Oakland, CA – Beyond Emancipation announces the launch this fall of BEYOND IDOL, a talent competition for foster youth centered on the theme of “emancipation.” BEYOND IDOL will celebrate the creativity and talent of Alameda County foster youth aged 16-24. Youth will compete in four categories – vocal, instrumental, spoken word and hip hop (for groups of up to four) – to win cash and other prizes.Auditions will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Laney College. Twelve finalists - three in each category - will advance to the Finals, held on Tuesday, October 9th at The New Parish. The winners in each category will perform at the BEYOND IDOL Gala Dinner on October 15th at the Oakland Marriott.
We are proud to welcome celebrity judges, performers and participants Grammy Award winning producer D’Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!; Oakland’s own America’s Got Talent favorites Poplyfe; Suga-T; 106.1 KMEL’s Chuy Gomez, East Bay rapper and producer Lyrics Born, and more.
Registration for auditions is mandatory and FREE. Each contestant must perform a piece that reflects their interpretation of the word “emancipation” and what it means to them. Registration forms must be received by 5:00 pm on September 12, 2012. No late registrations will be accepted. Forms, full contest rules and eligibility requirements are available for download at www.beyondidol.com. You can also call the BEYOND IDOL hotline at (510) 387-3051 for more information.
BEYOND IDOL is presented by our generous sponsors: Nestlé Direct Store Delivery, Ghaffari Zaragoza LLC, Mechanics Bank, Chapman Insurance, The Oakland A’s Community Fund and Pixel By Inch. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the event can contact Rebecca Faiola, Blue Moon Productions, for more information.
Beyond Emancipation (B:E) is the largest provider of supportive services to former foster youth in Alameda County. Our mission is to help Alameda County’s foster youth make successful transitions to adulthood and independent living. Founded in 1995, B:E serves over 1,000 youth each year with programs in education, employment, transitional housing, emancipation planning, case management and information and referral.
For more information contact Rebecca Faiola, (510)326-3553 or rebecca@blue-moonproductions.com. Information also available online at beyondidol.com. For more information about Beyond Emancipation, visit www.beyondemancipation.org.