Born to Dance: Laurieann Gibson

For many years now Karaoke night has been hugely popular in local pubs and bars around the globe. Local talent (and some not so talented) only need to get up the nerve and climb on stage then perform. Sing along with popular music no matter if that tune is matched or not and just have fun for fun's sake! That's what Karaoke is all about and why it is proving to be a huge hit on televisions across the USA currently. The host of Karaoke USA is Joey Fatone, a very charismatic guy seen previously in films like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and ABC TV's Dancing With the Stars. Judges include Carnie Wilson (singing group Wilson Phillips), Joe Levy (chief editor of Maxim Magazine), and Brian Scott (restaurateur, songwriter, singer, and himself a champion Karaoke singer). And the stars of the show, some really talented singers who just want to be heard and appreciated, which they now are. This show is every bit as entertaining as spending the evening in a smoky bar and the acoustics may even be better on your TV at home.

"American Idol" promises to whisk ready and willing singers from America's heartland off to Hollywood. Now, Emirates Air promises to fly Middle Eastern and Indian talents away to Bollywood. Equal glitz, glamour, and talent. Slightly different rhythm and lyrics. Primary sponsor Emirates Airlines produces and promotes "Destination: Bollywood" with masterful management of multi-media, giving Middle Eastern and West Asian talents a chance to take their singing and dancing careers to "the next level." "Destination: Bollywood" offers a spectacular case study in twenty-first century multi-platform marketing. The show airs on Star India Plus, in Canada on Rogers video-on-demand; and it is widely available on Hulu. Emirates Air builds audience loyalty and attracts new viewers through skilled use of social networks both on the worldwide web and via mobile; they also do extensive in-theatre and radio promotions. The mobile element in "Destination: Bollywood" is essential, because"”like "American Idol" "”the show asks viewers to vote for their favourites via their handhelds. New York marketing analyst John Demarchi explains, "The mobile elements of the Emirates sponsorship [for "Destination: Bollywood] is mobile voting and also surveying after votes are cast. When people watch on TV, we ask them to vote using mobile voting, texting a keyword into a short code, and based on that mobile voting, we determine each week's winner who will advance to the finals."

When you crave a little more Snoop Dogg in your video viewing diet, ride shotgun with him on a guided tour through his dark world, savouring an all-Snoop soundtrack, and beholding the wonders of "More Malice." "More Malice," the movie, shows you why Snoop Dogg leads the league in "branding" "”the man, the myth, the legend, and the cloud of fragrant smoke around him"¦all trademarked, registered, patented, copyrighted, and owned. Although the Snoop himself doesn't often lay down a track any more, his blessing on an artist, a song, or a video bestows "the Midas touch." And he has more than enough in the Snoop Dogg catalogue to sustain brisk sales and mega-downloads pretty much until the world runs out of fossil fuels. You could close read and parse "More Malice," the movie, as the gospel according to Snoop, because it showcases everything good and super-bad about ghetto chic. The music and the movie would stand-up to the scrutiny. But it's a lot more fun and more characteristically Snoop just to go with the follow and see where the mean streets lead.

For an American rock band from LA this is a group that stands out due to talent and showmanship. The music video is an excellent way to showcase talented musicians and entertainers and has been since the beginning of the concept brought out by MTV back in August of 1981. Videos made by 30 Seconds to Mars have been successful at the awards programs and they proved that by winning the MTV2 Award for their "The Kill" video in 2006. Their "A Beautiful Lie" became certified platinum as it sold well over one million albums on CD. As a talented group the members of 30 Seconds to Mars include Jared Leto, himself an actor as well as lead vocalist, song writer, and rhythm guitarist, his brother Shannon Leto who plays drums, and Tomo Milicevic a keyboardist and lead guitar. Music videos look easy to make but most are actually mini movies that take time and money to create and the results will often be an excellent method of introducing new albums and singles that can play for years when successful. This band has proven they have staying power as well as talent.

Formed in 1967, the rock group from England known as Genesis included original performers Phil Collins (vocalist, drums, and piano), Tony Banks (keyboardist), and Mike Rutherford (guitar and bass guitarist). Along the way other talent the likes of Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, and Anthony Phillips joined and played major roles in the band. The band known as Genesis is included in the top thirty highest selling artists who record of all time. Both Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel have had tremendous success as solo performers along the way. In 2010 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The music videos performed by the group have been many and proved to be a success each and every time. Look for recent releases like Genesis Land of Confusion, Hold on to My Heart, and That's All or older classic videos such as Jesus He Knows Me, Neon Genesis, and Dancing With the Moonlit Knight. It always helps to have a great music video available to promote a new album or single and these guys have always had that covered. Here's a lot of talent in a one word titled band.

Dante Di Loreto and Ryan Murphy are the executive producers for the exciting new Glee Project that is a spin off (of sorts) from the popular Glee) and the casting director from Glee (Robert Ulrich) has moved over to The Glee Project as well. Each week there will be new challenges with the necessary eliminations to follow. Each cast member has their own part of a particular song the need to learn and then perform it before a mystery guest as the judge. When the part is done well enough they move on and perform for the guest star on a one on one basis in a music video which they will also create themselves. With help from professionals like Nikki Anders vocal producer and Zach Woodlee, a choreographer the contestants have to learn their parts to the best of their ability and perform in a professional manner. Callbacks will cull the group down, with the bottom three being offered a second chance to be safe. One of those bottom three will be eliminated and final callbacks will determine who moves on and who must leave. A list is posted and that is where finalists read of their fate.