¡Atención, por favor!
Call it 'Pan-American Idol.' Latinos with a voice and a dream enter statewide contest
LAWRENCE -- Singer No. 22, Maria Morales, seemed nervous at first, but then her butterflies flew away and she settled in onstage, giving it her all, a cappella.
The crowd fell silent as Morales channeled her favorite singer, Olga Tañon and belted her slow love song ''Como Olvidar" (''How to Forget").
Morales won't soon forget this Thursday night, performing publicly for the first time in Telemundo Boston's ''American Idol"-like talent-search contest, ''Proyecto Fama" (''Project Fame"), at Punto Final nightclub.
''It's a lot like a dream come true for me," said Morales, 22, who grew up in Puerto Rico and lives in Dorchester. ''I love to sing and be able to express myself, and Olga is one of my favorite singers."
Morales reveled in the attention, as have the other 60 singers who have competed so far in this statewide search for a rising Latin star. Representing the wide spectrum of Bay State Latinos, from Puerto Ricans and Dominicans to Guatemalans and Mexicans, they have come from all over the state for a chance to shine in front of a crush of television cameras and a cheering audience.
Since Jan. 12, contenders have tapped their inner Marc Anthony, Selena, and Daddy Yankee with their eyes on winning the top prize: a professional demo recording and, hopefully, fame. Each Thursday night at Punto Final, a panel of judges, including local Spanish DJs and musicians, pick three semifinalists from that night's performance, which feature about 20 auditions. Clips of their performances air the following Monday on Telemundo Boston, WNEU-TV (Channel 60). Those semifinalists then move on to compete in the grand finale on Feb. 18 at Galaxia nightclub in Lawrence.
The winner will also get $1,000 and a trip to Miami to appear on Telemundo's morning talk show ''Cada Día con María Antoineta" and will fly to the Dominican Republic to appear on a popular program called ''Santo Domingo Invita," hold a press conference, and star in a photo shoot.
''This is more of a local effort to recognize real talent in our community," said Michelle O'Berg, marketing director of Telemundo Boston, the competition's main sponsor. ''We just want to find talented individuals and inspire them to go through with their dreams. The idea is to help them with their walk to fame."
Taking a cue from the wildly popular Fox series ''American Idol," Spanish-language networks are putting their own spins on the talent-search competition to boost their brand name and their ratings and to give local Hispanics a shot at the Latino music market.
Univision television recently wrapped up a 20-city audition for ''Objetivo Fama 3" (''Objective Fame 3"). The series, which Univision touts as ''the largest search for Hispanic talent in the United States," begins airing Monday. The winner will get a recording contract with Univision Music and $25,000. Last summer, Telemundo crowned a Dominican singer from the Bronx as the $250,000 record-contract winner of its national talent competition, ''Nuevas Voces de America" (''New Voices of America"), a contest modeled after ''Idol" and produced by Latin music mogul Emilio Estefan, husband of singer Gloria Estefan.
What makes ''Proyecto Fama" different is that it focuses on regional talent, mainly Hispanics who are more apt to watch Telemundo's Boston affiliate or the Needham-based Univision affiliate for news in Spanish rather than tune in to local English-language stations.
''We wanted to focus on that community, because there are so many here in Massachusetts," said O'Berg, who added that Telemundo is interested in bringing back the competition next year.
Contestants so far have performed a range of Spanish music styles including mariachi, bachata, salsa, reggaeton, and ranchera. Some brought their relatives for moral support. Others brought their friends. But they all brought the potential to win.
Edinson Diaz had his wife and cousin in the crowd as he crooned a love song a cappella. Diaz said he wasn't nervous at all. He's a veteran of such talent competitions, auditioning for ''American Idol" last August at Gillette Stadium and appearing on Fox25's ''Morning Idol" competition about two years ago.
''I just love to sing," said Diaz, 27, a systems analyst from Waltham. He said he would love to sing full time but knows how hard it is to break into the business. ''Whatever happens, happens," he said before performing.
So what happened Thursday night? He didn't make the cut.
Elizabeth Ruiz, a red-haired Puerto Rican from Chelsea, sang ''Mi Redentor Vive" (''My Redeemer Lives"), a spiritual song she performs regularly at church in Dorchester. When she got up onstage, she commanded the room like a pro, swaying with each beat. The audience broke out in applause whenever she hit a high note.
Her rendition apparently wowed the panel of five judges: They picked the 21-year-old as one of the night's three semifinalists.
''I'm already practicing for the final," said Ruiz, a bank teller who bears a slight resemblance to Julia Roberts. ''I can't wait!"
Anyone interested in auditioning for "Proyecto Fama" can call Telemundo Boston at 617-242-4606. You must be at least 18. The next competition is Thursday night at 8 at Punto Final nightclub, 272 Broadway, Lawrence.
Johnny Diaz can be reached at jodiaz@globe.com. 