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Here we go… Demo Factor 2018
The tension is building… The BIG GOLD LETTERS are warming up…
And the judges are about to take to their seats
https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/981619580190773248
Demo Factor will soon be kicking off here in Norwich, and we will be keeping you up to date with all the gossip, stand out demos, and pantomime moments right through to the end of the night.
There’s an Absolute 90s show up for grabs… who will claim it?
There’s only one way to find out…
Demo Factor is about to begin, at #SRACON held at The University of East Anglia.
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Should you enter? Of course you should!
I still remember being sat in that room in Bath, the faint smell of snakebite wafting from the bar and a sticky floor beneath my feet, I prayed they wouldn’t play my demo because at that stage I was sure it was the worst thing ever confined to a CD (yes a CD – it was ages ago).
Then the closing bars to a Sugerbabes song rang round the room (a current hit at the time – like I said…ages ago) I knew I was about to hear myself doing a link…..What I didn’t know was that single moment would be the basis for my career, I’d meet my agent, we’d talk about my dream to work at Absolute Radio, he’d introduce me to the boss of that station blah blah blah.
I could go on but it’s about 8 years in all so I’ll stop banging on about myself. Point being I can’t think of another forum where you can gain face to face access with industry leaders who give you direct feedback on what you’re doing. Also you’re literally in a bar with them afterwards so you can have a more friendly informal chat, it’s perfect if you’re thinking radio is the next step after uni.
Go for it you won’t regret it!
Ben Burrell, Demo Factor Host 2018
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Leicester to Norwich – it continues!
Is it that time of the year again – where has the time gone since we were in the good hands of DemonFM and De Montfort University at DemoFactor 2017?
Well, it’s been a year! But it was a night to remember. Possibly the most brilliantly OTT production of the by then 9 shows, and even though SRACon has been to Leicester twice in Demo Factor’s history it was the first time it had an outing there (we took a gap year the first time).
It was a year of change though, with a new line up of judges, Paul Sylvester (Absolute Radio), Pandora (Kiss), Jordan North (Radio 1), Lucy Winter (Radio 1 Specialist) and longstanding ‘Head Judge’, Chris North (North Media Talent) we also welcomed DF’s first winner, Ben Burrell (Absolute Radio) as host, with two days notice due to our good friend and previous Judge and Host Vicki Blight (Radio Wales) being unwell. Oh and we had a surprise appearance of Guest Judge Greg James (you know who he is). We also added a twist. The Golden Buzzer.
(To speed things up each demo now has ‘a minute to win it’ – which basically means if no judge buzzes it will stop after a minute. If a judge likes it they have one chance to golden buzz to keep it playing. Which is quite a big deal!)
But the stars of the show were the delegates and those who were brave enough to enter their demo. The night is a bit rubbish if nobody enters.
The panel was the usual constructive collective (although it rattled some cages) but on the whole, the night was widely seen as a success. Some entrants were spotted by other industry bods in the room and went on to have meetings, pilots., even work!
Notable talent spots from the panel were Abi Gibson (DemonFM) who Paul said ‘watch our for Abi, she’s going to be famous one day’, Lydia George, (also from DemonFM) was also singled out with the comment ‘the industry is waiting for you, Lydia’
Proving that not being played on the night isn’t the end of the world, following DF, Jordan North spotted Chris Ros from the Uni of Bedfordshire, who has since had interest from commercial radio.
The overall winner, however, was unanimously the brilliant Sylvie Carlos from Verve Radio, London Metropolitan University with judges observing her bright future and how excited they all were to hear someone who’s ‘natural, brilliant at capturing a moment and has a true passion for music’. Paul also did say that she was ‘the Yorkshire puddings to his Sunday roast’ but nobody knew what that meant.
Sylvie said “Being at Demo Factor was kind of intense, but the good intense! I remember being at my table thinking Paul Sylvester was savage with feedback given to someone and then the next thing I know my demo comes up! Winning DemoFactor was banging. It confirmed for me that this was only the beginning of my presenting journey”
Here’s to Norwich – We can’t wait!
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2017 Winner – Sylvie Carlos
The Judges were unanimous about the 2017 winner. Sylvie from Verve Radio, London Metropolitan University was treated to a confetti cannon as she picked up the winner of Demo Factor at the SRACon in Leicester 2017. On winning she said, “Being at DemoFactor was kind of intense, but the good intense! I remember being at my table thinking Paul Sylvester was savage with feedback given to someone and then the next thing I know my demo comes up!
Winning DemoFactor was banging. It confirmed for me that this was only the beginning of my presenting journey.”
