The Next Big Sing

Mar 23 2008 By Gayle Ritchie

26 Days To Go Until We Crown Champ Crooner Win Chance To Cut Your Own Cd And £5k Cash Karaoke Champ Sing It Win It

IT'S the final countdown to the first ever LIVE Scottish karaoke championship.

Our top 25 from the Sunday Mail's smash-hit karaoke champ will get the chance to sing it and to win it at the Carling Academy in Glasgow.

Our hopefuls will perform to a huge crowd on April 18 - with our panel choosing the winning singer.

But there is still time for all you wannabe Robbies and Kylies to win a place in our grand final - and scoop our £5000 top prize.

Simply upload a video clip of you belting out a tune at www.karaokechamp.co.uk by April 4.

Don't worry if you are not the greatest singer - we've had entries from elderly Elvises, shaky Shakiras and murderous Meat Loafs.

Our judging panel will whittle down the hundreds of entries based on their own expertise plus the number of hits your clip attracts and the number of votes.

There are five categories - pop and rock, blues and soul, country and western, golden oldies and funnies.

On the night our panel will choose each category's winner, who will get a day in a studio with a top record producer to cut their very own CD.

One will go home with £5000 cash and the title Karaoke Champ.

The Carling Academy stage has been graced by stars such as Paul Weller, Franz Ferdinand, The White Stripes and Amy Macdonald - and you could be next.

Showbusiness editor Billy Sloan said: "The Carling is a fantastic venue and most musicians would give their eye-teeth to play on stage there.

"So many musical geniuses have graced the Carling with their presence and it would be a real honour for any of these karaoke guys to perform there."

So go on, log on to www.karaokechamp.co.uk, upload your video clips and get your friends to get online and rate yours the best.

Some of the early front runners.. Some of the early front runners..

GREG, 22

GREG LLOYD, of Cumbernauld, has clocked up one of our highest ratings with his sensational swing tunes.

The brewery machine operator said: "Karaoke is a right laugh and I would love be a karaoke idol.

"Winning would be a golden opportunity to boost my chances of making it in music."

JOHN, 72

GRANDAD John Cowie, of Milngavie, near Glasgow, won fans with his rendition of Frank Sinatra's classic That's Life.

The 72-year-old said: "It would be my dream to sing on stage at the Carling Academy. The chance to make an album would be wonderful."

BRENNA, 12

BRENNA HOWLEY, of West Lothian, is front runner in the funnies category with her rendition of Sheila's Wheels.

She dons a pink dress and blonde wig and sits in a cardboard replica of the ad's pink car.

She said: "I only put myself on the site for a laugh but people really seem to like it."

CHRISTEEN, 41

CHRISTEEN MACMURDIE'S hipshaking antics have clocked up hundreds of hits.

The mum's passion for karaoke kicked off when her husband Ronnie bought her a machine in 2005.

Christeen, of Motherwell, who sings Shakira's Wherever, Whenever, said: "I was never confident enough as a wee girl to get up and strut my stuff in front of anyone.

"But I would love to shake my booty on stage at the Carling Academy in front of adoring masses. I'm a huge Shakira fan so I would really give it my all. If I won the £5000 prize I would book myself some professional singing lessons."

WWW.KARAOKECHAMP.CO.UK

ENTER FREE TODAY

YOU are just a few steps from being crowned Scotland's karaoke champ - with a £5000 prize to help you enjoy a popstar lifestyle. Here's how to enter.

STEP ONE: Log on to www.karaokechamp.co.uk. Click on a picture of an act you would like to watch. View as many as you like.

STEP TWO: Sign up FREE as a member. To enter or vote tick on the box marked "sign up free".

Enter your email address, password and a nickname.

Type in the code shown in the grey box, click "sign up" and a confirmation email will be sent to us.

Click the link to activate your membership and you're on. You can review performances, share clips, comment, give star ratings or save them to your favourites.

STEP THREE: Film yourself singing. Make sure your mates have mobiles or digital cameras to record you.

Plug your phone or camera into your computer and follow the instructions to upload the clip.

You can upload a range of files - AVI, MOV, WMV, MPEG or MP4 - up to 10 meg and edit footage.

Choose the category, give performance details and enter "tag" information so it is easy to find.

Tick the box to enter your video and wait for the votes to flood in.

STEP FOUR: A judging panel and star ratings system will select five winners from each category who will land a place in a grand sing-off at the Carling Academy.

TICKET HOTLINE

There are 1500 tickets up for grabs on a first-come-first-served basis. Call our hotline on 0141 309 1438 to reserve yours for only £5 each. The deadline for those wishing to take part is April 4.

SUNDAY EMAIL

g.ritchie@sundaymail.co.uk