Dear Editor,

My favourite show has started to air on Tuesday and Wednesday nights on Vieira Communications Television (VCT- 28) [In Berbice Channel 12]. The hit – show ‘American Idol’, which has thrilled millions for the past seven seasons returned last month for another shot in cutting out the best singers in this part of the world.

This season promises to be one of the best yet with new talent, a new judge and plenty of surprises along the way.

Every year, tens of thousands of hopefuls from across the nation audition for a shot at stardom. The show’s judges – Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and recent addition Kara DioGuardi – travelled to East Rutherford, NJ; Jacksonville, FL; Kansas City, MO; Louisville, KY; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; San Francisco, CA; and San Juan, Puerto Rico, in search of the next American Idol. They winnow down the competitors to a select group of semifinalists who sing their hearts out each week for a studio audience and television viewers.

The show has made huge and lasting footprints in the musical arena in the United States and further a field—names such as Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, David Cook, David Archuleta and more recently Ms Jordin Sparks have earned high praises with their quality music on the radios, the internet, CD stores worldwide, and have soothed the ears of millions of fans who’ve become acquainted with their music. These artistes have wooed the music charts as well firing up several singles which have spent quite a lot of time on the popular Billboard Hot 100 Singles.

Thanks to Mr Vieira for bringing this much loved show to Guyanese and more particularly Berbicians.

I like ‘American Idol’ because of its uniqueness in a show that allows someone to compete with their God-given talent of singing. Singing for me is a channel through which someone expresses their inner emotions through words. The way some of these competitors baptize themselves into their music shows the commitment, zeal and personal experiences which have motivated them to sing what they sing. Our world today is one full of problems here, there and everywhere—if but music, song, and singing be our consolation!

Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran