Voting Begins for 144 Contestants

A Jewish Star singing talent competition is well underway after a record number of contestants from around the world auditioned for Season Two.

144 auditions who fit the strict criteria were accepted to join the music contest – 77 in A Jewish Star and 67 for A Jewish Star Junior – the new division for boys ages 8 to 14.

“Without a doubt this is the most ambitious grassroots project in the Jewish music industry,” said Mica Soffer, Executive Producer of the competition.

Aderet and others in the music industry are keeping close tabs as voting has officially opened December 30 2010. Rating contestants from 1 to 5 stars, the public will be choosing 10 finalists and 3 junior finalists that will continue on to perform in the season finale – A Jewish Star Live Show on February 20, 2011.

At the show in the Brooklyn School of Music, judges Avraham Fried, Eli Gerstner and Mendy Pellin will be choosing 3 runner ups, and from them the next Jewish Star and the next Junior Jewish Star.

“The idea of this contest, that anyone can just display their talents to such a huge audience and be discovered in minutes instead of the years it would have taken in years past really appealed to us,” said Mendy Werdyger, CEO of Aderet/Mostly Music, the largest distributor and promoter of Jewish music and one of the sponsors of the contest.

Werdyger, who distributes Mordechai Ben David, Yaakov Shwekey, Lipa Schmeltzer, Miami Boys Choir and many of today’s new artists, said “the competition will bring an entire new dynamic and level to the world of Jewish Music. We can definitely expect a surge of new and fresh talent.”

The winner will be receiving a 2 year car lease of a 2011 Honda Accord from Leasing Direct, $1000 cash from Tribul credit-card processing services, recording a song at Ruli Ezrachi studio in Brooklyn with coaching time by Avraham Fried and career promotion by Aderet / MostlyMusic.com.

The winner of A Jewish Star Junior will be joining the Yeshiva Boys Choir (YBC), and will be receiving 2 flight tickets to Israel with hotel accommodations covered by VIP Israel, $1,000 from Tribul credit-card processing services and career promotion by Aderet / MostlyMusic.com.