1. Get your talent spotted

However talented you are you need to get your talent spotted. If you are the next Tate Stevens then create your free profile on My Dream Is To Be and start the road to fame and fortune.

2. No video? No problem!

Uploading a video of your talents is the best way to promote yourself however if you don’t have a video don’t worry as we now offer the facility to add links to your profile page which you can use for SoundCloud, Flickr, Myspace etc.

3. Facebook / Twitter? We have them covered too!

Our site is fully integrated with Facebook and Twitter so you can promote your profile to your friends and family and be a judge of other aspiring talents.

4. Get your profile on our Facebook page!

Our Facebook page already has over 1000 likes and we will promote a regular selection of profiles here in addition to all the latest news from the leading TV Talent shows.

So what are you waiting for? Get your profile on our site and promote your talent to the world….

Here is our handy reference guide to getting your talent spotted….

1. Have some talent!

Yes, a vital starting point! Can you sing? Can you dance? Can you play football as well as Lionel Messi?

You have a talent. Develop it, get spotted, become famous – simple eh?

2. If you don’t have a talent at least look like you do

Maybe talent isn’t absolutely necessary. Take Kim Kardashian, for example.

She does not really do anything, she rakes in huge cash and appears on the covers of magazines around the planet. Did she have any discernible talent when she was young? Probably not, but it’s a safe bet that people looked at her and said “now there is a girl who’s going places.”

3.  Practice makes perfect

Somewhere, right now, whatever talent you think comes so naturally to you is being practised on a sports pitch or with a hairbrush as a microphone in front of a mirror.

And someday, all of that practice will make them better than you. Unless of course you’re practicing too, in which case all of their efforts will be an exercise in futility as their hopes and dreams are crushed under the weight of your incredible talent.

4. Don’t take no for an answer

You have waited in line all day to audition for X Factor and when the time comes for your audition Simon Cowell says that you have more chance of winning the lottery.

Part of becoming a star and staying that way is auditioning for jobs. A lot of people will tell you they aren’t interested in what you’re bringing to the table. Just get over it and move on to the next potential gig.

5. Make some connections

Meet new people, tell them what you do, wait for their reply. If it doesn’t involve helping you make your dreams come true in some fashion go talk to someone else. You’re here to make it happen. Make what happen? YOU!

6. Expect some criticism

The art of taking criticism is essential for any rising star.  There will always be someone that hates you no matter how talented you are – just ask Rylan!

If you become famous you’ll get even more criticism and people will expect you to not respond to it. Good times!

7. Get noticed

You could think up some kind of wild scheme and use it to get yourself some publicity. However, a much better bet would be to get your profile and videos on My Dream Is To Be and promote your talent to the world.

8. Spend your millions wisely

So, instead of spending your first million on a luxury mansion spend it on an accountant!

Let us know if you have any suggestions to add to the list.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Jamee Nielsen, I live in St. Paul, Indiana (about an hour south of Indianapolis). I have a mom and dad, Sharon and Kevin Nielsen, and an older brother also named Kevin. I’m also a freshman in high school. My hobbies are horseback riding, basketball, and piano and voice.

How did you get into music?
The first time I remember ever getting into music is when I was young. My dad would always play piano in the evening and one night I sat up on the piano bench, looked at where and how he positioned his fingers on the keys, and I started to mimic what he played. Soon after he had me enrolled in piano lessons. When I broke my arm in 5th grade I couldn’t play for a while, but luckily my piano teacher also taught voice so I started singing and discovered I wasn’t half bad! Now I’m out of the arm cast and I pursue both.

When did you start playing piano? How often do you practice?
I started playing piano when I was in 3rd grade so I was probably about 8 or 9, and I don’t really have a set time for practicing. All I can tell you is that I play piano every day and I can’t tell you how many times it has kept me up half the night. I can tell you though that out of all the times I’ve sat down at the piano, not once did I have to force myself.

Who were your main inspirations, both musically and in your own life?
Well, my main famous inspiration was by far The Beatles. They are the band I was raised on by my dad and I still can’t find any artist that compares! As for my inspiration in my own life, I can’t choose just one. My top three are my piano and voice teacher Kim Wallace because she has been with me so long she’s like a second mother and I wouldn’t know anything without her! My second is my deceased Grandpa Roland Nielsen. He died when I was very young but I’ve heard stories about his natural music ability and how he could play any instrument just by picking it up. I know that if I’m talented, then I must’ve gotten it from him! And last, of course, is my dad. Because of his music experience, he always gives me tips (even when I don’t want them!)

