Grammy-nominated artist and best-selling recording artist Jim Brickman chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his distinct talent search “Brickman’s Big Break.”
“Brickman’s Big Break” is the first talent search exclusively for singers and musicians over 40, and it will benefit The Actors Fund, which is the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment.
In this talent search, Jim Brickman, along with industry experts including luminaries from “American Idol,” “America’s Got Talent,” as well as high-profile talent managers, and Grammy-winning songwriters will be the judges for this unique competition.
Brickman shared his excitement for this venture. “We did a big project for The Actors Fund last year,” he said. “Over the past year and a half, my heart goes out to so many entertainment workers, my crew included. We raised $50,000 for The Actors Fund last year in a different kind of way, for my Christmas album. We featured a lot of Broadway stars and all of the proceeds went to them.”
“I’ve always felt that people that have talent, who are not 17 years old, deserve to have a chance to have their voices heard. It is such a youth culture, and there are so many people that were unable to follow a dream early on in their lives. I feel this is a way to have a second chance to be embraced as opposed to be ridiculed,” he said.
In order to participate, all one needs to do is register and submit their best video singing the song of their choice by August 1, 2021, and then Jim Brickman and his team of seasoned, celebrity talent judges, will narrow the submissions to a Top 20. Then, with fans voting online, they will narrow the contestants down to a Top 10.
Finally, one winner will be chosen to appear on Jim Brickman’s LIVE Stream Christmas show, and will subsequently record a song with Jim Brickman, and get seen by seasoned entertainment experts.
10 runners up will get their video entries broadcast on a LIVE YouTube virtual concert, posted on Jim Brickman’s website, and a group coaching session from Brickman and his staff. A portion of the proceeds from Entry Fee and Livestream Concert tickets will benefit The Actors Fund.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Brickman said with a sweet laugh, “Empresario.” “I wear many hats and I preside over many ideas,” he said. “I am at the level where I accomplished a lot with what I set out to do.”
“I am in a more charitable and philanthropic part of my life,” he acknowledged. “Of course, I am still doing what I love to do and I am still touring.”
Brickman defined the word success as a combination of fulfillment and providing what he set out to do. “A lot of that is the kind of music that I wanted to bring to people,” he said. “Success is accomplishing what I set out to do in the first place.”
He concluded, “Talent is ageless, and people deserve an opportunity to follow their dreams whatever their age is. You can be a success with your music without an age limit.”
To learn more about “Brickman’s Big Break” or to register, check out his official website.
