted by Global and Lone Eagle Entertainment, start at 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning at the Paramount Theatre at the corner of Richmond and John Sts.
Anyone interested in becoming a Popstar must be a female (or really convincing in heels), between the ages of 18 and 25 and ready to sing one of five songs posted on the Web site www.popstars.ca.
The series, which is somewhat similar to ABC's Making The Band, debuted last January in Australia and became the highest-rated program in five years in the land down under.
Hey hey -- it worked for The Monkees.
The 13-episode Canadian "docu-drama," which debuts on Global this January, will follow the lives of five Spice Girl wannabes as they're groomed for stardom.
"Actually, we're hoping for a cross between All Saints and TLC," says Reid, who is one of the judges.
The lucky five who are eventually chosen will receive an international recording deal, plus plenty of Spandex.
The Aussie band, called Bardot, had a No. 1 record there. An earlier show in New Zealand had a similar star-making effect.
Organizers expect anywhere from 500 to 1,000 hopefuls to line up in Toronto over the two-day event, which concludes Thursday night at 8 p.m.
About 500 young women auditioned earlier this month in Calgary and Vancouver, with another stop coming up next in Montreal.
Between 25 and 30 regional winners will square off in a final rundown in Toronto on Sept. 10.
Navel rings still optional.
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