Backstage with Vodafone Icons

It is always a privilege for a reporter to be allowed free access to backstage preparations of a major television reality show as Vodafone Icons. Last week, this reporter was accorded such a privilege and there was so much to learn.

It was learnt that for the one hour Vodafone Icons Remix Edition that is telecast at weekends, preparations are carried out throughout the week and it involves a large crew of 63.

The 12 contestants, now whittled to eight, live together in one big house and throughout the week, they are taken through various activities.

Every Thursday, a day after the live recording, the music director of the show moves into the Icons House to help contestants select songs based on their strengths and personalities. 

They learn the songs and the following day, Friday, they go to the studio to record their songs with the band. Copies of the recordings are handed over to the contestants to learn them into detail.

Saturday is movements day and that is when the Icons choreographer comes in to work with the contestants on their stage performance. 

On Sunday, the video recording of profiles take place. This is when each of them appear on screen to give a gist of what her or his performance would be.

Sunday also is a day contestants look forward to because it is only on this day that they can speak with the outside world via phone calls. 

For the first time in the week, contestants are allowed the use of their personal phones to call home and chat with family, friends and fans. And what do they talk about? Plenty.

Since most people at home may have watched the telecast by then, a better part of the phone chat, understandably, is about how the performance for the week went.

Monday is rehearsal day and the whole day is given to singing and fine tuning with the band before Tuesday when the contestants are pampered with salon, spa and stylist treatments before a three-hour dress rehearsal closes the day.

Final technical dress rehearsal takes place on the afternoon of Wednesday at the National Theatre where everything - stage design, lights, cameras, band - are rehearsed and made ready under the direction of the producer who can now say "Let the show begin"!

It is such thorough preparations that has made Vodafone Icons such a smooth and delectable programme to watch over the past four weeks  except last weskend's show, which was generally a let-down episode.

While most television audiences may have expected rollicking old school music performances, what was served them did not rise to the billing. The song selections were old school alright but they were not presented as the hits they were back in the day.

Among the eight contestants for the night, following the eviction of Eli and Hannah, perhaps it was only Chris whose performance of Gerard Levert's Anything To Fall In Love and Alice's At Last by Julia Demato that earned commendation from the judges.

Ratty's performance of C.K.Mann's Beebi A Odo Wo was a pleasant surprise because the rapper did some singing this time but beyond that, his rendition was mirred in some off-key moments. 

Naya, who blew everyone away the week before, sang P.K. Yamoah's Serwaa Akoto in a manner that suggested that she did not really understand the lyrics.

The first open disagreement among the judges occurred when the Best Act of the night was to be decided. A tough choice it was between Chris and Alice and the judges had to settle it through a vote after which Alice won.