By Lisa Chaly

Do you love to sing? Want to win $500 in cash? Think you’ve got what

it takes to win the national karaoke championships? Then get yourself

over to KBXtreme’s 2011 Hawaiian Idol VIII located at 75-5591 Palani

Road in Kailua-Kona. Qualifying began in January, but there is still

one more week left to join the competition; Friday, April 29 is the

last day to qualify. Parrots Rock Lounge is accepting auditions. They

are open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday through Saturday and all you

have to do is let the hostess know you are interested in the karaoke

contest. If she thinks you have what it takes, then you move on to the

semi-finals to be held Saturday, April 30, May 7 and May 14. Only the

top five singers from each night will return for the grand finale

event on Saturday, May 21, where one lucky winner will be crowned this

year’s Hawaiian Idol and receive $500 cash, and round trip airfare and

hotel accommodations to Grapevine, Texas to compete in the

International Bowling Karaoke Contest. Whoever wins at this level will

receive $5,000 and a recording contract. If singing is your talent and

passion, the Hawaiian Idol is worth a shot.

“Anyone that comes to sing in Parrots Rock has the potential to be a

qualifier,” says Malia Sanders, General Manager at KBXtreme. “The

karaoke hostess will qualify a person based on the same three criteria

used during the actual competition: vocal ability, showmanship, and

song delivery. If that person’s got what it takes, then they will be

qualified as a contestant.” Of course, there are some rules of

engagement, such as all contestants must be 21 years of age or older

and prior Hawaiian Idol winners are not eligible to compete again, but

they can be selected as celebrity judges.

Since 50 percent of the vote is based on the judge’s scores and the

other 50 percent on audience vote, it is highly recommended to bring

as many family and friends as possible. Sanders agrees, adding, “What

started out as just 50 people coming to cheer on their friends has

turned into 200-300 people a night. It can often be a full house. We

have had many qualifiers in recent years and have anywhere from 15-18

participants a night. We run the semi-finals three times before we get

to the final night of competition. We’ve even had contestants from

Maui, Kauai, and Oahu. It’s definitely grown much over the years.”

This will be the eighth year for the Hawaiian Idol contest, which is

part of the annual Bowl Expo and national karaoke contest, in

partnership with “The Lightning Store.” Specific to bowling centers,

the International Bowling Karaoke Superstar Contest is held annually

in various locations around the country. “The goal is to send one

winner to the National Karaoke Championships each year to represent

Hawaii,” states Sanders. When asked what the best part of the contest

is, she shares, “Being able to send a Hawaii contestant to the finals

and knowing they are bringing the Aloha Spirit to the mainland and

sharing a piece of what we do here with the world. Watching them

during the finalist rounds at Bowl Expo and being able cheer when they

announce ‘All the way from KBXtreme located in Kailua-Kona,

Hawaii’…gives goose bumps all over!”

Naturally, having a contest with so many talented people can have its

challenges. “There is often such good talent out there, we often find

that the coordination between the 50+ qualifiers is possibly the

hardest part of it all,” Sanders confesses. Understandably, arranging

photo opportunities and Youtube video productions with a large group

of contestants is not an easy undertaking, especially because most

people have very busy schedules. Yet, despite the difficulties, it all

works out in the end. “Even though it is hard work,” Sanders smiles,

“Nothing compares to the feeling of relief when it all comes together

and we are able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor.”

As for the work each contestant must do to prepare, well that’s up to

them. Obvious tips are: practice, practice, practice, relax, have fun,

pick a song people are familiar with and best showcases vocal ability,

dress for success, and be a good winner (whether you win or not).

Above all, the best advice for any performer is to remember to

breather! Besides some of the basics for a good performance, there are

certain rules that must be adhered to for this competition. “The songs

must be selected and played from the licensed karaoke equipment

available through KBXtreme. No CD’s or instrumental live accompaniment

is allowed,” states Sanders. “Songs are selected in advance at

check-in for the semi-finals. No changes are made after check-in, even

if the same song is sung by multiple contestants.” Most importantly,

Sanders adds, “This is a family environment, so no foul language or

nudity, please.”

With that in mind, the Hawaiian Idol VIII competition sounds like it

is going to be a blast, for contestants and audience members. The

judges, who are arranged with the assistance of Pacific Radio Group,

can also look forward to an entertaining evening. “There will be three

judges per night with one being a celebrity judge and the other two

being either Radio personalities or local Big Island artists,” Sanders

explains. “The judges panel consists of people that are involved

directly in radio, advertising or are local personalities.”

If you or someone you know has what it takes to rock the stage and

deliver a dynamo karaoke performance, make sure to enter the Hawaiian

Idol Karaoke contest for a chance to win $500 and a round trip ticket

to Grapevine, Texas to compete for $5,000 and a recording contract. It

all starts at Parrots Rock Lounge at KBXtreme in Kailua-Kona. The last

day to qualify for the semi-finals is Friday, April 29. Even if you’re

not a singer, be sure to check out the local talent at the

semi-finals, and final round on Saturday, May 21. Enjoy some fun

entertainment and show your support. Best of all, you can bowl, too.

For more information, call KBXtreme at (808) 326-2695 or visit www.kbxtreme.com.