A loser who made good

The Philippines has Sarah Geronimo, the 14-year-old winner of the Star of the Night talent contest as its most exciting newcomer. The soundtrack of the show’s finals night is the number one selling album in the country today. In the US of A, there is Kelly Clarkson, also a winner of the talent show American Idol. Aside from the hit show’s soundtrack, the 21-year-old Kelly also hit pay dirt with her debut album Thankful. Then in the United Kingdom, there is Gareth Gates of the original reality TV talent show Pop Idol.

Now long before there was American Idol or Star for a Night (both of which originated in the UK), there was Pop Idol. The talent search cum survivor concept actually started on British TV two years ago.

Remember it was also the UK which revolutionized the TV games show with the phenomenal Who Wants to be a Millionaire and The Weakest Link both of which also spawned local versions in many parts of the world. The next thing these enterprising and I must say very creative Brits took on was the singing contest. The innovative concept of having the contestants showcase their talents before overly critical judges and of having televiewers vote for their favorites also proved to be so successful that there is now a mad rush to acquire rights to the original shows or to put up new but of course, very similar versions.

Aside from providing enjoyable television that anybody with dreams of singing stardom can relate to, these shows have now become the quickest route to fame. All it takes is to sing well enough and pass that initial audition. This entitled the contestant to at least one television exposure. If he is lucky and truly talented, he gets some more until that crucial finals night. By that time he has already become a household name with his own fast-growing fan base. He has also acquired invaluable training as a singer and has been given a make-over by experts. If he wins, he is instantly assured of the fulfillment of his dreams. And the great thing about all these is that stardom also comes to those who fail to win the contest.

The best known case of a loser who also made good is that of Gareth Gates. The 19-year-old kid from Bradford, England, lost out to Will Young in the first Pop Idol finals, but he had already established a big following so it certainly looked like he had also won the contest. He got a recording contract with BMG, made an album with big-name producers, arrangers and songwriters, went on a nationwide promo tour with winner Young and notched one number one seller after another led of course by what is now known as his signature piece, the timeless favorite Unchained Melody.

Gareth has the charming looks of a pop idol, edgy but also wholesome enough in a Leonardo DiCarpio sort of way. He sounds like one too, with the kind of wide-ranged, albeit untrained voice that boy band soloists covet. Whatever he lacks in technique he makes up for with a great deal of enthusiasm, essaying ballads and upbeat numbers with the confidence of an experienced artist. It is also of great help that he is working with professionals who know how to create just the right sort of sounds that will get the kids off their seats and into the stores to get a copy of Gareth’s first album.

The title of the collection is What My Heart Wants to Say and it has a very cost-worthy 16 cuts. Looks like he really made sure his fans would get their money’s worth. Aside from Unchained Melody, the only cover song included is Suspicious Minds. I grant that Gareth is no Elvis Presley in any way. I like the idea though, of having a new, young artist record a cover of one of Presley’s best songs.

The other cuts are Anyone of Us (Stupid Mistake) another one of Gareth’s number one sellers in Europe, Sentimental, Downtown, What My heart Wants to Say, Good Thing, Too Serious Too Soon, It Ain’t Obvious, With You All the Time, I’ve Got No Self Control, Tell Me One More Time, Alive, One and Ever Love, Walk on By and That’s When You Know.