Start Spreading the NY1: Plaza Student Wins Music Video Star Contest

By Seasons staff

While Plaza College student Antonia Lares takes classes in Room 7 or the Internet Center, thousands of New Yorkers are simultaneously watching her award-winning commercial on NY1 every day.

Ms. Lares has been a performer since her days of living in Trinidad. She and her sister have their own singing group called K.O. Chicks. Ms. Lares writes the melodies and choruses for many of their own original songs.

Then, last fall, NY1 held the “NY1 Music Video Star Contest” to find New Yorkers who could remake their theme song. Those interested in competing had to make their own video and submit it to a panel of judges at NY1. The winning video would then be aired for a year throughout the day.

In spite of her experience, Ms. Lares was skeptical when the contest was brought to her attention.

“I said to myself, ‘How is it possible for the K.O. Chicks to turn the NY1 theme song into something hip?’”

Nevertheless, not only did Ms. Lares perform the song, but she also wrote the arrangements. “It took me a day to come up with the format of how the song should be sung. But after we laid the track down in the studio, we listened to it and said, ‘This song is really, really hot.’”

The audition truly tuned into a “fun, family affair,” Ms. Lares said. Once the arrangements were set, Ms. Lares’s cousin, a professional stylist, selected their outfits for the video, and her brother shot the video. Filming took one day; once it was complete, they uploaded it to the NY1 website. Within 24 hours, the video was added to the “Judges’ Favorite” section on the NY1 website.

To their great surprise, K.O. Chicks were announced as the winners in late 2009. According to a video on YouTube, one judge of the NY1 Music Video Star contest said that K.O. Chicks won because “they were very talented. They had a great sound; they had creativity, a lot of energy. We liked their video. They’re New Yorkers, and it came through loud and clear in their video.”

Another judge said, “K.O. Chicks have star power. Star power! K.O. Chicks can sing. K.O. Chicks can dance. What more do you need to know? The K.O. Chicks look and sound like New York City.”

The third judge said, “They were very creative and embodied what New York is all about. That’s why they’re the winners.”

As part of the prize, they went to Howard Schwartz Recording and sang their track with Peter Fish as their producer. They did a two-day shoot around New York City and on a sound stage.

Ms. Lares said, “The shooting process was fun. The first day, we shot on green screen for eight hours with three outfit changes. The second day, we shot around New York City, with lots of people looking at us and asking us who we were.”

Once Ms. Lares saw the commercial, she was more than ecstatic. “It was really exciting, seeing myself on television. Most of my friends are on T.V., and I have always hoped to be in their shoes. I said to myself, ‘Finally, things are starting to go well on my end’”

Inevitably, Ms. Lares is now recognized by not only her classmates and professors, but also people she doesn’t know. “We get wonderful responses. Most of the time, when I walk outside, or even when I am on the train, people recognize me. I take a few pictures with them from time to time.”

Today, the K.O. Chicks perform in the United States and overseas, and are working on their first album. In fact, several record labels are interested in them. Ms. Lares said, “It’s just a matter of choosing the right deal.”

To check out links to the YouTube videos and the K.O. Chicks’ website, you can click on the following links:

NY1 announcing K.O. Chicks as the winners:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULnG8kPV0Dc&feature=related

Their winning video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5X-jZ6zXmM

The K.O. Chicks’ homepage:
http://www.kochicks.com/