Ok so whether or not you like it, you all would have heard of Australian or American Idol. Well there is another show that is very similar, called Nashville Star! This is not a new show it started in 2003 and was the longest running competition series on cable TV. It makes me wonder why it is not heard of over here in Australia?? Australian TV normally copies successful reality TV shows from America. I find it weird that if it really is sucessful on cable why haven’t we adapted a similar show.
Similar to Australian Idol a group of performers are selected and they have to try to impress the judges and the audience at home rings up to vote for their favourite performance. The difference between Nashville star and the Idol shows is that the performances are limited to country music. It is hosted by Country Music Star Billy Ray Cyrus. Last year over 20,000 people auditioned and the winner in 2005 went on to have the highest selling debut album that year. This year the show is in it 6th season and the winner receives a recording contract and has the opportunity to sing at the Beijing Olympic games. I think this show is a perfect way to introduce young performers back into the country music genre. (As Natalie said most of the known country music performers are older). It gets the audience hooked on this lost genre as well. It would be a great chance for the Australian Country music performers if we has a show like this in Australia.
Rachelle Fenning
This is very interesting because I had never heard of this show until a couple of days ago. One of my friends from back home actually was telling me about it and they said, “They are coming out with a new show like American idol, but for country.” So even she didn’t know that this is the shows sixth session. This is it’s first session on NBC (a main channel) and therefore people are actually hearing about it. It was also interesting to find out that Miranda Lambert was a runner-up on the show and she is now a well known country singer in the US and I don’t think anyone knows it was because of this show. American Idol contestants are always known for being on the show, so I think it will be interesting to see how the show does now that it is on a major TV channel.
That’s amazing. I cant believe there is a show like this that no one has heard of. It really shows that you only really know about country music if your involved in country music. its hard to get into the industry or heard about it until you are in it. its a catch 22. It makes me wonder though, are there any of these American idol type shows for other genres? For example Emo, or Rap etc. Its like country music is so within itself and doesn’t get played in the mainstream, that it is forced to be its own world, where as they other genres get mainstream play so its not necessary to create their own world.