Contest: KIDZ Star USA 2012 Talent Search

KIDZ BOP, the #1 kids’ music brand in the U.S., has partnered with RCA Records, Ben Silverman's multimedia entertainment studio, Electus (Fashion Star), and VEVO, the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, to launch the KIDZ Star USA 2012 Talent Search. The premier national talent competition for kids and teens ages 15 and under is hosted on KIDZ BOP’s leading safe social networking and video sharing website, KIDZBOP.com. Beginning this June, aspiring young singers from across the country can upload a 90 second performance video to KIDZBOP.com to compete for a chance to win a recording contract from RCA Records. Electus will produce an all-new reality web series showcasing the talent of the top ten finalists as they compete to become the next KIDZ Star. VEVO is the worldwide distribution partner for the 10 episode KIDZ Star reality series. Multi-Platinum selling recording artist, Gavin DeGraw, will be a celebrity mentor and will help select the Grand Prize Winner. KIDZ Star fans will be able to follow the contestants’ audition videos and progress on KIDZBOP.com, where they’ll be able to interact with their favorites and rally support to help determine the semi-finalists and Grand Prize Winner. The ten KIDZ Star semi-finalists will be announced this September. The finalists will then fly to Los Angeles to compete in a series of musical challenges filmed in front of a live studio audience. The KIDZ Star USA webisodes will be available on VEVO this October.

 

About KIDZ BOP LLC

KIDZ BOP is the #1 music brand for kids ages 5-12 in the U.S., featuring today’s most popular songs, sung by kids for kids. KIDZ BOP celebrates the authentic voice of kids across the entire brand—through music, videos, live appearances, licensed merchandise and its popular social networking and content sharing website, KIDZBOP.com. In 2011, the brand celebrated its 10th anniversary. KIDZ BOP CD titles have earned one Platinum® and nine Gold® certifications since their debut in 2001. KIDZ BOP’s last release, KIDZ BOP 21 debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Check out KIDZ BOP’s new weekly radio show, KIDZ BOP Block Party!, a new two-hour weekly radio show on Kids Place Live, every Friday at 6PM EST.

 

About KIDZBOP.com

KIDZBOP.com is the leading SAFE social network and video sharing site for kids and tweens with 1.2 million registered members.The website allows kids to express themselves—as themselves—through unique online applications and proprietary functionality. Kids can star in video-based “Web Shows,” challenge each other to “Super Contests,” and build “Fan Pages” as part of KIDZBOP.com’s fun features. An introduction to social networking, the site also features a profile page for each member where they can chat with each other via a safe text messaging system. KIDZ BOP’s expert moderators have screened more than 35,000 hours of video content and nearly half a million photos before they were published to the site.

 

About RCA Records

RCA Records is a Division of Sony Music Entertainment. RCA includes a diverse roster of internationally renowned artists representing all genres of music.

 

About Electus

Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world. Headed by Ben Silverman in partnership with IAC [NASDAQ: IACI], the company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be a true partner in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus' programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers.

 

About VEVO

VEVO is the world's leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform with offices in New York, London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco. VEVO is available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand through VEVO.com, Mobile and Tablet Apps (iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry Playbook), Connected Television (Xbox, Boxee) and user embeddable video players. VEVO powers music videos on artist pages across Facebook, as well as syndicates to dozens of online sites, including AOL, BET, CBS Interactive Music Group (including Last.fm and MP3.com), Fuse.tv, Univision, Viacom Media Networks and Yahoo! Music. Additionally, through a special partnership with YouTube, VEVO is accessible in over 200 countries, expanding the platform's reach around the globe.

 

About Gavin DeGraw

Multi-Platinum selling recording artist Gavin DeGraw is no stranger to the top of the charts - he first broke through with the 2003 release of his debut album, Chariot, which sold over a million copies, earned platinum certification, and yielded three hit singles: “I Don’t Want To Be,” “Follow Through,” and the title-track, “Chariot.” Gavin’s self-titled second album debuted at No. 1 on the digital sales chart and at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart in 2008, earning Gavin his first Top 10 album.