THE beat goes on as the world’s biggest singing TV reality show, X Factor, brought to Africa for the first time by Glo, continued in Accra, Ghana last Saturday at the Alisa Hotel. According to the organizers: “Attendance exceeded expectation with over 1,000 contestants turning up for the audition, giving organizers a hectic time gleaning out the gold amongst the pool of talents

available. A major point on the first day was the emergence of female twins, Lamberta and Lambertina Hansen who, after qualifying for the next stage, said they to battle DNA Twins from Nigeria for the $150,000 prize money.

The duo who graduated from Accra Polytechnic and who sing with the stage name Latino, reportedly said: “We are grateful to have sailed through the first day. We are very happy now because we are a step nearer the prize money. We hear there is a set of twin guys who also made it through the Abuja auditions in Nigeria. We are female twins from Ghana and with our parents and entire family and the whole of Ghana behind us, we wish to send the Nigerians a message that they have a fight on their hands. We will give them a good run for their money.

“We know this is our time and our God will never fail us. Glo is just superb. The way the officials are even talking to us makes us feel we have already won the money. This is really a good experience”.

Reports from Accra reveal that events on the first day of the Accra selection were interesting as participants came from all walks of life. Among those who made it worthwhile was co-host of ‘This Morning’, (Viasat 1 weekday’s morning show), Kokui Selormey. Unfortunately, she could not progress to the final stage. However, she was very excited at the opportunity and prayed that Glo would continue this offer of a lifetime in order to bring up more superstars.

Our source  at the event revealed: “The hotel auditorium was filled with excitement as participants thrilled the audience in Africa’s first X Factor selection process. The oldest participant of the day was 54-year-old Robert Adinyira, and there was also 53-year-old Jonathan Seshie who sang with the group, Crosscrown.”

On their experience, Crosscrown said: “We have been singing together since we completed Form Five in 1976 at Denu, a suburb of Ho in the Volta Region. This is the best opportunity that has ever come our way. That is why we travelled all the way here to participate.”

Reports have it that over 360 passionate youths had queued up at the west wing of the hotel by 6 a.m. where the selection was billed to take place. Most of them were above 17 years old. The young and old took turns in solo and group performances to snatch a spot in the next stage of X Factor.

“Participants generally went through three stages and will be facing a final phase of screening at the National Theatre next Tuesday and Wednesday. All singers were given the opportunity to perform their own genre of music, and each was allotted a maximum of two minutes to exhibit their best,” the report further hinted.

It also revealed that teeming youths from the various parts of the region were joined by others who had come from the Eastern and Volta regions, hoping for an opportunity to kick-start their musical career. Each of the groups or soloist who pulled through the preliminary selection stages will be mentored by a judge towards the $150,000 cash prize, plus a recording contract with Sony music. Accra was the second venue of selection in Ghana after Kumasi.