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Ben Burrell
There’s some very sad news to share. Our host, Vicki Blight is missing her first Demo Factor since the very beginning. Vicki was on the original panel in at University of Bath in 2009.
https://twitter.com/DemoFactor/status/854375205950676992
However we’re excited to tell you that Absolute Radio’s Ben Burrell has very kindly stepped in.
Ben currently presents on Absolute Radio and Absolute 90’s across the UK.
Ben’s love for radio started when he joined university getting involved with student and then community radio in Portsmouth.
In his last year at uni he won the first ever Demo Factor competition leading him to present across the then Galaxy network.
After graduating he worked at his local station presenting Drive time, before quickly moving to The Breeze presenting evenings across 16 stations.
Ben went on to present for Free Radio in the Midlands where he was the Drive-time presenter on Birmingham’s Free Radio and Nottingham’s Gem 106 weekend evenings.
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Matt Curtis
Matt hails from Fly FM in Nottingham and first popped up in Demo Factor 2015. He took all the feedback he was given by the judges on board, came back in 2016 and nailed it! The judges said they thought Matt was “radio ready”. Something they have been proved correct with as Matt is currently a freelance presenter and has been heard regularly on Capital FM having presented in Yorkshire, Manchester, North West & North Wales & East Midlands.
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Demo Factor returns for 2017
As you heard on Thursday night at the Student Radio Awards, Demo Factor is coming back to the National Student Radio Conference in 2017.
WITH A TWIST!
Make sure you are subscribed to the Student Radio Newsletter to find out more information and be among the first to know when we start accepting submissions!
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Thank you SRA, Thank you Cardiff!
We’ve all had a week or so back from the amazing #SRACon in Cardiff. Had a good shower – and probably a bit of a detox!
Thank you for making Demo Factor fabulous again this year!
Congratulations once again to Matt Curtis – who we notice has already changed his Twitter Bio, and living the dream taking rainbow photos from Capital East Midlands.
https://twitter.com/_MattCurtis/status/717765388092719104
Finally, the SRA have produced some cracking podcasts about Demo Factor. Take a few minutes out of your Uni work and listen to these…
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WHAT A FINALE…
Well just as we thought things couldn’t hot any further, THEY DID!
In a chaotic finale, Demo Factor judge Paul Sylvester (Content Director at Absolute Radio) crowned Fly FM’s Matt Curtis as winner of Demo Factor 2016 and a show on Absolute Radio 90s!
Described as “radio-ready,” Matt will be joining up with Paul Sylvester at Absolute Radio 90s to present a one-off show. Past winners, George Godfrey and Sammy James, who also won a show on the station, have since gone on to present on the station long term.
But that was far from the end, it was revealed from the stage that industry bosses in the room were so impressed by the quality of demos that they were prepared to directly offer opportunities to a select group of presenters.
It was announced from the stage that Spark FM’s Christopher Boyle, who impressed early on in the first half, has been offered a pilot on Communicorp’s Capital FM stations, whilst North Media Talent’s Chris North publicly declared his interest in Insanity Radio’s Charlotte Mason, Livewire1350’s Sian Cooper, LSR’s Mo Ayoub and, this year’s Demo Factor 2016 winner Matt Curtis. Amy Voce also made a point of adding that she was incredibly impressed with Charlotte Mason, Rare FM’s Ella Atcheson and Fly FM’s Kristien Armstrong, and wanted to chat with them after.
However, despite not winning the competition, it was Mo Ayoub who stole the limelight on the night…
Having had his demo played out in full, he received a standing ovation from the crowd and was greeted by a full house of praise from the judges, and industry bosses alike. Such was the impression made, Mo immediately was approached by Bauer’s Mike Cass after listening to his demo, and a fight emerged between Bauer and Global as Rob Watson declared he had first dibs. Paul Sylvester then proceeded to laud even more praise, encouraging him to talk with Andy Roberts (Group Programme Director at Kiss).
You can hear the demos of all of the above in full below:
Mo Ayoub (@centricitydj): [insert-demo id=”932″]
Matt Curtis (@_MattCurtis): [insert-demo id=”960″]
Christopher Boyle (@chris_boyle_dj): [insert-demo id=”988″]
Charlotte Mason (@Masonmcmasemase): [insert-demo id=”982″]
Ella Atcheson (@yes_atcheson): [insert-demo id=”997″]
Kristien Armstrong (@K_G_Armstrong): [insert-demo id=”979″]
Sian Cooper (@CooperSian): [insert-demo id=”956″]
More to follow…
