As the race for the $1 million top prize in the 2011 Tastee Talent Trail series heats up, nerves got the better of many contestants who performed at the Montego Bay challenge held last Saturday, September 10, at the Tastee Depot, 105 Barnett Street, Montego Bay.

So competitive was the challenge round that host Elva had to be calming nerves of contestants backstage as they vibe their routine before taking the stage.

From the sixth audition, 31 contestants were selected and were expected to take their chances before a panel of judges made up of industry personnel in the form of singer Cezar Cunningham, actress Karen Harriott, and entertainer Farenheit.

Staged to select the top 12 who will move on to the Reality Weekend at Breezes, Runaway Bay on September 30, things were hot from the start. In fact, two contestants from last year; Savanna-la-Mar's Chrisna Brown, who made it into the final six and Sharon Thompson from Montego Bay, who was a standout last year, both failed to make it out of the challenge round this year.

In addition, other standouts just never brought their 'A' game and were mere shadows of the persons who performed at auditions. In fact, not one of the selectees from Montego Bay made the final.

Of those chosen for the challenge round, two apparently got cold feet and failed to show while one arrived two and a half hours late and was disqualified. In the end, a 17-year-old magician, a singer/guitarist, three DJ's, two singjays and five singers including a quartet, made it through the challenge.

The contestants will now embark on grooming sessions in Montego Bay and Kingston to prepare for the Breezes weekend. The lucky 12 are; deejay Camalla Latouche, singer/guitarist Norre' Stephenson, singer Patrick Brown, deejay McHuel Prince, singer Denna Mcleod, singjay Latoya Chambers, deejay Kay Ann Hayle, singjay Minori Russel, singer John Rhea, magician Sean Bailey, singer Kaydene Anderson, and the Quartet Real Quality.

Sponsored this year by Tastee, Pepsi, Breezes, Supreme Ventures, TVJ, FAME, LIME, Sparkles Production, T-Shirt Express, KSAC and Kosmo Tours, the television series begins on TVJ on Saturday, October 8, 2011 and continues each Saturday at 9:30 p.m., to the grand finals which will be aired on December 17, 2011.

The final show will unfold on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6 p.m., at the Tastee Head Office car park in Cross Roads. The contestants will be vying for a first prize of $1 million in cash, second prize of $250,000 and a third prize of $100,000. All finalists on this show will receive mobile phones from LIME.