Try participating in a Singing Competition -- This would give an aspiring singer some practice, experience, and exposure.  Read the bottom for pointers. 

Just two weeks ago, I cheered on my cousin at an "Asian Idol" competition in San Francisco. I wasn't really sure what to expect but the focus of the competition was on the singing talent. There were 28 contestants and 4 prizes (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Audience Favorite). This was a semi-final competition but the winner of the final competition gets a singing contract in Taiwan. Nice.

The contestants were graded on the following criterion:

• Vocal Quality - 15 points
• Technique - 15
• Emotion/Mood - 15
• Rhythm - 15
• Style - 10
• Presentation - 10
• Appearance - 10
• Potential - 10

Steps to Winning a Superstar Singing Contest

So I was thinking -- If I were the judge, how would I pick the superstar?? In this case, it was important to note that I would be picking a superstar singer in this competition. There are superstar actresses, superstar models, superstar pianists, superstar painters, etc… or… one could be a superstar generalist, where a mix of skills could be used well. For instance, there are some actors that are great dancers as well. However, one skill is usually notably better than another.

1. Have a personality! Become an adjective that has meaning...

2. Know what you are being graded on! If you are being judged on vocal quality but you cannot sing in the correct tones, then the competition does not suit you, right? For this competition, I would shortlist the contestants that are very good in one of the above criterion. Of course, the first four criterion get more weight..  Then, I would continue to narrow down the list with the contestants who scored well in a combination of two of the above criterion.  Then, the contestants who scored well in a combination of three of the above criterion and so on..  In my opinion, it is nice to be well-rounded so one who scores strongly all-around could be better than one who scores really well on three criterions. Wow - so technical!  Hehe

3. Be teachable! Those who show that they are willing to learn usually have more potential. For example, my cousin's simple gesture of thanking the audience and her family and friends for their support of her passion for singing at the end of the competition differentiated her from the rest of the contestants who did not do that...

SOO, what do you think??

More insights to come later -- I think I'd like to add a section on "How to Promote a Superstar..."

Flashback: Pictures from the SF International Asian American Film Festival and St. Patrick's Day Weeks

I met some awesome AlivenotDead.com members in person during the two weeks.  Kudos to the AnD team for creating such a great community to embrace and help artists connect and share worldwide!  Check out my AlivenotDead site ==>  www.alivenotdead.com/soohoo.