BELLE FOURCHE—Do you like to perform? Are you a good singer or dancer? Do you light up the stage? Or maybe you just like to have fun and want to win an all-expense-paid trip to Fort Worth, Texas? The Outlaw Bar and Pass the Mike Entertainment are teaming up to host Talent Quest International Karaoke Championship qualifying rounds all summer long.
The first round was held April 24 and 25. If you missed the first competition, you have a few more chances to try to win the local competition and go to the finals. The qualifying rounds are scheduled for May 15 and 16, June 19 and 20, and July 17 and 18.
Belle Fourche, at the Outlaw Bar, is one of the only places in South Dakota to compete in the sing-off. “I believe we’re the only establishment in South Dakota doing it this year,” explained Michael Meemken of Pass the Mike Entertainment. “Last year we had people come from all over, from Custer, Miles City, Rapid City, Gillette. Actually, the lady that won last year was from Gillette.”
One weekend a month for the next three months, anyone can enter the official Talent Quest International Karaoke contest. Two winners will be chosen each weekend. Those two winners will go to the semifinals, which will be held August 21 and 22. “Basically what happens is, every month from now until August, we’re going to qualify two people, and then in August we’ll have the finals, and the winner of the karaoke contest will get a full, all-expense-paid trip to Fort Worth, Texas, to compete at Talent Quest International,” shared Meemken.
You will be able to pick the songs you want to sing. “So what we’re doing at the local level is you’ll pick two songs that you sing really well, and then you’ll dress up in costume and you’ll want to entertain the crowd,” said Meemken. “Crowd participation is judged, as well as how you perform the song you chose. We have separate categories that you’re judged on—it’s not a popularity contest.”
Everyone has a chance to win. All you have to do is sign up. You can register on the night of each monthly contest. The top two from Friday night will come back Saturday night. “We’ll pick the top two from Saturday night, and then about midnight, we’ll start the finals for the weekend. The top two out of that last round will go to the semifinals in August.”
The event is judged. Judges for all of the performances throughout the summer and the finals will be professional judges. “They have some sort of musical background or are in entertainment,” said Meemken. “We take it seriously. The people that go on from here, I mean, they’re representing South Dakota, so we want them to be really good.”
Each monthly qualifier will win cash prizes for first and second place. The overall winner will receive their trip paid for to the finals. The International Talent Quest Finals are in October. “It’s a weeklong—seven nights—so you gotta plan ahead. But it’s a serious competition,” said Meemken.
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