American Idol. The prototype
צילום: AP
A star is born, God willing
Fancy weekly comp to rent car (on days off from Yeshiva), expensive Shabbat suit or have your record produced by top Haredi musicians, overseas concert tour? All within arm’s reach
Imagine American Idol or its Israeli equivalent A Star is Born, without the live final, voting by text messaging and host Ryan Seacrest. Impossible? The religious sector begs to differ.
Three weeks ago, a project titled "The Upcoming Voice" hit the road. “The objective is to find the next nightingale of the Orthodox community, who will be able to make a living as a singer and make people rejoice in his voice all done in a positive, kosher atmosphere,” said the project’s initiator Menachem Toker, a popular Orthodox disc jockey and radio broadcaster.
So how does one hold a singing contest for a sector which doesn’t watch TV and only uses kosher cellular phones, disabled from sending text messages? “We advertised the contest on the radio and in newspapers and received dozens of applications shortly thereafter," explained Toker.
“Every month, the judging team made up of singers and leading religious musicians such as Moshe Lauper, Aviad Gil and Ken Berges will choose the two best singers out of dozen contestants (male only, since a woman’s voice equals lewdness according to Halacha) and we will distribute CDs with their performances.”
Those owning a home computer will be able to watch the performances and chose their favorite contestant, while others can listen to the contestants’ voices and songs on audio players.”Voting will take about a month, during which the voters can either watch the performances or listen to them."
“My goal is to be myself and succeed,” said 14-year old Netanel Israel from Netanya, who was chosen as one of the two contestants for the song contest’s first month. All in all, 10 CD’s will be released over the next 10 months, of which the 10 final contestants will be chosen to reach the final that will be held in one of the sector’s popular event halls featuring top Hassidic singers and musicians in the religious sector.
The three chosen during the final performance will not be awarded the “typical” American Idol prizes:” The winner will not receive the same treatment as in the secular sector, since the only stars in our community are rabbis,” said Toker, “but there’s no doubt he will become a musical icon and make use of the vocal gift God has given him in order to entertain people.”
