Programme for aspiring singers from March 2

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan has said the Voice of Punjab (VoP) is being launched from March 2 to bring out best talent in singing across the province.

“All the process of hunting best voice from preliminary auditions to grand finale would be ensured in a transparent manner,” the minister said. The singing aspirants up to 35 years of age, irrespective of gender, i.e. male, female and transgender should upload their best audition at Whatsaps to participate in the VoP. This forum would explore melodious voices in singing across the province. PTV has been made media partner which would telecast the programme.

The Punjab government has allocated fund of Rs 13 million for the programme, under which, auditions of aspiring singers would commence from March 2, 3 and 4 simultaneously from Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi and 20 best singers would be selected from each division. Moreover, 80 singers would be selected for four quarter finals. Five singers would be selected from each division in quarter final which would be held in Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore, on March 8, 12, 16 and 20.

Around 20 singers would participate in semi-final on March 23 and March 26. The singers would be given one week training under the auspices of renowned singers and they would be given best facilities of boarding and lodging so that they might exhibit their talent in a befitting manner. Ten best singers would be selected for final from two semi-finals which would be held on March 30 at the same venue. The singers achieving first, second and third positions in this grand contest would be given cash awards of Rs. 500,000, Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 100,000, respectively, said Punjab Minister for Information and Culture while addressing a crowded press conference at Alhamra Arts Council on Thursday.

The press conference was also attended by noted figures from arts industry, including Ghulam Mohyuddin, Nisho Begum, Waris Baig, Shahida Mini, Pervaiz Kaleem, Humaira Arshid, besides Executive Director Alhamra Arts Council Athar Ali Khan and PTV MD Arshid Khan. Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan said the new talent hunt programme “Voice of Punjab” which was to begin from February 16 was postponed till March on account of occurrence of Sahiwal tragic incident.

He hoped that the forum would explore best singers like Mehadi Hassan, Noor Jahan and Alam Lohar. The VoP would be aired by PTV and the revenue generated from it would be equally shared by Information and Culture Department and PTV, the minister said.