What is your proudest moment?
My proudest moment had to be when I scored my first basket for my basketball team, it just happened this year! I’ll admit, I’m no Michael Jordan, but I was wide open for a shot and the point guard passed it to me and I shot and it went in! Of course it didn’t hurt that it was a three pointer!

Have you ever performed live, what was it like?
Yes, many times. My first time was at a little piano recital when I was 9. My biggest crowd was at a Yuletide dinner in front of 600+ people. It was exhilarating! I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t nervous, but it’s just the greatest feeling to see the audience light up when you impress them! It was the first time I really considered music as a career.

Check out Jamee peforming ‘Price Tag‘ by Jessie J

Where would you like to be in five years time?

In 5 years, I want to be on Jay Leno, Ellen, or Regis and Kelly (minus Regis), but I’d just be happy if people recognized my name!

What do you think of reality TV shows, would you ever take part in one?
My point on view on TV shows is that if someone wanted to offer me the opportunity to make people happy, have fun, be famous, and get paid in the process. then i’m game!

How can people get in contact with you and find out more?
You can contact me through my Facebook page and also check out my videos on my My Dream Is To Be profile page.

Who is your greatest inspiration and why?
My greatest inspiration would have to be “The Glamour Golden Age” of the Hollywood Goddesses/ Actresses/ Legends, such as Marilyn Munroe, Joan Collins, Sophia Loren & Elizabeth Taylor. After watching their films as a young 10 year old girl, at the top of the stairs, unknowingly by my parents. I feel in love with these Super Stars because of their glamour, beauty, style and sophistication and how they shone and sparkled. I wanted to be Star just like them and shine brightly! I have tried to emulate and capture this type of Hollywood sparkle in my work in both acting and modelling.

What is your greatest achievement?
Leaving my homelands Zimbabwe and South Africa in 2004 to relocate to the UK as a single Mum, to look after my late Mum and to finally realise my pent-up and frustrated dreams of yesteryear, that had been put on hold whilst raising my son, Chris in Africa. Thanks to all the creative & talented Artists that have helped and aided in making my dreams become a reality here in the UK! Secondly, to be given the opportunity to be a selected performer in The London 2012 Olympic Games in their Opening Ceremonies highlighting the creativity and talent on the United Kingdom, I feel honoured and priviledged!

What advice would you give to others?
My advice would be to believe in yourself and your talent and to NEVER give up on your dreams! Also to the youth I would like to say please go to drama school and get the credentials, work experience needed to fulfil your dreams.

Where would you like to be in five years time?
Hopefully promoting, teaching and inspiring the youth to follow their talent through my experience.

Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
Yes I wished I had come to the UK earlier and started my dreams in my youth but that was not meant to be, as I had to go on this journey to realise the truth and to work hard in my craft to achieve my dreams!

What are your unfulfilled ambitions?
I think I have fulfilled most of my ambitions besides trying to make it in the American Market!

Where is your favourite place?
Cape Town, South Africa for it natural beauty, beaches and regal Table Mountain.

What makes you happy/angry?
I am at my happiest sharing & laughing with my good friends and family. I am angered by injustices against human rights, animal cruelty, bigots, jealousy, war, racism and all hate groups!

What do you think of reality TV shows? Would you ever take part in one?
I have been on quite a few TV shows, Britain’s Got Talent 2011 & 2012, The Sporah Show, The Weakest Link,  The One Show, Richard & Judy and The Graham Norton Show.  I love the experience and interacting with an audience and always make the most of it as this is like a dream come true as I could never have imagined being on these shows whilst living in Africa! I feel honoured!

How would you sum yourself up in five words?     
Fun, Friendly, Flirty, Fiery and Feisty!

How can people get in touch with you?

You can follow me on Facebook or Twitter. You can also see my videos on My Dream Is To Be profile page.

The birth of the talent show judges

As someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I was amazed to find out how many of the famous faces and entertainers from that era got their break on New Faces in the 1970s.  Winners of the show included Roy Walker (it’s good but it’s not quite right), Les Dennis (now doing odd jobs with Barry from Eastenders for Ricky Gervais), whilst plenty of others including Lenny Henry, Victoria Wood went on to bigger and better things.  Jim Davidson was on it too (the racist homophobic guy who did the Big Break).  The focus was not so much on the contestants though, but on the judges and in particular Mickie Mosh and Tony ‘the hatchett’ Hatch.  As well as being the first pair to be brutally honest with contestants, they also generated massive interest from the tabloids.  As they say, any publicity is good publicity and it was revealed that ITV bosses encouraged Mosh and Hatch to be forthright in their views to keep the tabloids entertained.

