Rising Stars TOP 5

While each Sunday fans only see an hour and a half of their favourite reality show Digicel Rising Stars, each week it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to bring that sizzling entertainment.

When THE STAR visited backstage last Sunday at the Courtleigh Auditorium, the production crew of Rising Stars was hard at work. Minutes to 7 p.m. the hosts and contestants were in make-up getting ready for the last step of their preparation for the night's performance. For new host, Lady Renae, it's all about prayer, preparation and presentation.

Doing work with Fame FM as well as RETV Renae hopes to one day be the host of her own talk show through her production company Yaad Corp, but in the meantime has been pleased with being a part of Rising Stars. She said, "I'm being paid to be myself, and it's been great."

The bubbly chill room host Pepita Little admitted to being nervous before going on set each week but said she likes to sit down and try to relax and play on her Nokia C3 to calm down her nerves. She, too, is happy for the exposure that being on Rising Stars has given her and explained that she wants to be a singer in the future.

For the contestants, their preparation starts with practising as soon as each show ends, choosing a song and preparing. Nekorah Philips told THE STAR, "every Sunday morning we have to leave the hotel by 10: 45 and we pray, get our minds ready and get the nervousness out of the way. Then we have technical rehearsal, microphone checks, make up and dress rehearsals. But it's all good, we have to prepare ourselves for the world of entertainment full time."

Toni Blair was also all about positive thinking before each show, saying that each person needs to have a little fun before focusing to go on stage each Sunday night.