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By Chanz wins Z104 “Local Band Challenge” 

The Ashburn, VA-based teen female vocal group, By Chanz, won the Z014 radio “Local Band Challenge” contest on Wednesday September 19, 2001.   Their song, What, What Did I Say?, was matched against a song by challenger, Vicky Adoria.  According to Z104 DJ, Mathew Blades, By Chanz captures 68% of the votes cast on-line and over the phone. 

The song was written by Kelley Hagood, a founding member of By Chanz and Lauren Smallwood, the group’s hip hop artist.  When Sarah Luhrs, the third member of By Chanz phoned in to vote for her own song, she discovered that she had won tickets to the upcoming Britney Spears / O-Town concert.  When the Z104 representative answering the phone found out Sarah was a member of the group he said, “Girl, this is your day!” 

The song, What, What Did I Say?, has also secured a spot for By Chanz as one of five semifinalists in the TEEN PEOPLE “Five Live Search” contest that is searching for the best teen bands in the country.  This contest began on September 7 and continues until October 5, 2001.  To hear this original song, fans can either log on to the TEEN PEOPLE web site at www.teenpeople.com and click on the “Five Live” button, or call the “Five Live’ toll free phone number at 1-877-915-5483 to vote for By Chanz.  The three bands with the most votes will be flown to New York in early November to compete in a national “battle of the bands” contest.  The big winner will perform in a televised music special. 

In mid June, By Chanz performed a showcase at the Philadelphia Music Conference for representatives of the recording industry.  In late June By Chanz won the Sterling Community Center’s “Battle of the Bands” contest against seven other bands in Sterling, VA.  Prior to this, By Chanz performed at The Planet Club, a teen nightclub in Sterling, VA, First Night Leesburg, The Upper Room of Leesburg, The Flower and Garden Festival in Leesburg, the Reston Festival, and Concerts in Countryside.  Their original music has been featured on Loudoun Channel 3, Reston Community TV Channel 8, and on a Fairfax Channel 10 TV comedy show called The Nooz during March, April and May.   

By Chanz’ next local performance will be at SterlingFest on October 6, 2001 from 3:00-4:00 PM.  For more information about SterlingFest, contact Kathy Bleutge at (703) 437-1387.