FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Home: (703) 723-1176
Contact: Wes Hagood
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44084 Saxony Terrace
Ashburn, VA 20147
By Chanz finalist in TEEN PEOPLE contest
Thanks
to the support of their fans, friends, and family, By Chanz has been
selected as one of three finalists by TEEN PEOPLE magazine in the
“Five Live Search” contest that is searching for the best teen band in the
country. They will be flown to New
York City to perform live in a national “battle of the bands” contest in mid
November.
By
Chanz
consists of founding member Kelley Hagood, 18, Sarah Luhrs, 15, both from
Ashburn, VA and Lauren Smallwood, 14, the group’s rap/hip-hop artist from
Leesburg, VA. Hagood is a freshman
at Middle Tennessee State University near Nashville where she is majoring in the
recording industry. Luhrs is a
sophomore at Broad Run High School, and Smallwood is a freshman at Loudoun
County High School.
For
the last month, from Sept 7th to October 5th, By Chanz’
song, What, What Did I Say?, written by Hagood and Smallwood could be
heard on the TEEN PEOPLE web site and on a special “Five Live” toll free
phone line that allowed listeners to hear the songs of the five semifinalists
and vote for their favorite band. By
Chanz came in second place in the toll free phone line voting and third
place in the web voting which placed them in the top three with two other
finalists, Clear Static from Agoura, CA and Kameron Fry from Chicago.
Now
TEEN PEOPLE will fly all three bands to compete in a national “battle of the
bands” contest in the Hammerstein ballroom on November 14, 2001 for the grand
prize, the opportunity to perform along side well know teen pop stars at the
TEEN PEOPLE “What’s Next?” event which will be televised.
Last year’s event occurred at the Apollo Theatre and included such well
know performers as Destiny’s Child, Vitamin C, Mikaila, and
Pink. The year before, “What’s
Next?” teen pop performers included Jessica Simpson, Eve, Cisqo, and Donnell
Jones.
By
Chanz is
optimistic about their chances of winning the grand prize and looks forward to
competing in New York City. Their
manager is very sanguine about their chances of winning and making it this far.
He said, “Even if they do not win the grand prize they are already
winners in my eyes because of how hard they have worked and of all the talent
they have demonstrated to get this far.”
He has invited several talent scouts from major record companies to come
and see By Chanz perform live in New York.
This could lead to a recording contract or development deal with one of
the labels.
Seasoned
veterans, By Chanz already have a few
wins to their credit. Their song, What,
What Did I Say?, recently won the Z104 “Local Band Challenge”
contest in September. They also won
the Sterling Community Center-sponsored “battle of the bands” contest in
June against seven other bands. Their
song, Beat of Your Heart, won an honorable mention award in the
2000 Grand Slam Song Writing contest sponsored by LA’s Music Connection
magazine. Prior to this, By
Chanz performed at SterlingFest, the Reston Festival, Countryside, the
Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival, The Upper Room of Leesburg, and at The
Planet Club, a teen nightclub in Chantilly, VA.
Their original music has also 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 is
tentatively scheduled to perform at First Night Leesburg again this year on
December 31st and confirmed at the Franklin Park Performing and
Visual Arts Center in Round Hill, VA on Jan 5, 2002 at 7:30 PM.
For more information about the Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts
Center, contact Jeff Stern at (540) 338-8597.