Madonna and Missy’s Road to Stardom
Is Madonna on course to claim American Idol’s Simon Cowell‘s crown as the world’s toughest talent- show judge? According to The Sun, she could step into Mr Nasty’s high-waisted trousers in a new US star-search programme to be fronted by hip-hop singer Missy Elliott.
Madonna and Missy got to know each other while making last year’s Gap adverts together after collaborating on a remix featured on Madonna’s “American Life” – the first single from her album with the same name. The Gap collaboration theme, “Into The Hollywood Groove” was then released on Madonna’s “Remixed and Revisited” EP and has been used as an inspiration for the “Re-Invented” version of “Into The Groove” Madonna performed on tour – including a “virtual” guest appearance of Missy herself on stage.
They became so close they have given each other nicknames, Victoria Newton reports. “Madonna calls Missy “Miss Lissa” and Missy calls Madonna “Mad”. Missy personally asked Madonna to collaborate on her new talent show scheduled for launch on US television UPN early next year.
“The Road To Stardom With Missy Elliott” is a new dramality series that will send thirteen aspiring performers coast-to-coast on tour, where they will live together on the road in a tour bus and compete against each other for the opportunity to become the next big hip-hop star.
The series will feature everyday young singers and rappers as they transform into multi-talented hip-hop entertainers, in the process facing weekly tests that determine who can make the cut. With the help of a panel of industry experts, Missy will eliminate one performer each episode until only one is left standing. Then, Missy plans to help launch the winner’s career, signing them to a deal with her record label.
Madonna got the thumbs-up from the show producers after destroying hopefuls during a screen test she filmed in London a month ago, right after the end of her Re-Invention world tour. Many of her comments were some of the most biting criticism ever seen on a talent show and made Simon Cowell sound like Snow White.
A source close to Madonna told Newton: ”She doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She will have no patience with the have-a-go heroes trying to make a name for themselves. If someone walks into the room the wrong way she’ll say ”no” before a note is sung and that will be their chance gone. She will reduce people to tears because she is so direct.
”Her comments really find their targets, they don’t go flying past and hit the wall. There is no pantomime about her performance. She plays the role of a judge as she is in real life. There is no showing off like there is with Cowell. Only real hope-fuls will get through to be judged by her. She is brilliant at separating talent from over-confidence and the best thing is that nobody can argue with her verdict.”
According to the Sun, Madonna also expects the show to be broadcast in Britain soon afterward.
From an article by Victoria Newton’s Bizarre, The Sun, and from UPN.com
Check previous reports on Madonna’s possible involvement in the show from last July and August.