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Press Releases
91Èȱ¬ names Next Big Thing 2007 finalists
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Thousands of musicians from 88 countries have entered 91Èȱ¬ World
Service's competition, The Next Big Thing, a global search for the
world's best young band.
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And, after sifting through a mountain of mp3s,
a shortlist of the top 20 acts has just been released.
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The 91Èȱ¬ scoured the globe, with roadshows in India, Jamaica, Tanzania
and Turkey attracting hundreds of budding artists to add to those
submitted through the website.
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The five finalists are:
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Hraun (Iceland)
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Jeremie Johnson (United Arab Emirates)
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Maya McCallum et La Toy Factory (France)
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Vrelo (Serbia)
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Yunasi (Kenya)
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Listen to the bands at bbcworldservice.com/nextbigthing2007.
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The five are expected to fly into the UK next week to perform at the
91Èȱ¬'s famous Maida Vale studios.
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The final will be broadcast on the
World Service on 13 December and on 91Èȱ¬ World TV on Saturday and Sunday
22 and 23 December.
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A winner will be chosen by a panel of music industry experts including
Talvin Singh (singer/producer), Tahita Bulmer (New Young Pony Club),
Nile Rodgers (producer/Chic founder) and William Orbit (Madonna, Robbie
Williams, Sugababes producer).
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The competition was open to groups and solo artists in any genre of
music as long as they performed their own songs and were not signed to a
major label.
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Anoushka Shankar, one of the panelists, said of the entries: "I am
absolutely blown away by the songs you've sent! They have knocked my
socks off."
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The winner gets massive international exposure and will be invited to
perform live to an audience of 2,000 people at London's indigO2 venue to
celebrate 91Èȱ¬ World Service's 75th Anniversary in December, alongside
some of the most exciting names in music.
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Simon Pitts, Next Big Thing Executive Producer, said: "It's a massive
opportunity for international exposure. Millions of people around the
world will hear the track and it could be the big break someone is
looking for."
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91Èȱ¬ World Service Press Office
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