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Santa Barbara, CA, February 21, 2022 –Teen Star® prepares to dazzle Santa Barbara County for its 13th season with the return of celebrity judge, Randy Jackson, who was the founding and long-serving judge on the hit television show, American Idol.. The 13th annual Teen Star Showcase will be held Sunday, February 27, 2022, at 6:00 PM at the Granada Theater in Santa Barbara, CA. 

Teen Star, a non-profit organization, works to enhance performing arts opportunities for youth, showcasing the top singing and musical talent in Santa Barbara county. Teen Star mentors’ youth and provides an outlet to showcase their talent in a healthy and collaborative environment, providing long lasting benefits for the community while enhancing opportunities for the students. 

“This is incredibly exciting for Teen Stars to have Randy Jackson return as one of our 2022 Celebrity Judges! Mr. Jackson has recorded, produced, or toured with some of the most celebrated artists and bands, ranging from Journey, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, to Bruce Springsteen. It is a privilege to have Randy guest judge the annual Teen Star singing competition. Randy has a unique ability to identify and cultivate talent, and he has helped pave the way for so many talented musicians. We are incredibly grateful to have so many amazing volunteers, including Mr. Jackson, who have helped make Teen Star so successful, ” said Joe Lambert, TEEN STAR® Executive Producer.  

Mr. Jackson is best known as an original Judge for 13 seasons on American Idol. His credits extend far beyond American Idol as he has over 1,000 gold and platinum records to his credit, with collective sales exceeding 200+ million copies. Jackson returned to television this year as the ultimate band leader opposite host Jane Krakowski in the reboot of the iconic game show “Name That Tune” for FOX.  

“The success of TEEN STAR® owes a lot of credit to our supporters, including our new presenting sponsor Bill Brown owner of Digital Business Solutions of Santa Maria and our Founding Sponsor, Deckers.  Deckers Brands, the footwear designer and distributor based right here in Goleta, CA, has been a long-standing supporter of Teen Star, and they been instrumental in the success of our show.” added Lambert.

“TEEN STAR® is really an asset to our local performing arts community,” said Founding Sponsor Michelle Apodaca of Deckers.  “It has enriched the lives of every participant in ways that cannot be quantified and offered opportunities that would have not been realized if TEEN STAR® did not exist.I for one, am excited for this year’s competition and look forward to the next decade,” concluded Apodaca.  

Several students across Santa Barbara County have leveraged Teen Star to kickstart their music careers, with some teens even going on to compete on American Idol. “Teen Star transformed my life and gave me a platform on which to start my music career,” said Sofia Schuster, 2019 Contestant and Winner of Teen Star. “From the intensive mentorship with musical greats, including Tariqh Akoni and Kenny Loggins, to performance opportunities with nonprofit organizations across the state, Teen Star, helped me grow in a lot of ways, both personally and professionally. Because of the visibility of Teen Star, I was also able to audition and appear on the 2020 season of American Idol. I am forever grateful for Teen Star, and the way it enables young artists to simply connect with audiences through the power of music.”

With an emphasis on instilling professionalism and rewarding hard work, Teen Star® is much more than a singing competition. Teen Star® offers a professional platform where teens can flourish and showcase their talents in a healthy, supportive environment.  Teen Star® also offers seminars and workshops on auditioning, and instructive feedback for contestants, as well as mentoring sessions for finalists. Teen Star® then provides opportunities for the winners to be seen and heard at important civic events throughout the county. Teen Star® has seen several of its past winners go on to perform in professional venues and for large crowds at more than 40 Events including Fiesta, SB Polo and many more.  

Tickets for the TEEN STAR® Showcase Finale are on sale at the Granada Box Office 805.899-2222 or online at: ticketing.granadasb.org  


ABOUT TEEN STAR® Teen Star® was established in 2010 to support performing arts programs in local schools and to give area youth an outlet to showcase their talents, providing lasting benefits for talented young performers and the Santa Barbara community at large. Well-known for the two flagship competitions held each year–Teen Star, a singing competition, and Teen Dance Star, Teen Star® also offers seminars and workshops, mentoring sessions and opportunities for teens, and donates proceeds from the live events to support the Arts Mentorship Program, who awards scholarships to help students in financial need to continue pursuing their education in the arts. Learn more at TeenStarUSA.com 

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