Australian start-up MSMCI signs Usher as Chief Creative Director of new show

Melbourne-based global entertainment tech start-up MSMCI has signed up American R&B singer Usher up as Chief Creative Director, judge and brand ambassador for its new global Megastar Millionaire smartphone-delivered talent discovery show.

It launches in Australia and the United States in September, and arriving earlier in the UK, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada.

The company is calling Megastar Millionaire “the first global social mobile talent discovery show.”

It is essentially is experimenting if it can translate the popularity of TV’s reality series format by encapsulating “social media, gaming and live entertainment.”

The competition offers a cash prize of US$1million, a role in a film produced by John Baldecchi and the promise of increasing contestants’ profile on social media.

Winners are chosen by fans voting in the 12-week competition through the Megastar app, downloaded from the Apple and Google app stores.

Usher said, “Megastar is unlike any talent competition out there.

“It spotlights the power of emerging global talent and turns seemingly unattainable dreams into reality.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this creative, next generation online competition.”

Usher was chosen not only for his eight-Grammy winning success in the music industry and mentoring of Justin Bieber but for his role as an influencer via his 68 million followers on social media.

These include 46 million on Facebook, 12.3 million on Twitter, 6.7million on Instagram and 3.3 million on YouTube.

Hosts of the show are Sydney comic trio SketchShe whose two videos Bohemian Carsody and Mime Through Time – of them singing covers of popular songs and uploaded on YouTube – went viral and generated 650 million views on social media.

It led to American TV appearances with Ellen DeGeneres and on Good Morning America.

MSMCI recently raised $10.5 million. About half of that will go towards “talent acquisition costs for payments to celebrity judges and mentors” as well as marketing and production.

Usher’s remuneration is “staggered cash payments, performance rights and royalties (based on incomes generated from the sale of sponsorships, advertising or date, physical merchandise or other sources)”.

The show’s format was devised in 2013 by brand strategist Dion Sullivan, co-founder of MSM and Managing Director of the Megastar Millionaire platform, and Adam Wellisch.

According to Sullivan, the platform will make its money from app purchasing (a $US22 billion per annum business), online advertising ($158 billion each year), sponsorship & licensing, and consumer behavioural data collection to sell to other parties.