GALLERY: Auditions held to find next star

Young, talented hopefuls flocked to the Randridge Mall to audition for Figures Models Randburg’s International Modelling and Talent Association (IMTA) talent search on 6 September. Figures Models Randburg is looking for four young hopefuls to sponsor to the event.

Merlene Spies, owner of Figures Models Randburg, said that the response was phenomenal and that talented young people came from all over Randburg to audition. She said that they had selected 64 people, which included singers, actors, dancers and models to go through to the semifinals, which will be take place at the Roodepoort Theatre on 31 October.

Spies said that the IMTA is where the world’s top model and talent agents, managers and casting directors come to find new faces and talent. The IMTAs are held annually and it is where Eva Longoria, Aaron Paul and Katie Holmes were discovered. She explained that the Randburg branch will be competing against other Figures Models branches at the semifinals.

“The finals will be taking place early February next year and we will sponsor one model, one actor, one dancer and one singer with an all-expenses-paid trip to the IMTA in New York,” she said. Paballo Tshilo, aka Mr Paperz, who has been singing since high school, said that music was his passion and that he auditioned to get exposure as well as to learn new things.

Richard Kaldenberg (16) from Randpark Ridge said that he hoped to get chosen to go to New York as music played a huge role in his life. Bianca Crowje (17) from Northwold hopes that the auditions will kick-start her international acting and singing career as she has already been to Hollywood twice to compete in other shows.

“I’ve been singing since I was very young and I want to make this my career,” she said.