Rich Mix Talent Search: Panellists Sway, Rav (Punjabi Hit Squad) and Jennifer Wilson announced!

The panellists for the Rich Mix City Showcase Talent Search have now been confirmed! These music industry experts will provide on-mic critiques for a selection of the best of our entrants in our Talent Search Event on Thurs 7 May 2009. They will then select the top performer who will win a prize that is to be announced shortly. The call for artists is open until 31 March 2009.

All applications must include a demo, biography and picture to be sent to: City Showcase, Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA.
 
Sway
 
Sway is a home grown talent with experience of all sides of the music business. His creation of his own record label Dcypha Productions in 2004, helped him to promote a series of mix tapes which were to lead to a MOBO award for Best Hip-Hop Act in 2005, despite the fact that he was then unsigned.
 
Sway’s debut album, This is my Demo was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 2006 and was produced in part by the artist himself. His latest album - The Signature LP - was released in 2008 after the artist signed to Akon’s Konvict label.
 
Rav from Panjabi Hit Squad
 
With three successful albums under his belt, Panjabi Hit Squad’s Rav is part of a group credited as the original pioneers of ‘Urban Asian Fusion’. A regular on the British Asian Music scene since 2001, the artist has also produced tracks for Sway, Mariah Carey, Ashanti, Bobby Valentino and Beanie Man.
 
Panjabi Hit Squad were the first Asian artists signed to the UK imprint of Hip-Hop giant, Def Jam and also run their own their own label, Major Moves, as well as a recording studio -Kreative Kontrol. They currently host shows on both BBC 1Xtra and BBC Asian Network.
 
Jennifer Wilson
 
Jennifer Wilson is a freelance music journalist, based in the UK. She works primarily with the London Bureau of Billboard, one of the oldest and most respected music media brands in the world.
 
Prior to moving to the UK, she was Editor of Australia's premier music industry publication, The Music Network. There, she was responsible for maintaining the reputation of the weekly tip-sheet and ensuring its local and international subscriber base was provided with all the latest news and music. Upon her appointment just months before her 21st birthday, Jennifer became the youngest and first female Editor of the magazine.
 
Through her various roles in the music business, she has developed a keen sense of what works commercially and the development process an act undergoes in its quest for stardom - both on a domestic and international stage. As well as this, having worked extensively in music media, she understands the importance of image and choosing the right team to break into a target market.
 
Information and Conditions of Entry for Applications

• Applicants must be available to perform on Thurs 7 May at the Talent Search showcase.
• Entries can be of any genre and any age. Material has to be original: no cover vocalists need apply
• Your demo, biography and picture should be sent in by Tuesday 31st March. Please clearly mark your envelope as a City Showcase application and send to Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA
• Any entries received after final submission date will not be accepted.
 
About City Showcase

City Showcase was launched in 2003 to help emerging musicians move into the commercial world of the music industry. With five successful events behind it, City Showcase’s reputation is now firmly established as the festival to see tomorrow’s talent today.   City Showcase covers all types of music  from classical to pop, from rock to urban and all types of performer’s  from bands to singer songwriters, from solo artists to DJ's.  Previous acts that have played at City Showcase include Keane, Razorlight, Rishi Rich Project, Akala, Hot Chip, Scouting for Girls, Amy Winehouse and Sway.
 
For more details on City Showcase contact Matthew Hyde at matt@wiredpr.co.uk
 
About Rich Mix
 

Rich Mix is a dynamic, vibrant, cross cultural arts and media centre located in the heart of London, fused with a cultural explosion of music, film, education and young talent. Diversity is at the heart of what we do; whether it be through our Film, Education and Arts programmes, or our numerous tenants, we aim to promote a mixed economy in all that we display and produce.
 
Our upcoming winter season Highlights and Previews: Part II, runs from January to March 2009. Full details of all our upcoming events can be found on our website www.richmix.org.uk

 
You can also book tickets online for Rich Mix events! Visit the Rich Mix page on View Tickets http://www.viewtickets.co.uk/venue_tickets.asp?vid=16942 to book tickets for events in our Arts and Culture and Film programmes. Also look out for the View Tickets logo on pages for our shows and events - just click the logo to book for that event online.
 
Press contact: Susan Simmonds on 020 7613 7490 or email susan.simmonds@richmix.org.uk
 
Rich Mix | 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA
BOX OFFICE 020 7613 7498 | www.richmix.org.uk
View Tickets: http://www.viewtickets.co.uk/venue_tickets.asp?vid=16942