Inland Idol Gives Inland Empire Singers Age 7-18 Years the Opportunity to Shine in August 2008

Inland Idol will be holding its 2nd annual talent search this summer in the southern California cities of Temecula, San Bernardino and Corona. Inland Idol is uncannily similar to that of the infamous American Idol but in a smaller, local & younger scale. Auditions began on July 12 for this amazing talent search for exceptional children & teenagers with extraordinary singing abilities. What an awesome opportunity for the Inland Empire's Youth to experience 'stardom!'

In the first round, youngsters ages 7-18 years old were categorized into three separate divisions: 7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 years old. Each contestant was asked to prepare a 30-45 second vocal solo performance in acapella to sing in front of judges from the entertainment industry. An estimated 600 contestants per division auditioned throughout all scheduled venues. Only 60 in each age division will move forward to the Elimination Round to be held in Corona.

At the Inland Center Mall in San Bernardino, numerous contestants lined up at the hub of the mall to register for their chance to shine in the spotlight. Contestants in the 7-10 year old division were candidly interviewed and videotaped as they waited their turn to submit their paperwork. Many contestants revealed that they had been singing for as long as they can remember. Each contestant was assigned a contestant number, then were sent to their respective areas based on their age categories. After all contestants had been registered, individual performers were then called up to sing their 30-second acapella solo. A private room was not available to provide a secluded audition as in American Idol, but only the open, echoing of the Inland Center Mall housed the singers as well as the hundred other competitors who eavesdropped on the solo performance.

The children sang their hearts out with their songs memorized and their energy at its peak. These children meant business; it was clear that they all wanted that "moment" at the finals. Two students from the Valverde School of Performing Arts managed to "Wow!" the judges in the first round: Elizabeth Rodriguez and Giana Peralta. Coincidentally, the two 'best friends' are both advancing to the second round. Giana Peralta, from the 7-10 year old division stated, "At first, I was getting worried they hadn't called my name. But when they did, I was so happy! I was even happier when I heard my friend (Elizabeth) made it, too."

With the increasing popularity of Inland Idol, WBZB Entertainment, producers of the event, announced that they have plans on extending the age divisions to include "older" contenders in the upcoming year. As to what the age limit will be is still to be determined.

Final judges include Cathy Rigby (former Olympic gymnast/actress/Emmy winner), Marc Cherry (creator & producer of ABC's Golden Girls, Desperate Housewives and other shows), Corkey Lee (VP of video production at Paramount Studios) and Reggie Burrell (Artist/Producer). The FINAL ROUND will be conducted in front of a live audience and televised on a Cable Channel. Inland Idol tickets are available for sale: FREE for children who previously auditioned at any venue, $10 for groups of 10 or more, $12 before 08/08/08 midnight and $15 thereafter.