NE-YO Crowns Winner of TGI Fridays(TM) Red Hot Summer of Music Competition

CARROLLTON, Texas, Aug. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The wait is finally over and the spotlight is shining brightly on Felicia Millikan of Colorado Springs, Colorado. After more than two months of tough competition and over 10,000 online votes by fans for their favorite rising musical stars, three-time Grammy Award-winning artist NE-YO, and his team of YouTube apprentices, artists who became famous through YouTube, hand-picked Felicia as the TGI Fridays Red Hot Summer of Music grand-prize winner.  Felicia, who YouTubed her rendition of "The A Team" to claim the top spot will receive a recording session coached by NE-YO and a $1,000 Fridays™ gift card.

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NE-YO, Creative Director for Malibu® Red, made the announcement at the Fridays Red Hot Summer of Music Finale event in New York City on August 28. NE-YO wowed the crowd at the event with a surprise performance. Chiddy Bang and YouTube sensation Jake Coco also performed at the event and entertained the invite-only crowd.

"There are no words to express how excited I am to win the Red Hot Summer of Music contest. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Felicia Millikan, newly crowned winner and YouTube sensation. "Working with NE-YO has always been a dream of mine, and I want to thank Fridays and Malibu Red for making that dream come true."

Fridays kicked off its Red Hot Summer of Music campaign on June 6^th as an opportunity to leverage music in a way that showcases emerging talent and promotes fun and excitement for guests all summer long. In typical Fridays fashion, Fridays restaurants nationwide hosted music events on Thursday nights throughout the summer as part of the campaign. In addition to the YouTube video portion of the contest, Fridays provided plenty of chances for non-artists to get involved with the contest. Throughout the summer, Fridays guests could enter for a chance to win prizes, including free Fridays food and music downloads, and one lucky grand prize winner won a trip to the TGI Fridays Red Hot Summer of Music Finale event to meet NE-YO, and a trip to Malibu, Calif.

And, while enjoying the music and summer events at Fridays, the best bartenders in the business have been serving up new, hand-crafted cocktails made with Malibu® Red, a vibrant fusion of Caribbean Rum, Silver Tequila and coconut liqueur. Leveraging its 48-year heritage of beverage innovation and drink quality, Fridays has shaken up the classics this summer with two cocktails featuring Malibu® Red: the new Coconut Colada Rita, which is a coconut twist on a classic margarita, and the Tropical Margarita, which is a fruity infused remix of the favorite summer cocktail.

"We are thrilled with the response from our guests and music fans nationwide that truly made this summer a red hot summer of music," said Brian Gies, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, TGI Fridays USA. "We're even more excited about the opportunity to provide an outlet for emerging young talent like Felicia Millikan. While this particular campaign has come to an end, Fridays looks forward to continuing to provide relevant and innovative ways to connect with our guests."  

If you missed out on the Red Hot Summer of Music, have no worries. Fun events at Fridays are happening every day of the week! Check with your local restaurant for more information about daily specials and parties for the fall.

For more information about Fridays and the Red Hot Summer of Music, as well as to view video from the finale event and the finalists' videos, visit www.RedHotSummerOfMusic.com.

About TGI Fridays 

TGI Fridays restaurants offer authentic American food and exciting drinks in an atmosphere that provides an energizing Friday feeling – any day of the week. Fridays guest recognition program, Give Me More Stripes®, rewards loyal guests with great deals and fun events year-round, creating an engaging customer experience. As the original casual dining restaurant, TGI Fridays differentiates itself with a unique point of view which promises to exhilarate its guests with the feeling of Friday.

TGI Fridays, which operates more than 900 restaurants in more than 60 countries, is also famous for its knowledgeable and charismatic bartenders, approximately 8,000 of whom compete annually for the title of the "Greatest TGI Fridays Bartender in the World." TGI Fridays believes in the importance of acting responsibly, and as a result its Responsible Business Program is focused on positively impacting the economic and environmental well-being of the communities and neighborhoods in which it operates. For more information, visit www.fridays.com.

SOURCE TGI Fridays