Britain’s Got Talent … or has it?

Britain’s Got Talent almost never made it to the air in the UK and ironically it was NBC who picked the show up first.  It only then came back to the UK following the huge success it had on the other side of the Atlantic.  Simon Cowell revealed that he was getting bored with singers and wanted a bit more variety and to bring back the spirit of Opportunity Knocks.  Perhaps more telling was when he said that “I live to find a dog that can play instruments”.  Well for those of you in the same boat as Simon you need look no further.  My Dream Is To Be has a whole section on famous pets.  Check out Whizzer the dog singing Bohemian Rhapsody, and Carrie the labrador dancing the meringue for starters.  Much of the entertainment unfortunately comes from the cringe-worthiness of the performances.  As Piers Morgan said, “everyone in Britain thinks they have a secret talent and almost all are wrong”.

Simon Cowell – from Sale of the Century to becoming a mega rich international celebrity who we hate but are all secretly jealous of…

We have the magical clip of Simon Cowell on Sale of Century.  At some point after this decided to move on from the afternoon game-show circuit and get into the music business.  Not only did he have huge success with Robson and Jerome (from Soldier, Soldier) and the dodgy boy band Five, he also propelled Big Breakfast icons Zig and Zag to the top of the charts with their hit song ‘Them Girls’.

Rather than simply retiring at the top, Simon Cowell joined up with Simon Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls, to create Pop Idol.  His cutting lines, including, “Without being unkind, you will never in a billion years be a pop star”, and “That was the equivalent of musical food poisoning”, turned him into a national celebrity overnight.  He was then perusaded to appear on American Idol where his honesty ignited a wave of publicity which ultimately propelled both the show and him to the top of the entertainment world.

Worst Auditions on Talent Shows

What makes the modern era of talent shows different from the past is the filming of the auditions, the best and worst of which are broadcast for our viewing pleasure.  This process that has given us some of the most entertaining and memorable moments on TV talent shows.  87 year old Edna Moore from the bizarre duo Spirit and Destiny was one of the few people to successfully put Simon Cowell in his place following a typical cutting remark.  We fear though that despite being told he “was an ignorant person” who best “alter your ways”, Simon has not taken heed of the advice.

Our favourite ‘worst audition’ though is Robert Unwin from the chicken factory.  His Bee Gees rendition is pretty painful, but he really captures the spirit of Aqua with his version of ‘Barbie Girl’ where he takes the role of both the woman with squeaky voice and the bald guy playing Ken to great effect.  Click here to view Robert Unwin’s X Factor performance.  Yes he is not Elvis Presley, but I hope you agree there is unfulfilled potential under there bursting to get out…

If you like watching some of the best and worst of talent show auditions, check out the TV Talent section of the site where we have videos from all the main talent shows for your perusal and entertainment.  Until next time:

- Oh, I’m Having So Much Fun!
- Well, Barbie, We’re Just Getting Started!
- Oh, I Love You Ken!

Watch the episode on ITV Player here

Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent

The first part of the show focused on the phenomenon that was Susan Boyle.  The first thing I thought when I saw her interviewed was how amazing it is what money, fame, a visit to the Priory and a bit of Gok Wan style makeover treatment can achieve.

What made the segment interesting was not how she was portrayed as an old spinster with a beautiful voice, but at how quickly she turned into a global superstar through Twitter and Facebook.  The show revealed that in 2009 her audition was the most watched video clip on YouTube.  It re-emphasised how quickly news can spread and that if you make a splash on the internet you can literally go global in hours (which is why budding Susan Boyle’s should share their talent videos on My Dream Is To Be).

Myleene Klass.  Oh and Popstars.

She can not only look fantastic playing the piano and advertising shampoo, the next segment reminded me that Myleene Klass used to be in a band called Hear’Say, the winners of the Popstars TV show.  Whilst it is now a standard aspect of many TV talent shows, Nigel Lythgoe told the story of how he took the idea from Austrailia of focusing on the audition process that manufactured groups go through.  A couple of things stood out: first was Simon Cowell turning down the chance to be on the show; second was Nigel telling Kym Marsh that “Christmas may be gone but I see the goose is still fat”.  Any man saying that to a woman has cajones the size of grapefruits so whilst we do not condone sexism or fatism or other isms at My Dream Is To Be, we applaud his reckless, entertaining honesty.

