Janet Jackson’s reality show hosts open call audition
July 15th, 2008 by Erin Everhart in Music news
It was the hip-hop version of American Idol, except with more attitude and a lot more soul.
“Atlanta does have flavor,” said Shaggy Bajirami, one of the casting directors at the open-call audition Wednesday.
Hundreds of performers swarmed Dance 411 Studios last Wednesday with hopes to be cast as one of the 10-20 aspiring stars for — yet another — MTV reality series: Janet Jackson’s search for her prodigy.
After her wardrobe malfunction, a couple of not-so-hot album releases and a tiff with her record label, Ms. Jackson — like many other pop stars on the wane — is going after reality television in an attempt to re-publicize herself.
Wright-Crear Management, 25/7 Productions and Doron Ofir Casting, the force behind a slew of popular reality shows, collaborated with the famed flasher herself to find the best raw talent to mold into a singing/dancing pop sensation.
“Janet will be in every taping,” said Doron Ofir, executive casting director. “This is not like Randy Jackson’s dance crew.”
Whew, that’s a relief.
Jackson specifically singled out Atlanta as one of the four cities to host an open-call audition. “Every city brings something different,” Bajirami said. “New York had Broadway, Chicago had break dancing, and Atlanta? Atlanta has the energy, the hoopin’ and hollerin’.”
The contestants shuffled in the bright orange studio in groups of five, decked out in street clothes, dance attire or full-fledged costumes showing their personal style.
Each prodigy hopeful had about one minute to impress the trio from Doron Ofir Casting, 30 seconds of a cappella singing and 30 seconds of freestyle dancing.
“This is a singing and a dancing competition,” Ofir reminded contestants before making cuts. “We’re looking for the whole package.”
Specifically, they wanted simple singing with strong melodies and wouldn’t hesitate to ask for another song choice, as with 22-year-old Victor Jackson from College Park, who came out strong with Maroon 5 but secured his call-back spot with John Legend’s “Ordinary Day.”
“I don’t want to hear runs. You’re not Brian McKnight,” Ofir said to a group of contestants. “You’re not doing vocal gymnastics. We just want to hear you sing.”
The songs were primarily R&B and hip hop with a few oddballs like the Beatles’ “All My Loving,” Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” and the 1941 classic “At Last” made famous by blues singer Etta James.
Eagerly awaiting his audition in a hoard of other hopefuls, Keemar Davis, 17, initially described himself as a singer/actor rather than a strong dancer.
“I’m not a dancer, I’m a mover. I can do choreography. She’s the one who can freestyle,” Davis said of friend and contestant Simone Johnson, 17, who’s danced in an episode of MTV’s ” My Super Sweet 16.”
Davis got through to the second round, but Johnson wasn’t as fortunate.
“We thought it was going to be the other way around, ” Johnson said, shocked from being let go. “I felt ready, and I thought I did well.”
“I really thought he [Doron] was going to dismiss me and keep everyone else when he called me forward,” Davis said.
Call backs were held Thursday at Dance 411 Studios, where famed choreographer Gil Duldulao taught the aspiring reality TV stars a routine from Jackson’s tour. The final open-call audition will be held in Los Angeles July 15 at International Dance Academy Hollywood.
(Photo by Erin Everhart)
July 15th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
This article took real pains to marginalize Janet. Maybe the blogger forgot that Ms. Jackson’s last CD did indeed debut at #1 as did her last film. And the flasher label is just ignorant and redundant. That’s so 2004!
July 15th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I’d have to agree with Jerome’s comment. Show the ICON some respect. Calling her a ‘flasher’ ‘pop star on the wane’, the over used ‘Wardrobe…blah blah…, is soooo f’ing TIRED!
The women is an ICON and has help mold popular culture.
RUDE RUDE RUDE!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
In response, yes, Discipline debuted at #1 on Billboard’s 200. However, as of June 2008, U.S. sales were at 392,000, making it her least successful album to date.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:59 am
that information from wikipedia needs to be updated. Janet’s “Discipline” album is now at 450,000. but it is very immature and unprofessional for this author to use all those juvenile descriptions of Janet. “Famed flasher”? do you call madonna the “famous ‘Sex’ book author”, or the ‘justify my love’ star? Janet is a Famed Dance Icon. if you’re going to write an article about Janet Jackson, show the woman some respect for what she has accomplished and the impact she has had on pop music. an impact, i might add, that’s still very much present today, despite her sales decline. true journalists do not interject their personal opinions into an article. and it’s 2008, not 2004.
July 16th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
You bett’a work David! I couldn’t agree more. I found this author of this particular piece to be rude…very bad taste. And just to let you know Janet didn’t rip it of herself! Justin Timberlake did!!!! Now why isn’t he being mentioned whenever you haters talk about this “Wardrobe Malfunction”…that happened 4 bloody years ago!!!!!
July 17th, 2008 at 3:59 am
Great comments. It’s good to know Ms. Jackson still has supportive fans. But just out of curiousity, did everyone defending her actually purchase her current CD?
July 17th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I have 2 copies….1 I downloaded from iTunes (for my iPod) and I purchased the c.d as well (just to have it).
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
This is to Rodney Carmichael yes we all bought the CD!! The CD is very good.. alot of people who are not real janet fans, did not even know the cd was out due to lack of promotion. Thats why her #s was so low and also radio still does not play her music like they should.. and to the author you are very disrespectful to Janet.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Wait a minute, is this Tito?!
July 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Yes she is the best in bizz i love her she is an icon and Gil you are the best baby Patrice-xoxo!!!!!