Internet service providers Freeserve (in the U.K) and Wanadoo (in France, Spain and the Netherlands) are launching a competition to showcase Europe’s undiscovered musical talent. According to the ISPs, prizes for the “Wanadoo Discoveries” project include a recording deal with a major or independent label plus the chance to perform alongside established international acts at a venue in Montpellier, France.
Each local ISP will determine a shortlist of 10 unsigned acts, based on audition recordings. To be eligible, acts must not have released a commercial single by March 31.
“With ISPs’ focus on broadband, this project shows we’re committed to legal online music,” says Nicola Anderson, Freeserve’s business development manager. “We’re behind music downloads and we want to show the Internet is a great platform for reaching an audience that these acts would otherwise not reach.”
The audio performances will be transmitted online from March 1-28, when the first round of voting takes place to determine a local winner.
Each local winner will then enter the Grand Final, for which votes can be cast from March 29-April 11.
The competition will have a dedicated “Wanadoo Discoveries” Web site. Promotion will be via the ISPs, still-to-be-announced media and radio partners, and an online advertising campaign.