Nina Myskow on New Faces

One of the more interesting segments was the retrospective on New Faces from the 1980s.  Whilst the acts ranged from bad to not quite as bad, the show made a villainous star out of Nina Myskow, who makes Simon Cowell look like a pussy(cat) by comparison.  Here are a few of her killer lines:

“You would go down as a cabaret at a gay ball”

“They have a lot in commo with George Formby – they’re both dead!”

“She sounds like a goat on heat”

I say bring her back to primetime TV if she can still be as creatively rude as she was on New Faces.

Will Young v Gareth Gates (and Simon Cowell)

Whilst my view of Gareth Gates was coloured by his affair with the creature known as Jordan, he had the perfect combination of boyish good looks, angel like voice, and a disability that made Simon Cowell delcare “jackpot”.  The only problem was that Will Young had a better voice and eventually won the show. Simon probably knew this and took an instant dislike to Young which he very openly described in the programme revealing that he thought him to be “arrogant” (really Simon?  Are you any better?).  The man crush Simon had on Gates came across as very creepy.  The battle between the two ultimately garnered the biggest public vote in UK TV history with 8.6 million people spending 10p to choose their winner.

Final thoughts

In summary, the Talent Show Story was fairly entertaining and served as a stark reminder of how popular TV talent shows can be.  The Talent Show Story really displayed that the key to success is the characters, be they contestants or, more often than not, the judges.  Simon Cowell didn’t fair too well in this show, but with the story of the X Factor to come, ITV are saving up more of Mr Nasty for future weeks.

Check out the TV Talent section of our site to see the best X Factor videos, Britain’s Got Talent videos, American Idol videos and many more. You can also to upload and share your videos.  Maybe you will be the next star to get discovered…

The D list celebrities taking part struck a perfect balance between those with genuine talent, and those who would struggle to impress at a pensioners disco. There were many highlights that people will remember when the show resurfaces next autumn: Russell Grant being fired from a cannon; Russell Grant riding a mechanical bull; Russell Grant wearing lipstick.

There were also some genuinely stunning dance performances including Holly and Artem’s take on the Black Swan, Chelsee and Pasha’s rumba and Harry and Aliona’s Argentine tango. I have often sat on the sofa and though that with a bit of training by one of the scantily clad professional dancers that I could reach that standard. However, as my darling wife reminds me, for every Harry Judd, there is a Dan Lobb. But then again, Dan Lobb got to dance with Katya Virshilas so every cloud has a silver lining.

A cat with acting skills....

One of our favourite videos is of Carrie the Dog doing the Meringue.  Not only is this cute labrador able to pull off some pretty amazing moves on its hind legs, she does it whilst wearing a dress.

There are various varieties of singing dog that are out there for all to enjoy.  Personally I would describe them as whining dogs, but they have seem to have a large niche of hardcore fans.  One very special dog called Crystal has the unique ability of being able to sing ‘Happy Birthday’.  Take a look and see what you make of it!

Nora the Cat takes things a bit further with a masterclass on how to play the piano.  To say she can play the blues might be an exaggeration, but she certainly knows how to press the keys in a unnervingly rhythmic way.  My theory is that there is some Sheeba stuck under the keys and Nora is desperately trying to get a quick snack.

The biggest question this all raises is how on earth these animal learn these human skills?  It must take a significant amount of training on behalf of the owner and makes me wonder what else is dropped in the training regime to make space?  They might be able to sing ‘God Save The Queen’ whilst doing the rumba, but do they know how to respond to whistle or do their bowel movements outside (or in a litter-box)?

A workaholic rabbit

If you have videos which have caught animals doing amazing things send them in to My Dream Is To Be.  The focus is on talented pets, but we are happy to receive videos of all animals including zebras, pandas and monkeys (think Monkey News a la Karl Pilkington). We are waiting to be amused…

PS:  For those of you looking for it, here is the amazing video of Fenton the Dog in Richmond Park and his poor owner.

The Voice UK is a vocal contest series featuring people with real talent and great voices. Only the very best singers make it through to the televised auditions and get the chance to perform in front of four celebrity coaches.  Auditions for the show are currently underway for the chance to appear on the TV show next year.

I haven’t heard of this before.  Is it new?

The Voice is the BBC’s answer to the X Factor which will debut in Spring 2012.  The show is based on a Dutch programme and will be brought to the UK following a successful debut series in the US.  Praised by viewers and critics alike, it’s become one of the most successful new television shows around the world.

Who are the coaches?

The artists will be selected, mentored, and trained by four of the best and most successful singers in the music industry.  Jessie J has already been announced as one of the mentors.

