Even though American Idol auditions did not make it to Memphis this year, there is still a chance at stardom.
The Music and Entertainment Industry Student Association is holding auditions today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Rose Theatre for the Idol Search Review.
This year's review will be the first one held, said Lucia Kaminsky, the president of MEISA at The University and a senior music business major.
"Anybody from rap to singer/songwriter to full-fledged rock bands can audition," said Evanthia Mataragas, a sophomore music business and recording technology major who is in charge of the publicity for the auditions.
The main event will be held Nov. 18 at the Rose Theatre and will be open to the public, but there will be an admission charge and a dress code, Mataragas said.
"Everyone chosen from the auditions will get to go to the big event in November," said Joyclyn Henderson, the program coordinator and a senior music business major.
"It will be a really extravagant endeavor," Mataragas said. "It is a black-tie affair with a red carpet, dresses, tuxes and celebrity judges."
The top three winners of the Idol Search Review will be put on the Bluetrip Records compilation CD, which will be distributed around the city, Henderson said.
"Ingram Hill is confirmed to be some of the celebrity judges," Mataragas said. "But we are going to have more."
Bluetrip Records already has several artists on their label, including Smurf & Olen, Candy Girl and Leah Campbell, Mataragas said.
The three winners will also get representation from Bluetrip.
"We are actually managing the artists," Henderson said. "They get a chance to have a press kit and gigs."
The Idol Search Review is looking for original music only.
"We already have around 25 acts signed up for time slots," Mataragas said. "But we are hoping that a lot more will show up for the open auditions."
Each act will be given five minutes to audition for a spot in the main event, Mataragas said.
Bluetrip is a student-run record label at The University of Memphis, and the music business classes are "centered around" keeping the record label operating, Henderson said.
"We (music business students) get a lot of good real-world experience working at Bluetrip," Henderson said.
MEISA is a national organization, but the local chapter has been involved with many local events, including a hurricane Katrina benefit on Beale Street, which raised $25,000, and The Recording Academy Honors gala.
"We are really happy to be able to tap into the wide variety of talent here on campus," said Tonya Butler, faculty adviser for MEISA and assistant professor at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.
