CAN you imagine yourself as the next Edith Piaf, with your name splashed in neon above concert halls in Paris?

Alliance Français and Gitameit are running a French song competition, a French Idol of sorts.

Entrants must not be French native speakers, must be between the ages of 15 and 40 and must not have held a recording contract before.

To enter, all you have to do is pick up an entry form and CD containing 10 popular French songs from Alliance Français, the Gitameit music center, Mr Guitar café in Yangon or the Center de Français in Mandalay, choose a song and then start rehearsing.

Gitameit, Mr Guitar café and the Center de Français of Mandalay will hold rehearsals for applicants on February 18, 24 and 25.

Heats will be held at the same venues on March 4, 10 and 11, with the 20 finalists facing off at Mr Guitar on March 17.

French singer Jil Caplan, local rock star Zaw Win Htut, Alliance Français director Stephane Dovert, Gitameit artistic advisor Kit Young and didactics expert Agnes Musnier-Dovert will judge participants on their interpretation, voice quality, stage presence, knowledge of the lyrics and their pronunciation of the French language.

Prizes include a trip to France, a DVD home theatre system and a DVD micro system.

A ‘Pansea Hotel Audience Award’ and a ‘Francophonie Award’ as well as a ‘Junior Award’ will also be handed out.

Entitled ‘Revelations 2006’, Alliance Français hopes the contest will raise the profile of French popular music — which they say is a little-known-about aspect of the country’s culture.

The closing date for submitting entry forms to Alliance Français is February 10.