MIAMI, FL. (Top40 Charts/ Pop Starz Productions) - Pop Starz Inc. (PINK SHEETS: PSRZ) ("PSRZ") announced today that Multiple Grammy-award winning recording artist, vocal producer and vocal coach Betty Wright has agreed to be one of the judges for the new televised reality vocal competition The Next Pop Star (www.bethenextpopstar.com) and has offered a vocal production agreement for the winner's album to be produced by Pop Starz Records (www.popstarzrecords.com).
The following is a bio as taken from Wikipedia:
Betty Wright is a soul and R&B singer, who influenced a generation of female singer-songwriters and also influenced the world of hip hop, who sampled some of her more famous material. Born singing gospel songs with the family group, the Echoes of Joy, Wright began switching to R&B music in 1965 when she was only 11 years old. In 1968 at the age of 15, she released her first album, My First Time Around, and scored her first hit, "Girls Can't Do What Guys Can Do." But it was not until the end of 1971 that Wright's most successful phase of her career started.
The song, "Clean Up Woman," became a Top 5 Pop and R&B hit, and would later influence a remix of Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" single with the sample of its guitar riffs; R&B girl group trio SWV's "I'm So Into You" also featured a sample from "Clean Up Woman," as did Afrika Bambaataa's song "Zulu War Chant", and Sublime's "Get Out!" remix. Beyonce has sampled "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" for her hit "Upgrade U." In 1974, Wright scored big with the songs "Tonight is the Night" (about a real-life love affair that happened with Wright when she was a teenager) and "Where is the Love" (which won her a Grammy for Best R&B Song).
In the early 80's, she took the next big leap forward by founding her own record label, Ms. B Records, and in 1988 made music history by being the first woman to have a Gold record on her own label, with the release of Mother Wit, which featured two of her biggest hits in years, "No Pain No Gain" and "After The Pain." On both songs, Wright displays her powerful upper-register capabilities and seven-octave range.
By 2001, a compilation album The Very Best of Betty Wright was released, along with her first studio album for several years, Fit for a King. Still recording music to this day, she now mentors several young singers, and has done vocal production for the likes of Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Joss Stone, Danity Kane, Beyonce and Montana Tucker.
In 2006, Wright appeared on the TV show Making the Band as vocal coach appointed by Sean 'P Diddy' Combs, for his new female group, Danity Kane.
Wright has agreed to judge as many of the competition rounds as her schedule permits. Wright, a celebrity in her own right, and other experts from various segments of the entertainment industry, including other celebrity judges, will critique the contestants' performances on The Next Pop Star. The contestants, between the ages of 13 and 25, must also complete a set of unique challenges to test their ability to promote themselves and guarantee they have what is takes to make it in 'the business.' The winner will receive a $100,000 recording contract with Pop Starz Records.
The Next Pop Star auditions will take place in Miami on Saturday, September 15, West Palm Beach on Sunday, September 23, and Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, September 29. Audition venues and additional judges will be announced at a later date. For more information on how to audition for the show, visit www.bethenextpopstar.com or email questions to [email protected].
The Next Pop Star is produced by Pop Starz Productions, Inc., collaboration between Pop Starz Records www.popstarzrecords.com and Evolution Entertainment www.evo-ent.com.