What is the format of the show?

The show’s format features three stages of contest: the “Blind Auditions, the “Battles”, and finally, the “Live Shows”.

The Blind Auditions - During The Blind Auditions, the decisions from the coaches are based solely on the voices they hear – and nothing else. The coaches hear the artists perform but don’t get to see them, and if a coach is impressed by an artist’s voice, he/she pushes a button to select the artist and their chair rotates so they can see them. If more than one coach turns his/her chair, the power shifts to the artist, who may then choose which coach they most want to work with throughout the contest.

The Battles - Once the coaches have chosen their teams, the “Battle” is on. Coaches will dedicate themselves to developing their artists, giving them advice, and sharing the secrets of their success in the music industry. During the “Battles” the coaches will pit two of their own acts against each other to sing a duet in front of a studio audience. Immediately after the vocal face-off, the coach must choose which artist will advance in the contest.

The Live Shows - At the end of the “Battles”, only the strongest members of each coach’s team remain and proceed to the “Live Shows”. In this final phase of the contest, the top artists from each team will compete against each other during live broadcasts. The television audience will vote to save one artist on each team, leaving the coach to decide who to save and who goes home. Each coach will have his/her best artist left to compete in the final. From the final four remaining artists, one will be named “The Voice” – and will win the prize of a lifetime, a recording contract with Universal Music.

My Dream Is To Be will be keeping up you up to date with all the news in the build up to the show.  If you are auditioning, let us know how you get on and what your experience was like through out Facebook and Twitter pages.  Also make sure to stop by and sign up at Mydreamistobe.com, create a profile and start sharing your videos!

Until next time…

We were able to catch up with Sophie earlier in the week to find out more about her talent, inspirations and plans for the future…

How did you get into singing?

When i was 10 I sang on the karaoke at my great gran’s birthday party and the lady who ran the karaoke told my mum that she should get me singing lessons as I already had some technical ability.

When did you realise that you had a talent?

Tell us more about the Britain’s Got Talent experience.  How did it go?

I’ve now auditioned for BGT 4 times and so far I’ve never made it through to the judges. Not getting through hasn’t put me off though I’m waiting now for the audition date for this years auditions. I’m also waiting for my audition slot for BBC 1′s The Voice.

Sophie with her Amazon voucher

What kind of music inspires you?

I love all kinds of music including musical theatre. The artists who inspire me the most are Leona Lewis, Beyonce and Adele.

Do you often perform live?

I perform live at every opportunity.  I’m seen most weeks at Open Mic Nights around my hometown of Llandudno as a solo artist. Because I have just turned 16 it has been difficult for me to gig regularly as some pubs don’t allow under 16′s in to sing, but now I’m starting to gig locally more often.

We heard that you have a starring role on TV….

You can actually see me right now on the Cadburys advert featuring British long jumper Chris Tomlinson. Blink and you will miss me but you can see and hear me singing ‘The Final Countdown’!

How did you get involved in that?

I received a message through my YouTube account inviting me to an audition after they had seen a video of me singing. I went down to London for the audition thinking that it was good experience for me, especially as I plan on a singing career. I didn’t really expect anything to come of it. I had great feedback from the casting director and was asked to come back and be a part of the advert. This meant I had to go back to London to record the track then go back again the following week to shoot the video.

Did you meet anyone famous whilst you were there?

It was really exciting as when we got there we found out that Jessie J was shooting her new video in the studio next door. I was also asked to film idents to be used in the ad breaks for Glee on Sky1.

You mentioned earlier that you are a fan of musical theatre.  Have you been involved in other groups or productions?

As well as performing as a solo artist I’m also a member of Ysgol Glanaethwy Senior Choir and have had the opportunity as a member of the choir to sing with Rhydian of X Factor fame. My musical theatre fix comes as a member of Llandudno Youth Music Theatre where I’ve performed in musical reviews and also in Billy Elliott. We were also fortunate enough to be chosen to sing for the Queen when she visited Llandudno last year.

What are you plans for the future?

I’m unsure of which direction to take once I finish my A Levels.  I’m looking at either going on to study music at university or going to drama school to study musical theatre. I would love to go to Arts Ed in London to study Musical Theatre but I need to be able to support myself through that so I would like to be able to get enough paid work singing over the next couple of years to help fund my studies. Whichever route I take I do know that I can’t imagine doing anything other than singing.

How can people get in touch with you?

People can contact me through my Facebook fan page or on Twitter.  You can also see my videos my My Dream Is To Be profile page.