Gospel Dream: TV Talent Search Series--Idol®-Style Trio of Judges Bring Reality of 'Hard Knocks' to Hopefuls

Gospel Dream: TV Talent Search Series--Idol®-Style Trio of Judges Bring Reality of 'Hard Knocks' to Hopefuls

New Episodes of "Gospel Dream" Premiere Weds. Nights at 10 pm ET/9pm CT on Gospel Music Channel

ATLANTA, July 13 /Christian Newswire/ -- Viewers of the Gospel Music Channel television network (www.gospelmusicchannel.com) American Idol®- style summer series, Gospel Dream, will have immediately spotted the reminiscent touch of Simon Cowell style 'career advice' coming from behind the judge's table. Like Cowell, Mitchell Solarek, who sits among the trio of judges, is not one for pulling punches on his delivery.

"I don't intentionally approach my judging to bring 'hard knocks' into anyone's life but this is a reality series-- and the reality is that the music industry is full of hard knocks," noted Solarek in a recent interview. "We are looking for the one ultimate Gospel Dream winner who we feel is worth the risk of having significant money invested in their music career and who is ready to step up to the plate and deliver on that investment."

Gospel Dream hopefuls are this season getting advice from a panel of judges who definitely have the streets creds to identity the ultimate "winner" amid the talented field of contestants. One of the music industry's most respected personal managers, Solarek is founder of Maximum Artist Management. The Nashville-based agency represents a diverse roster of major label artists, among them current top female artist in contemporary Christian music, Natalie Grant. He shares the judges' platform with two additional heavyweights in the arena of qualifications. Michelle Williams, GRAMMY© Award winning artist who launched her career as a part of mainstream group sensation, Destiny's Child, and J. Moss, a gifted songwriter, singer, record producer and arranger whose career has had a major impact in the gospel, soul, hip-hop and R&B genres.

Solarek feels that in this fourth season of "Gospel Dream" the talent is hitting new levels.

"Gospel Dream has gained respect over the first three seasons as a real forum to launch major careers in music and I think that affected raising the bar on the talent we saw this spring in auditions," commented Solarek.

What are viewers tuning into Gospel Dream this summer seeing? "A much broader and more diverse side of gospel music than in any other season," notes Solarek. "Gospel reaches across many genres, and in auditions over nine major cities this spring, we saw music presented in everything from pop to soul to Latin and country formats. Viewers are seeing the best that we saw--right down to ten finalists that all have tremendous potential to have full-fledged careers in music. It makes it a little more challenging for the judges to decide a winner this season--but it's a process that will definitely engage viewers."

New episodes of Gospel Dream are seen on GMC Wednesday nights at 10:00 P.M. ET/9:00 CT. The series was created by Executive Producer, Elvin Ross, who is also the series' executive producer and musical director. Gospel Music Channel is the fastest growing network in television and can be seen in 45 million homes on various cable systems around the country, on DIRECTV Channel 338, and on Verizon FiOS Channel 224.