Barbados Beat
Barbados Beat- Issue#28
By Khalil Goodman
Jun 19, 2007, 2:43

The Barbados entertainment scene continues to run along in the Crop Over scene, however, this writer missed some of the highlights this weekend. Why? Because all across the region tele-communications company DIGICEL was launching the Digicel Rising Star competitions and we were on the scene.

Ready? Set... TEXT!

On Thursday the 2nd Season was launched in Trinidad, while on Friday the Eastern Caribbean's 3rd Season was launched on Friday in Castries. At the beautiful "Discovery" Hotel journalists from the eight islands eligible were joined by DIGICEL personnel and artistes.

"This year bMobile has allowed their subscribers to vote on the series," revealed Errol McGlothan Digicel's Director of Marketing for the Eastern Caribbean. McGlothan later told the Barbados Advocate that this means that Barbadians will all be able to text their votes to the same number when the third season starts on August 11th 2007.

bMobile also allows its subscribers to vote in Jamaica where the Rising Star Jamaica show has successfully run for four seasons. McGlothan revealed that bMobile have not signed on as sponsors but will receive the returns for the texts made via their network.

Spicy Remake

Last Year's winner Kyron Baptiste of St Vincent has been creating his album at CRS Studios here in Barbados and his first single "Always On My Mind" is one very familiar to the Barbadian audience.

Launched on Wednesday on the Bajan airwaves, the song was originally sung by Bajan band "Spice" some 20 years ago.

They Need a Woman by their Side...

Last year he sang "I Need a Woman by my Side" and this year he has one. Peter Ram has joined with Barbados Music Awards 2007 nominee for Best New Artist Shanta Prince. The song is called "Rise"

Similarly last year's Party Monarch Barry Chandler of the hit song "Flames" is singing with singer "Keva" on the song "Keep It All in Time." Last year soca diva Kimberley Inniss got a certified hit with her duet with Lil' Rick and it seems duets might be the trend for this year's festival.

Weekly Wrap-Up

It was a jam packed weekend, emphasis on Jam. At the Barbados Museum the Campus Boyz brought their second Crop Over party "Wildside"... the NCF Cavalcades continued across the island and the cave hill theatre workshop staged "Oleanna" for the second time