Sandals Showcase Their Talents

Last Friday Sandals Grande Ocho Rios, staged their annual Sandals Resort International Talent and Model Search.  Five winners were selected . They were all vying for top prizes including recording and modeling contracts.

There were five contestants, male and female representing each island in modeling, song and dance. The contestants were selected earlier from a pool of talent at the local and regional searches at all the properties operated by Sandals.

Female models representing Jamaica, Antigua, St Lucia and Bahamas got the show going, strutting their stuff down the catwalk in eye-catching costumes, designed by Uzuri International, depicting a Caribbean flavour. They each brought their own style and glamour and had the audience eating from the palms of their hands.

The singing and dancing segments were especially close, and although the crowd had their early favourites, it was not an easy task for the panel of judges.The entertainment department of Sandals Resort went ‘all out’ and surpassed the expectation of the audience in the grand hall of the resort to enjoy the show. especially close, and although the crowd

Bahamian rapper and food and beverage employee at Sandals Royal Bahamian, Ranell Black, was the first to create a stir when he performed a piece dedicated to chairman of Sandals Resort, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart.

There were fabulous performances from all the contestants in each category and the performances were taken to a higher level with each  performer trying to surpass his competitor. The models were well received as they paraded in beach and evening wear.

The event which is now in its sixth year was Dubbed Encore, proved to be quite rewarding for all contestants, many of whom were flown into Jamaica from the Bahamas, Antigua and St Lucia. Other great performances of the night in song came from Ashbourne Roberts of Beaches Boscobel and Alcian Richards of Sandals Grande Ocho Rios.

 In the end, many of the crowd favourites prevailed. Chief judge, Clyde McKenzie, said their was fierce competition all round as the contestants were talented and performed exceptionally well. He said the judges, including broadcaster, Roxene Nickle, former Miss Jamaica World Dr Terri Karelle Griffiths, music producer Fabian Thomas and Saint International CEO Deiwght Peters were pleased by the level of talent.

Bahamian, Ranell Black took the male singing title while Jamaican Alcian Richards took the female title. The champion male dancer went to St Lucia‘s Miguel La Porte while his country woman Donna Joseph took the best costume prize.

 The top male model went to Beaches Negril water sport employee, Winston Webb and the female title was won by Antigua‘s Tenice Grigg.

All the winners were presented with trophies and other magnificent prizes including recording contracts from Alternative Music for the male and female singing winners and Blackberry phone courtesy of LIME for the champion dancer.

The male model was presented with a contract from Saint International Model Agency while the female model won two photo shoots, one in her native Antigua and the other from Ocean Style Magazine.  

Sandals Resort creative director Weston Haughton, who also emcee the show, noted that the event was another way to highlight the hidden talents within the hotel chain.