Viva, TV5 launch Born to be a Star

MANILA, Philippines – Viva Communications, Inc., discoverer of world-class Filipino performers and home to some of the country’s biggest names, like Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez, Rachelle Ann Go, Mark Bautista and Sarah Geronimo, launches a nationwide search for the next singing superstar via a new reality singing show on TV5. Billed Born to be a Star, the weekly competition will air on Saturday primetime starting Feb. 6.

Ogie Alcasid will host the hour-long show together with Viva’s Yassi Pressman and Mark Bautista.

On the other hand, four of the country’s top performers namely, Pops Fernandez, Rico Blanco, Aiza Seguerra and Andrew E will act as judges.

Star hopefuls will perform on stage each week until the Ultimate Star’s name is called.

The Ultimate Star will receive a total of P3M in prizes, including P1M in cash, a P1M management contract from Viva Artists Agency (VAA) and TV5 and a real estate property worth P1M.

Contestants will have to pass two pre-audition processes before they are able to sing in the show.

Auditions are open to male and female applicants, aged 13 to 18. Audition venues and dates are SM City Sta. Mesa on Jan. 16 and 17; SM City San Mateo, Jan. 23 and 24; and SM City Novaliches, Jan. 30 and 31. Five major audition legs will also be held in key cities like Cebu, Davao, Batangas, Dagupan and Metro Manila starting March.

Four new contestants will be introduced in the show per week. Each episode will show the “making” of the stars and their back stories apart from the competition proper itself. Viewers can expect to see not just tough and competitive performances on stage but also touching, real-life drama unfold before their very eyes.

Contestants who will make it to the weekly round will undergo a make-over session and mentoring from some of the country’s highly-regarded vocal coaches.

From the weekly set, lucky contestants will advance to the monthly round. The winner of the monthly round will proceed to the finals night.

A primer will be aired prior to the pilot episode.

So, who will be the country’s next big thing? Will he/she follow in the footsteps of the Megastar, the Asia’s Songbird, the Broadway Gems or the Popstar Royalty?

TV5 may also be viewed at the following cable channels: Cignal Digital TV, Channel 5; Destiny Cable, Ch. 6 (Analog) and Ch. 10 (Digital); and Sky Cable, Ch. 10.