Orlando Kicks off New Show ‘The Next: Fame is at Your Doorstep’

Mix The Voice with American Idol and what do you get? The Next: Fame is at Your Doorstep, a brand new reality show coming to the CW network this Fall.

The Next is unlike any other singing competition, as the show takes on a unique method of finding and shaping their talent. Rather than holding large auditions, four mentors- Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, John Rich of Big & Rich, Gloria Estefan and Nelly- scour through five cities to find the best of their local talent.

After each judge has chosen one hopeful, they will move in with them for 72 hours to train, advise and essentially mold them into a superstar. Then, the four contestants will battle it out onstage in front of a live audience for a coveted spot in the finals and potentially, a recording deal with Atlantic Records.

“A lot of these musicians might have not gotten the chance that they deserve. They either got let down by record labels, or they’re just small town artists,” Joe Jonas told WESH 2 News. “It’s really nice to get to know each artist individually and find out what makes them passionate about music.”

Wednesday, July 11, The Next kicked off their five city tour in none other than Orlando. The four mentors, their protégés and hundreds of fans gathered at the House of Blues for the premiere taping of the program. Mentor Joe Jonas chose to work with 18-year-old Tayler Buono, who caught his attention through her popular Youtube channel and fan following. 29-year-old rocker Cori Yarckin was selected by Gloria Estefan, and has quite the expertise in the field, having already opened for major acts such as the Jonas Brothers and 30 Seconds to Mars. John Rich set his sights on local country heartthrob Michael Ray, 24, who is no stranger to the House of Blues stage, as he has already sold out the venue on multiple occasions.

The fourth and final Orlando contestant was 26-year-old Itzy Rodriguez, who was mentored by hip-hop artist, Nelly. All four talented hopefuls took the stage to showcase their talent, and were later judged by the live audience who selected a winner.

“I felt that Michael Ray had star quality, so I voted for him” said taping attendee, Jeffrey Miller. “I can see him going far with his music career.”

To see who moves on to the finals, tune in to the premiere episode of The Next: Fame is at Your Doorstep, Thursday, August 16 at 9pm on the CW.