Jada Strong 
Are you a young singer, actor, producer, designer, or artist between the ages of 5-17? Are you interested in media, performing arts or entrepreneurship? If you answered yes to these questions, we need you to come pop out at Young Stars 360’s 13th Annual Talent Search THIS SUNDAY!
Young Stars 360 is a company whose main goal is to gather young talent and connect them in all the ways they need. Founded by the talented comedian Kenan Thompson and his amazing business partner Cherie Chile-Buchanan, these two have been working together for 13 years to recruit young people that are destined to be great. The talent search covers 12 cities, with the hope of finding kids with a bright future and new, innovative ideas.
“As someone who has been acting since my early teens, I enjoy facilitating opportunities for others to make their dreams come true while giving back to an industry that has given me so,” Thompson explained. “As executive producers, Cherie Chiles-Buchanan and I remain committed to helping tomorrow’s stars safely navigate their way to success in however they define it.”
Chile-Buchanan gave True Star some insight on what to expect at the audition, and what their company is looking for. “The youth coming to the event should expect to have a great time. Chicago is actually our last stop on our tour,” she said. “They can expect what kids coming to the audition have already posted on social media, they can expect to have a performance that they’re gonna have to remember for a lifetime, and they can expect to have a room full of supportive people. They are gonna learn more than they knew before they came through the door.”
Chile-Buchanan put emphasis on the importance of youth within the entertainment industry. She said that she and Thompson strongly believe that the youth are the future, so why not start nurturing greatness as early as possible? Young Stars 360 partners with schools, talent groups, agencies, and other important organizations in order to find talent, but they also make an effort to educate parents as a part of the process as well.
When TSL interviewers asked Chile-Buchanan what tips she would give to the young people looking to build their brand, she responded by guiding people to do the following: “Try to perfect your craft in any way possible, continue to learn and grow, build a team of support, and always believe in yourself.” Pretty great stuff if you ask me!
On their homepage, youngstars360.com, they extensively cover all the different types of support the company offers. To sign up for this event, once on their website, click “Sign Up,” start reading up on the FAQ, and fill out the application. The Chicago event will take place at the Hard Rock Cafe at 63 West Ontario Street from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Tickets are listed from a range of $30 – $75, so make sure to buy either a general admission ticket or VIP ticket before they sell out. We hope to see you there!
By Jada Strong, Freshman, Whitney Young Magnet
Twitter/Instagram: @JadaStrongg
Help us continue to lift youth voices in their schools and communities. Donate to True Star at: elevate.truestarfoundation.
