“I feel proud, but the challenge ahead is even bigger. I’ll be meeting even tougher contenders in Monrovia,” quipped Bill Grear, winner of the five-County southeastern finals of A Star is Born, held Saturday, October 20 at the Grand Gedeh County capital of Zwedru.
 

A Star is Born is a popular singing competition organized in Liberia by the UN Mission (UNMIL) in collaboration with the host Government to promote peace through music.

Bill, 20, from Grand Gedeh, out-sang 14 fellow contenders to land the first of three tickets to the national finals coming up sometime between mid November and early December this year.

Two girls in their early teens also broke off the pack to secure the two other slots. Patience Chea, 13, from River Gee came second, and Grace Chie, 15, from Grand Kru, was voted 3rd.

A capacity crowd watched the pageant live at the Zwedru City Hall. It was a thrilling performance from all 15 contenders, and the three-strong panel of judges had a difficult task making their picks.

The regional final, which was personally attended by Liberia’s deputy Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism, Louise McMillian, featured three budding talents each from the Counties of Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, Grand Kru and Sinoe.

The competition is currently in Phase Two, with aspirants who earlier made it through the County auditions now bidding at the regional level for a berth in the Monrovia finals just a month away.