Preparations for the 2013 edition of the Miss Ghana beauty pageant is scheduled to take off  on May 30 with a three-day national audition. Auditions will take place at the Travel Express Hotel in Accra from May 30 to June 1.

At a  press interaction held in Accra last Tuesday, the organizers disclosed that this year’s format of holding only one national audition remains and said it has become necessary to explore the novelty further. 

“Although a slight change from last year’s format, the brand will still maintain a nationwide appeal via various activities that will take all finalists back into the other regions of Ghana and get closer to potential contestants,” Inna Maryam Patty, C.E.O, Exclusive Events Ghana said.

“All things being equal, the national final will be held in July this year, hopefully allowing Naa Okailey Shooter to crown her successor before the Miss World finals in Indonesia”, she said.

This year’s event Miss Patty says is “full of exciting packages; the concept of giving out three cars to the first three winners still holds. Miss Ghana 2013 gets to keep her car while her two runners-up use theirs officially, for a year.

“Winners will still get cash rewards, products from sponsors, paid-holiday trips, internship and branding opportunities with our sponsors, donors and partners.

“Our scholarship scheme, which was instituted last year, and available to two contestants who are able to meet Benedict College University’s criteria for selection, still stands.

“Regarding the success of our themed events last year, namely the Street Fashion Show and Miss Ghana Kids Bazaar, we are motivated to put up bigger events this year. Proceeds will still go to support underprivileged children with major surgical problems”, Inna said.

The reigning Miss Ghana Naa Okailey Shooter, who was present at the launch spoke extensively about the projects she’s been involved in thus far, and how she is helping to bring relief to thousands of women and children through her maternal and infant mortality project.

She was upbeat about Miss World 2013, adding that she is putting in a lot of work to make her country proud.

The ceremony saw in attendance, some officials of Exclusive Events Ghana, 2012 first runner up, Nadia Ntanu, and Precious Kyei-Bonsu, who won Miss Photogenic last year, and who was announced as co-host for the exciting Miss Ghana TV, hitting mainstream local television soon.

Miss Ghana 2013 is an Exclusive Events Ghana production with support from some corporate entities.

You hardly hear Ghanaian  musicians and celebrities expressing their views publicly on certain societal ills.

However Ghana's stylish rapper Guru of Bola Ray's empire entertainment has broken the jinx this morning as he resort to his face book page to ask a strong question which is also thought provoking one in nature.

She also took the opportunity to encourage Ghanaian musicians to submit their videos at any of the three Multichoice Ghana offices nationwide to be considered to be aired on Channel O. Having sponsored the Ghana Music Awards in 2013 and also several times before, Channel O will continue to maintain a long standing relationship with Charterhouse for the Ghana Music Awards and other great initiatives.

Ebenezer Sowah is the current creative director on the Planet Radio Television (PRTV) platform. If you didn't get that right, he is the creative force behind the first radio television channel on the Mother-land.Eben was the creative force in Charter-House in Ghana where he directed the creative growth in the company for four years before relocating to South Africa to extend his influence and skill. His main plan is to raise the profile of PRTV and himself thereby leaving an indelible imprint on the media scene and creative field of the Mother-land.

Kweku T, one of Africa’s best loved Big Brother Africa’s house-mate, has now made Mzansi his home. He is now a VJ Co-hosting with one of the top entertainment pioneers. Tune in for the biggest and brightest morning breakfast shows on Planet Radio Television (PRTV).Kweku T will be starring on a brand new weekday breakfast show called ”Daily Planet.”

His long-time, Wale Akinlabi the CEO of Planet Image Production the mother company of the recruited Friday show super Friday show. His move from the Friday show is the perfect for south africa’s powerhouse Penny Lebyani. His blend of multiculturalism and youthfulness will infuse a grown and sexy cocktail to wake up the mind the spirit and the appetite. The show will be coming live on a major digital network.

 

Turas has been a mainstay of the PRTV family almost since inception. His vivacious personality has garnered tens of thousands of listeners and has shown the station CEO Wale the potential that the channel can achieve. As a result, Turas will be holding down the weekday drive time” Check-In-Time” show every  Monday and Friday from 2-5pm CAT. Turas plans to take on top African talent, both known and underground to the mainstream. His passion for music transcends all genres and crosses all boundaries. Turas wants to bring all African artists from all corners of the continent to every music lover linked to the internet. He wants to abolish musical borders and will use the PRTV platform to achieve this dream. Tune in to the drive show on PRTV.

You can also see Alex Kwesi Crassie (Turas Turise), every morning from 7-8am CAT anchoring the biggest and brightest breakfast show on the continent, Good Morning Africa on Channel 154 DSTV.

After releasing her latest gospel single ‘Jesus’ a fortnight ago, Ghana’s Afro pop Becca is ready to release her newest album on May 16.

