Zee TV, India’s leading Hindi entertainment channel, recently announced its new brand philosophy ‘Har Lamha, Nayi Umeed’ that captures the beauty of re-discovering a new ray of hope with every moment of life. Zee TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, the first singing talent hunt show on Indian television has been instrumental in introducing the country to some of its demigods of music –Shreya Ghoshal, Kuna Ganjawala or Shekhar Ravjiani, Bela Shende, Sanjivani and Kamal Khan in the last two decades. This prestigious platform is a beacon of hope, giving thousands of aspiring singers an avenue to exhibit their talent season after season!  Bringing its new core proposition alive, Zee TV will premiere ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs 5’ on 27^th December. The show will air every Saturday and Sunday at 9 PM.

When it comes to singing or any other art form, the seeds of talent are sown at a very early age. In selecting 12 distinct voices from amongst India’s youngest talent, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs sets out to celebrate the beauty of each of these unique voices and inspire them to be the best they can. Each voice has its own individual timbre and interesting nuances that strike a different chord in the hearts of the audience. Looking at a cross section of this season’s contestants, you will find great diversity amongst their aspirations. You have 11 year old Antara Sarkar from Kolkata who learns Rabindra Sangeet and idolizes Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale, 13 year old Gagan Gaonkar from Udipi who sings Ghazals and Sufi and is inspired by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Amritsar boy Ridham Kalyan who learns Hindustani Classical and wants to learn from Sukhwinder Singh, Arvind Nair from Kochi who learns Carnatic music and looks at Shankar Mahadevan as his inspiration. So, each child will be groomed and honed in a very different manner so as to let them bloom to his or her fullest potential. In setting forth these 12 stellar examples on national television, the larger vision of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs is to lend a ‘Nayi Ummeed’ to countless other similarly talented children to work hard on themselves and cultivate their latent talents.

In boys versus girl’s format that lends itself to a spirited atmosphere of camaraderie and fun, these L’il Champs will embark on a musical journey where they will floor you with their command over sur and taal week-on-week, leaving you spell-bound with renditions of songs that you would least expect children of their age to have even heard of.  So, the audience is clearly in for a delightful treat!

This edition, the kids will be mentored by none other than the king of melody Shaan and the songstress with a mellifluous voice, Monali Thakur who step in as ‘Captains’. These two music marvels, which have made a distinct mark for themselves in a short span of time, will understand each child’s strengths and areas of improvement and coach them on fine-tuning their skills. Shaan as the captain of the boys’ team and Monali as the captain of the girls’ team respectively, will also carry the responsibility of evaluating the performances of these contestants fairly. The Mahaguru – Alka Yagnik, having been a mentor across previous seasons of the show, is well-versed with the style in which the show encourages, motivates and grooms the contestants. The show will be hosted by the young and dynamic Aditya Narayan, who is a talented singer himself.

Zee TV Programming Head - Namit Sharma said, “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is amongst Indian televisions very first few talent-based reality shows with a legacy of singing talent that it has built over almost two decades. It is a definitive platform for aspiring singers and has significantly contributed to the country’s culture and music scene. From attracting some of the biggest names of the music fraternity as judges to nurturing some of the finest budding talent in the country, the platform has only grown with each successive season. The show is back with the fifth season of Li’l Champs. We’ve got on board Shaan and Monali as mentors for the kids. Not only are they extremely warm, affable and great with kids but also have the ability to step in as role models and guiding forces for their growth as singers. AlkaJi is one of the most awarded playback singers of our times and with her years of experience will enrich the kids’ journey with her invaluable feedback.”

Mahaguru Alka Yagnik says, “I have been associated with Zee TV and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa since the first season and I’m glad to be back. The kind of talent that we get on this show is extraordinary, as the panel ensures that they get the best from the country. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is the most authentic and genuine platform for aspiring singers, as it opens a lot of avenues and the kind of grooming that the kids get is amazing. From being proficient in different styles of singing to conducting and adapting themselves in different environments, this show is a learning ground for all.”

Captain Monali Thakur says, “My association with Zee started with Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. The show and the channel are very special to me as I started my television career here. I am excited to be back after two years. I love being around kids and they don’t cease to amaze me with their talent. No matter how clichéd it may sound, I was truly inspired to go back and learn more after seeing their dedication.”

Captain Shaan says, “I have been associated with this show for over a decade now and as a matter of fact hosted the first season of Li’l Champs. So this is like homecoming and I’m glad to be a captain of the boys’ team. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has given the music industry some of its finest talents and I believe there is no better platform than this for aspiring singers. Every contestant becomes an all-rounder post the kind of exposure, mentoring and grooming that they get from experts on the show.”

Zee Music Company will partner with us in terms of co-creating and promoting exclusive music content with the Li’l champs. In addition they will also help in the grooming process by engaging with musical icons and enabling the Lil Champs to interact with them.

So, get ready for the mega-musical bonanza and see the young talents turn their dreams into reality on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs starting 27th December, every Saturday and Sunday at 9 PM, only on Zee TV.