BAKGAT Country Star Search Mechanics

The Competition Has 2 Phases:

Phase #1: Online phase – to choose the best male and best female entrant for each month from August 2020 to August 2021 from 90 second videos submitted by contestants.

Phase #2: Live event phase – to choose the overall winners, one male and one female performer, from the 9 male and 9 female monthly finalists.

Contest Mechanics:  

 

  1. Phase #1 runs online on the Bakgat Country Opskop website and social media platforms.
  2. The entry form, contest criteria and T & C’s are to be found on the BAKGAT PROMOSIES website.
  3. An entrance fee of R100 per entry is required on submission of each 90 second video entry.
  4. The contest is open to performers 16 years and older with no professional or music industry affiliations such as recording, publishing and management contracts and/or agreements.
  5. Contestants have to submit a 90 second (max) video of themselves performing a mainstream country song live and in real time.
  6. We are looking for new talent to carry the South African mainstream country tradition into the future, so no performances featuring original songs will qualify for this competition.
  7. Each contestant’s voice, performance and interpretation of the relevant country standard will be judged.
  8. To expose these qualities, the video performance has to consist of a single voice with a single instrument accompaniment or a capella only. The competition is unfortunately not open to duos, trios or groups.
  9. Performances featuring band backing, studio programming, voice correction and enhancing will be disqualified – we are looking for authentic singing and performing.
  10. One male and one female performer will be chosen at the end of each month from the videos received, by a panel of professional judges, to go forward into Phase #2 of the competition.
  11. Contestants not chosen as monthly winners are allowed to enter again the following month.
  12. Contestants re-entering have to follow the standard entrance mechanics – pay the entrance fee and submit a fresh video.
  13. Phase #2 takes place live at a Cape Town venue (to be confirmed).
  14. Finalists chosen from August 2020 to end-August 2021 (9 male and 9 female) will compete live on stage, for top honours.
  15. They will be required to perform a mainstream country standard live on the finals stage.
  16. Only a single instrument accompaniment or acapella performances will be permitted for this performance.
  17. Song selection criteria remains the same as in phase #1 – contestants have to perform a mainstream country standard.
  18. Contestants will be required to perform the song in full.
  19. The identities of the winning couple will only be revealed on the night of the BAKGAT Country Opskop 2021.
  20. All finals contestants will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement, stating that they will not disclose the names of the winners before the Opskop event.

How To Enter


  1. Go the the BAKGAT PROMOSIES website.
  2. Read the competition rules and Terms & Conditions thoroughly.
  3. Pay the R100 entrance fee.
  4. Complete the entry form online.
  5. Have a video recording of yourself made performing 90 seconds of a mainstream country standard. (Simple cell phone videos are permitted).
  6. Send your 90 second video to countrystar@bakgatpromosies.co.za to complete your entry.
  7. Ensure your name appears clearly attached to your video.
  8. Monitor the BAKGAT Promosies Facebook page and website for updates and announcement of monthly finalists.
  9. Monthly finalists will be announced within seven days of the following month.

Please note:


  1. Contestants may enter more than one song per month – each song requires a fresh entry form and the payment of R100 entrance fee.
  2. Contestants not chosen as monthly finalists may enter the contest again the following month, in which case, the full application process as outlined above has to be completed.
Terms & Conditions