Becca, whose live stage musical performances have won the hearts of many music fans across the African continent told the media that her much awaited new album will be extraordinary.

Reports available indicate that Becca’s management which is currently planning a world class album launch to unleash her new album is considering several venues for the upcoming historic launch.

Becca, who has achieved a lot with just one album and more than three hit singles, wants to introduce something new in her music career and something Ghanaians have never seen before to match up with the kind of musical work on her new album.

Becca’s anticipated album launch has generated a lot of expectations among a large number of music fans and the general public.

Those who have had the opportunity to listen to some of the songs on the album find it difficult to describe what to expect from the Afro pop singer this year.

 Becca also has a good gospel song on the album and just an album to her credit, Becca has won for herself several awards in Ghana and Nigeria.

The sensational Afro-pop artiste, who launched her musical career in Ghana on November 2007 with her maiden album ‘Sugar’, is among a few music stars who have been consistent on the music platform.

‘Sugar’, which has the hit song ‘You lied to me’, was once adjudged Record of the Year. ‘You Lied to Me’, which featured Kwabena Kwabena, also earned Becca four other nominations some years back.

Becca also featured Hugh Masekela, a great musician from South Africa on her track ‘I love you’. This ethereal beauty has been hard at work on a follow-up album since her maiden ‘Sugar’ collection came out at the end of 2007. She has already put out singles meant for her new album- the very popular ‘Daa Ke Daa’, ‘Eti Sen’ and African Woman’.

Rick Bacchus, a US based music producer and artiste manager, who was in the country some time ago was impressed with Becca’s performance on the music scene so far, adding that although her talent is amazing, she was not getting the right opportunity to showcase it.

As the X-Factor audition train zoomed into Kumasi on Saturday, scores of contestants who trooped to contest on the platform have commended Glo for regularly initiating people oriented programmes that offer unlimited platforms for turning dreams into reality.

The contestants who thronged the Golden Tulip Hotel venue of the X-Factor audition in Kumasi, implored the telecommunication giant to bring more of such exciting programs. 

Meanwhile, the contestants tried to outperform each other to progress to the next round of the competition and stay in the run for the star prize of $150,000, and a Sony Music recording contract. 

Some of the contestants included 49 year-old George Danzoma from Tamale who described the audition as unique because of the professional tips offered by the selectors and the four tiers of the audition, which he said calmed his nerves and brought out the best in him.

Another contestant, Miss Audrey Mikass, a medical student from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology said “Glo is cool. It has given a boost to my singing career and whether I am selected or not, I would soon release an album.”

For 16-year-old Chelsea Frimpong, a Year Eleven Arts student of International Community School, Kumasi, the X-Factor audition is a dream come true because X Factor is her favorite show and “I never thought I was going to get this rare opportunity to participate in X-Factor. I really thank Glo for making this possible.” 

Commenting on the Audition, Glo X-Factor’s Music Director, Carl Raccah expressed satisfaction with the level of performance of the contestants, especially the groups that auditioned. 

He enjoined the contestants to relax and give their best and not miss musical notes.

Line Producer for the show, Abigail Clark also noted that X-Factor is different from all other Reality TV singing show, because in the course of the programme the judges would transform into mentors who would stake their reputations for the three contestants each of the three judges would select for the live performance stage.

Meanwhile, the X-Factor audition train would move to Accra next weekend where talented contestants would be screened at the Alisa Hotel, North Ridge.

Ghanaian actress and philanthropist Juliet Ibrahim, radio and TV presenter Caroline Sampson and fashion designer House of Adjeiwaah, are to be celebrated and honoured on Mother’s Day.

They are among selected hard working women in the entertainment industry to be honoured at a pre-Mother’s Day jam event dubbed: ‘DIVAS BALL’ scheduled for the Paloma Hotel (The Lexington Bar) on May 11.

The event, the brainchild of 18.com, events, public relations and advertising company in Ghana, will host musical performances from Kesse, D-Flex, Diojo and new hi-life sensation Akwaboah. 

There will also be poetry performances from Ghana’s finest Rhyme Sonny and comedy from DKB, who represented Ghana at the last edition of the Big Brother Africa reality show.

Nana Yaw Wiredu, of 18.com said in a statement that, “we are hosting the jam not to only celebrate celebrity women who double as mothers but also those succeeding in show business.”

He added that, “we hope to use this platform to recognize their hard work and success in a male dominated entertainment industry as they combine that with their role as mothers.”

The listed celebrities will each receive a citation - signed by fans, friends and loved ones -, beauty treatment and hampers.

Nana Yaw Wiredu noted that, “It is our hope that fans and the DIVAS themselves will accept our effort in saying ‘Ayekoo’ [Thank you] to them on Mother’s Day and also for their achievements in the industry.”