Email

Print

Earlier on in the newscast you may have seen an ad for a new show called “The Next Level.” It premieres live from the Bliss Center on Channel 7 on Friday night. And while the center piece of the show will be musical performances – it’s not just about singing; it’s about being an entertainer. So it’s kind of like a reality show mixed in with a performance show – which is also a competition. Ambitious but real and Jackie Godwin met the new faces today.

Jacqueline Godwin,
“How long have you been entertaining?”

Lucien Dawson, Contestant – Nest Level Show
“I’ve been entertaining for the past five years and it was in the church.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“This is a major change for you.”

Lucien Dawson,
“Exactly. It is five years now and I thank God now that he has brought me from in front of a church crowd to television and on the stage.”

Lucien Dawson may not be a household name when it comes to Belizean entertainers but not for long that’s because over the next several weeks you will not only get to learn more about this talented young man but see him live along with nine other young men and women in a first of its kind show in Belize. The Next Level Project has the elements of a reality television production but it’s not quite that. It takes you inside the life of an entertainer and the level of preparation involved in each performance.

Today we caught up with some of the show’s contestants at the Oxygen Boutique on Freetown Road where they were not only trying on outfits to look pretty and handsome but the entertainers were choosing the clothes they believe will best compliment their first TV appearance on Friday night.

James Sanker, Co-Producer, the Next Level Project
“A very important part of any performance is your appearance, how you appear and that whole delivery. Part of doing that, that work of going and finding the perfect dress, the perfect outfit to bring across that idea of your song.

The artists were chosen over a year period. We have looked at artists that has potential and we have given them a lot of training. There was a vocal trainer that was sponsored by NICH, Kelly Collogan that did a three weeks training with them, very extensive.”

Lucien Dawson,
“When performing a song you have think about what clothing I am going to wear, what am I going to portray, what character, what was portrayed in the song, what emotion should I bring out and you have to go to places that are rather uncomfortable that bring out the worse in you sometimes in an emotional state. Sometimes you break down in your private time trying to find that right emotion to just go and convey to the audience.”

Mercedes Lopez has been performing since she was a child but explains why the vocal training will be crucial to her performance.

Mercedes Lopez, Entertainer - the Next Level Project
“As Belizeans we do not get enough training in the sense that since I started this competition we got to see the doctor and if I didn’t get to see the doctor I wouldn’t know my vocal cords were swollen and that is part of what it takes to be a singer. You need to check up on yourself and you need to know how to take care of our voice and we need to have the right training in order to sing and perform well for people.”

James Sanker,
“And now they are going through that part of working with the band, a section of it where they are being rehearsed and making sure that the songs that they are singing is appropriate to bring a very high quality to the stage.”

Lucien Dawson,
“To be honest it has been a blessing from start to finish and to see the music industry evolve in Belize has been amazing and so for me it is not only me getting to do what I do and Belize know what I do but it is that extra push, that extra inspiration and that was what inspired me to go on, to come on this show.”

And while the show’s producers and entertainers do not like to think of the Next Level Project as a competition the artists will be judged on their appearance, delivery, vocal techniques and musicianship.

James Sanker,
“There are artists and we will do s show with five artists. We’ll eliminate two and then we’ll take the remaining five and eliminate two and then we’ll have a semi-final with six and then a final with four.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“You think this thing is going to launch your career for you?”

Mercedes Lopez,
“Well hopefully but if it doesn’t well I am just going to continue doing what I do.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“And that is?”

Mercedes Lopez,
“Continue singing.”

James Sanker,
“The people that come to this show will see a very different show than they have seen in other performances. I won’t tell you what is different about it. If you come to the show you’ll out what is different about it. It is 9 o’clock on Friday at the Bliss.”

The Next Level Project will be broadcast live only on Channel Seven. The first elimination round gets underway this Friday night at nine at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts. Jacqueline Godwin for 7News.

And to repeat, the show debuts on Friday night at 9:00 on Channel 7.

7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift