Covering up
Reality show Clash Of The Cover Bands pits wannabes up against each other as they re-perform their icons’ hit songs.
Season 1 Sundays (from 13 March) E! Entertainment (*124) 21:00
Copying someone is the ultimate form of flattery – that’s how the saying goes, and it’s given a flashy, fancy, loud makeover in new reality show Clash Of The Cover Bands. “We’re taking singers who’re not only covering the songs their idols sing, they are also almost a tribute band – they dress like their favourite performers,” says show judge Adam Lambert, who’s no stranger to reality TV shows – he was the runnerup of American Idol season 8 in 2009. “We’re looking for people who not only love music, they love the people who’re making that music and they’re coming out on stage giving it their all. That takes a lot of courage and they’ve got a lot to live up to,” adds Adam. He’s joined by fellow singer-songwriters Ester Dean and Meghan Trainor on the judging panel.
TWO OF A KIND
The producers of Clash Of The Cover Bands opened auditions to anyone and everyone, with Adam explaining that
From left: The judges Adam Lambert, Ester Dean and Meghan Trainor.
“we are all about inclusivity. If you’re good at performing and you can put on a show like your favourite singers, you’ve got the chance.” To level things out, the show splits the contestants according to the musical genres they’re performing. “You can’t really have a heavy metal cover artist performing something from Black Sabbath against a fun pop artist who’s covering Elton John because the two genres are completely different. It changes as the season progresses and eventually we’ll have the best two performers competing head-to-head,” adds Adam. The winner not only goes home with $25 000 (R376 000), they’ll get to perform on talkshow The
Tonight Show With Jimmy
Fallon, who is the show’s executive producer.