New Series "Take the Stage" Starring Music Mogul Johnny Wright And Hit-Maker Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins Premieres Today On Myspace

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Myspace and premier talent competition network YOBI.tv have partnered on "Take the Stage," a singing competition that follows nine contestants on their quest to win $20,000 and a music management contract with famed manager Johnny Wright and YOBI.tv. Contestants will be flown to Detroit, Michigan, the home of Motown, where they will be mentored by A-List music industry professionals Wright (who has guided the careers of Justin Timberlake, The Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson) and world-famous producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins (who has created hits for Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson).

"YOBI.tv and Myspace are about discovery—both give artists the opportunity to be discovered and empower fans to be the ones to discover them," said Johnny Wright. "With 'Take the Stage,' viewers have the sole decision-making power, narrowing the field from thousands to just one person whom I get to manage."

Producer Rodney Jerkins added, "Both YOBI.tv and Myspace are innovators in finding new music talent. I've had the opportunity to work with many of today's biggest recording stars, and am especially excited to be a mentor on 'Take the Stage,' helping this talented group of singers develop into the next breakout stars!"

"Take the Stage" differs from other singing contests by requiring contestants to perform completely original content. Rather than having songs and genres dictated to them, contestants have the opportunity to choose their own unique artistic style, being mentored to develop within their self-identified musical genres.

"Art starts from the soul, so it's important that these artists create their own material," said president of Myspace entertainment, Roger Mincheff. "As a platform built around self-expression and creativity, Myspace is the perfect fit for an original series about nurturing and developing the next generation of artists looking to have their voices heard."

"YOBI.tv and Myspace are a great match because both platforms make a conscious effort to put the power of the entertainment industry into the hands of fans," said Dianne Victor, CEO of YOBI.tv. "Our audiences not only create their own content, but also have the final say in deciding what content we develop and promote."

To allow contestants more time to grow and exhibit their talents, viewer voting will be counted cumulatively, and none of the aspiring artists will be eliminated until the end of their 18-week run to stardom. Viewers can watch the show, get to know contestants on a deeper level and make their final voting decisions at: http://www.myspace.com/takethestage.

About Myspace
Myspace LLC. is a leading social entertainment destination powered by the passions of fans. Myspace drives social interaction by providing a highly personalized experience around entertainment and connecting people to the music, TV, movies, and games that they love. These entertainment experiences are available through both online and offline and across multiple platforms and devices. Myspace is also the home of Myspace Music, which offers an ever-growing catalog of freely streamable audio and video content to users and provides major, independent, and unsigned artists alike with the tools to reach new audiences. The company is headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA and is an affiliate of Specific Media.

About YOBI.tv
YOBI.tv is the web's largest talent competition social network, cultivating the entertainment industry's next generation of iconic singers, actors, comedians, filmmakers and photographers. YOBI.tv nurtures and develops the talent of its community members by giving the finalists of its talent contests, chosen by their online peers, the opportunity to achieve notoriety on an international level by showcasing their abilities in one of YOBI.tv's high-quality digital series alongside some of the world's most accomplished artists. YOBI.tv recognizes the importance of digital content to the future of the entertainment industry and is proud to put its users on the cutting edge of that medium.

Media Contacts:

PR for Myspace
Ivy Mollenkamp
Rogers & Cowan
310.854.8131
[email protected]

Neda Azarfar
[email protected]

PR for YOBI.tv
Jonathan Stone
SW PR Shop for YOBI.tv
Tel: 213-447-7375
[email protected]

SOURCE Myspace