Staff Writer – Kerran Monroe
In Jamaica news. The tenth season of the Digicel Rising Stars talent show has come to a close. This season was history being created with an instrument player being crowned winner.
Verlando was the only thing worth watching this season on Rising Stars. Reason being because he was different; he came week after week, blew that saxophone and bit those lips all the way to the title of being the 2013 winner of the Digicel Rising Stars competition.
After last season’s dismal copycat of The Voice ended as probably the worst season in Rising Stars history; the creators of the show decided to go back to basics this year and return the show to its season one format.
Winner VerlandoSmall. Photo courtesy jamaica-gleaner.com
This meant that Rising Stars wanted to be Dancing Dynamite, Tastee Talent Show and Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall all in one. Even magicians could enter.
I don’t know about anybody else but for me, that spelt disaster. How do you compare a dancer to a singer or a magician? However, I was somewhat appeased when I saw Verlando and his saxophone. But at the same time, I still was not happy with the dancers during the early stages of the competition. There is already a platform for dancers.
Anyway, week in and week out it was just one disappointment after the other when the competition got to the top ten which of course consisted of singers and Verlando. The performances got worse and worse; and the week after week it became clearer and clearer that Verlando was going to be the winner.
The most disappointing of all was the gospel singer Chevy. It was like that girl just was incapable of improving. I am sure I am not the only one who thought that she should only sing in her church choir.
Some are saying that the talent pool needs replenishing; so they should give the competition a break and allow the talent pool to replenish itself. I say the show just needs a new format. They need to make the show relevant again so it appeals to the people with the talent that we want to see; People who can entertain us on a Sunday evening.
One good thing about this season was the judges. I would keep this panel.
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