Opening Act

‘Opening Act,’ from ‘American Idol’ producer Nigel Lythgoe, will surprise unknowns with high-profile gigs 

BY DAVID HINCKLEY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, April 30, 2012




'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe is launching 'Opening Act,' which will air on E! beginning July 9.

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It's more official than ever; if you can upload, you can become a star.

"American Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe is launching a TV talent show called "Opening Act" that will
hunt for new stars in the modern way: He and his team will troll the Internet for random videos of unknowns and surprise the best of them with a chance to open a show for an established star.

"Opening Act" will premiere July 9 on "E!" The winners will open for artists that include Rod Stewart, Nicki Minaj, LMFAO and Jason Aldean.

Lythgoe's team of hunters will include himself, Mary J. Blige and "Rock Mafia" producer Antonina Armato.

The "Opening Act" team will identify videos of artists it thinks are promising, then invite them to "performance boot camp," where it will be determined whether they're ready for the big time.

"Opening Act" will document the process.

"There is an extraordinary amount of untapped talent out there," says Lythgoe. "But if you don't know the right people or have the right connections, you may never be discovered. With 'Opening Act,' we are democratizing a notoriously impossible process."