Turn off the TV — Idol is coming to Athens.

Hosted by Sigma Delta Tau, the ninth annual UGA Idol is back to raise money for children while displaying up-and-coming vocal talent. Photo by Frances Micklow

Sigma Delta Tau’s ninth annual UGA Idol, a campus-wide singing competition, is back to raise more money for children in need.

“The cool thing about this year is a lot of the people are playing their own instruments or have live accompaniment, which is something different,” said competition chair Hannah Toland.

Money from the competition will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta through ugaMiracle, an entirely student-run philanthropic endeavor which has raised more than $2 million for the cause over the years.

Auditions for the singing event were held in November, with about 100 contenders looking for a coveted spot in the March competition.

“We have three judges: one from the music business program on campus, one from the music school and a local guy who does gorankem.com,” Toland said. “They are scored on four categories, and those are averaged together and ranked, that way we have a third, second and first.”

Audience members can hold their breath, however, if they’re looking for an American Idol-esque “on-the-spot” assessment of performances.

“It’s more like a talent competition in that regard,” Toland said. “They don’t critique as they go on. I think if they did that, the show would last forever. They just score it on a piece of paper.”

For each of the 18 performers who made it to the March show, the ultimate reward is more than just the possibility of a cash prize.

“The contestants really are just vying for the title,” Toland said. “It’s a philanthropic event, so they don’t win money. They get to sing at all kinds of sporting events on campus.”