There were broad smiles across the faces of 18 young and hopeful music
talents at the TV3 Executive Theatre last weekend as they were
shortlisted at the Project Fame West Africa Accra auditions to carry
Ghana’s flag into the next round of auditions.

Similar auditions had already taken place in Monrovia, Freetown, Calabar, Kano, Enugu and Abuja. The Accra event was for talented Ghanaians to enter the Project Fame West Africa reality contest alongside their counterparts from Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Facing a judging panel comprising Kwasi Kyei Darkwa (KKD), a showbiz personality, Panji Anoff, a music producer and recording engineer and Bibie Brew, a singer, 100 candidates displayed what they could do.
 
28 of them were chosen to return the next day to be considered for the 15 expected from Ghana.

The 28 contestants for the second day got a taste of what to expect if they eventually make it into the Project Fame Performance Academy.
 
Before the auditions proper began, the candidates were tasked to compose and perform a theme song for the show from Ghana. It was exciting to see the enthusiasm and energy the young candidates put into the task and the results were impressive.

The auditions then took on a more serious tone as each of the 28 was called to face the judges with cameras rolling.

Some faltered but others efficiently displayed their talents. 18 contestants were then shortlisted, three more than the required figure.

The next stage of the competition will involve an international panel of judges who will review the 60 video recordings from all four countries and select 24 candidates to go to Lagos to audition for the opportunity to be part of the 15 to enter the Project Fame Performance Academy.

Contestants who make it far will receive training from renowned experts in voice training, choreography, stage performance and more over a period of 12 weeks.
 
One contestant will be dropped each week based on nominations by judges and audience votes until the best is chosen in a grand finale.

It remains to be seen how many will be selected from Ghana to make the last 15. The judges at the Accra screening, however, unanimously agreed that a fine crop of talent had been chosen to represent Ghana.

Project Fame West Africa will air on TV3 when the programme kicks off next month.