Jason Derulo may be looking for the next music superstar, but he’s made it obvious to one aspiring performer that he’ll have to work much harder.
The vocalist is the host of the new reality singing show Project Icon, which tests eight singers to see if they have what it takes to go from a bedroom singer to an all-around music sensation in just a few weeks.
Jason, his long-term boss Frank Harris, and Becky Hill, who are acting as mentors, may be doing their best to provide helpful feedback, but one contestant found himself in the firing line after failing to impress.
Jay Scott, a 28-year-old Birmingham influencer, previously featured on The X Factor as a member of boy band Kingsland Road, but has recently become best known for his popular TikToks with his 76-year-old father Brian.
His first appearance on Project Idol, on the other hand, made an impact for all the wrong reasons.
Jay’s original song, Rice, Peas, and Chicken, described his passion of the meal before explaining how ‘everyone believes I am Indian, or Filipino, but I am Jamaican,’ before pulling out a flag to clarify his heritage.
‘I want to shake my bum…but first I want some rice, peas and chicken,’ he sung while enthusiastically dancing.
The three mentors and Jay’s fellow contestants were puzzled, with some staring into the distance for the duration of the performance.
However, after it was finished, there was a brief stillness before Becky remarked, ‘Wow.’
Jason chimed in, calling the music “horrible.”
‘That might be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard in my life actually,’ he said.
‘I’ve seen your videos; I’ve seen you dance and I think you’re one of the best performers here. But that song, that’s not the vibe for you.’
Taking it on the chin, Jay said that when doing ‘something out of the box’, people might not ‘get it’ straight away’, so he didn’t seem too disheartened.
Previously speaking about his new show, Jason told Metro.co.uk that it came about after observing that the lasting success rate for other talent show contestants was ‘really small’.
‘Those shows are only about singing but the music industry is about way more than that. You need to be able to create a song that touches people, perform on social media and be likeable, have a brand that people connect to, shine on camera and do interviews,’ he said.
He went on to say that there was “a lot that goes into it,” and that candidates would be tested on various skills that would help them build jobs in the music business.
Project Icon is streaming on BBC iPlayer.