f performance is your passion then the CellularOne and Swagger Wireless Mobile Movement Tour will be of interest.

The overall aim of the contest is to offer Bermudian content in the form of ringtones.

Fifteen finalists will have the opportunity to compete in a live concert at Snorkel Park on August 31, with top prizes being mobile and digital distribution deals through CellularOne and Swagger Wireless.

This will include ringtones, screensavers, wallpapers and MP3 video clips, a $5,000 publishing deal, and a trip to New York City to record the winning single in a one-on-one session with DJ Clue.

Swagger Wireless is an urban trend-marketing partner for musicians, which has become an industry leader in developing artists for a broader, urban audience and producing and promoting new artists to create completely original content for wireless devices on all networks.

But prospective participants must not tarry, as the deadline to deliver a CD with original music and a signed copy of the Participation Agreement and Release contract to CellularOne's corporate offices, on Reid Street, is August 10, at 5 p.m.

CellularOne's COO Michael Leverock and Bryant Richards, marketing and new product development officer, sat down with The Royal Gazette to discuss why they decided to partner with Swagger Wireless in this initiative.

"First of all we were looking at how we could expand our current content for various reasons," said Mr. Leverock.

"I mentioned it to one of my colleagues in the industry and he introduced me to Briant Biggs (CEO of Swagger Wireless) via telephone and the whole Swagger Wireless website and platform and I thought that it was an ideal opportunity for us to expand our content base with ringtones, screensavers and the like.

"When we had a chat with him, we came up with the notion that it would probably be even better to have some local content.

"Then Bryant Richards and I were chatting about how we could do things locally and he jumped on the idea of having local artists providing their ringtones would be even better."

Swagger Wireless chooses songs for the service by hosting contests in the US.

"They came to us with a proposal to do a CellularOne concert... and we did things to ensure that it happens, which is mostly the advertising and promotion, finding and getting the talent, and we will be selling the tickets in our retail locations, so it seemed like a pretty good fit."

Mr. Leverock added: "Industry wide, we are experiencing a trend of convergence between cellular, internet and multimedia services. As a major player in the wireless telecommunications industry here in Bermuda, we are always interested in seeing how we can capitalise on industry trends for the benefit our customers.

"By partnering with Swagger Wireless, an industry veteran in the delivery of mobile content applications, we will be able to provide our customers with more of the products and services they want and, in addition, support Bermuda's aspiring young musicians at the same time."

In a press release, Mr. Biggs stated that he was excited to partner with CellularOne to promote Bermudian musicians.

"This is another vehicle for artists to get their music out conveniently to a broader market," he said.

"Ringtones and digital downloads are dominating the market with sales, and what better way for a new artist to raise their profile than by capitalising on the opportunities made possible in today's mobile and digital age."

As a way of investigating avenues to upgrade CellularOne's service, Mr. Richards said; "We are always looking for ways to allow our customers to benefit from first-to-market technologies and the very latest mobile phone content.

"We also recognise that Bermuda has many talented musicians, but it can be hard for them to get their music out to the global market. Teaming up with Swagger Wireless through the Mobile Movement Tour will allow us to do both of these things.

"Our customers will have more choice when it comes to the music and ringtones they download to their cellphones, and we will have a platform to promote local musical talent on an international stage. It's a win-win situation."

Mr. Richards says that CellularOne is looking for about 50 unsigned artists. "There is a buzz around it and we are getting some response from some of the artists.

He also advised: "It is a real contract, it is about 35 pages long, and so we are advising everyone to go to their lawyers to make sure that everything is legitimate."

All will not be lost for the participants who are not selected to perform on August 31.

"Out of the 50 (or so), 15 will be chosen and they are the ones who will participate in the concert," he said.

"Of the 50 that submit, if their work is pretty decent it will be turned into a ringtone.

"The top three will get wallpapers and screensavers and stuff like that. For all of them the chances are pretty good because some of the judges are Universal recording A&R people.

"So it is an excellent chance of getting heard outside of Bermuda and Swagger is connected to all the major carriers in the United States. This is as opposed to being stuck with only Bermudians hearing your stuff you are open to the whole of the United States, Canada and eventually Europe and Asia."

Mr. Leverock added: "International exposure is going to be a big plus I think, and they can make some money once their ringtones get downloaded, people pay for it and they get their percentage."

One of the most successful stories that has come out of Swagger Wireless is one of the most popular hits of today by Shop Boyz, Mr. Leverock pointed out.

"The guys that did 'Party Like A Rock Star' have sold over 54,000 albums and over 2,000,000 ringtones," he said.

"So they have probably made more off the ringtones than they did off the albums and that is before they had a recording contract.

"They got a cheque for $9 million for ringtone sales, they actually made more off of that than in recording studios."

When asked about international property protection, in the sense of people illegally downloading music, Mr. Leverock went on to explain: "Most of the ringtones are locked, so you can't really swap them from phone to phone, you have to buy them and whatever phone you buy them for it is stuck to that phone.

"So it is a better resource for a lot of record companies."

Mr. Biggs, from Swagger, tried to promote the idea to a lot of record companies and they refused.

"So he did it on his own and now record companies want it," explained Mr. Leverock.

"He has described us as being the recording studio/record label, because once we get the artists to submit their music, we are provided the platform for people to get access to it. We are kind of being music brokers."

When it was suggested that with US immigration laws what they are, that it was difficult for local musicians to get heard, Mr. Leverock had another idea.

He said: "To get into the music business, you have to have timing and a lot of patience.

"Nobody really goes out there and makes it, people put in a lot of years and a lot of Bermudians have tried and they haven't had a venue to do it.

"The exciting part that I like about this, is that first of all, and as Bryant mentioned, the two individuals that will select the final 15 are professional scouts within the industry from Universal's Def Jam (Tyran Smith and Shaleek Berry)."

After the winner is selected, they will have the opportunity to have their music re-recorded at Roc the Mic Studios, which is affiliated with Roc-a-Fella Records that is owned by recording artist and entrepreneur Jay-Z.

"We are having DJ Clue come down and we are also looking at having another recording artist come down to perform at the concert as well."

Bermudian artists do not have to be on-Island, but if selected, they do have to make it to the concert by their own volition.

The top three will be the people's choice, so organisers are looking for local support, although the event will also be video taped and shown on YouTube and Swagger TV.

"We want to encourage as many people to come out as possible, as the audience will have a chance to vote via text messaging as well," said Mr. Leverock.

The music selected will be from quite a wide sphere, rather than just pop culture and Mr. Leverock added: "It doesn't matter what genre, it can be pop, reggae, soul, rock, gospel, whatever you want."

If the concert is a success CellularOne is hoping to make it an annual event.

"I think there is another element for the Bermudian artist, because it is one thing to say you want to be a musician and you want to produce your own music, but there is a certain standard that you have to come up to if you want to be successful and recognised for it," Mr. Leverock said.

"And this is an ideal situation for Bermudian musicians to set about raising their standards. Also for the musicians that don't make it to the final 15, it gives them an opportunity to step it up a notch.

"We need to have these things, and hopefully it will help to continue raise the standards."

For more information and to download the contract, visit www.cellularone.bm and for information about Swagger Wireless, visit www.swagger.com.