This spring, big name music stars and up-and-coming talent from across the UK will be rocking and rolling their way into homes across the UK as the Fiat Automobiles UK sponsored Evo Music Rooms launches on TV's Channel 4. The innovative new series brings together star headliners with Evo unsigned artists who will share the stage in a groundbreaking weekly showcase.

Evo Music Rooms will break the mould in its search for talent, taking viewers on a thrilling ride through music as week by week a major recording artist ‘hijacks’ the show; curating, and co-hosting a unique spectacle. Each evolutionary night will be opened and closed with a performance from our star curator followed by performances from a legend that inspired them, and recording artists they think are shaping today’s music scene, before an Evo unsigned artist takes to the stage in a bid for stardom.

Until 17 February aspiring artists across the UK were able to apply at www.evomusicrooms.com, and now 20 Evo unsigned artists will make it on to the judges’ shortlist. More than 1,500 music applied. The top 20 artists will be showcased online and fans will now have until 10 March to vote their top 10 into the final; voting is now open. From the top 10, the panel will select six hopefuls who will be whisked off to London for one-to-one mentoring, free studio time and the opportunity to perform live on the same bill as some of music’s biggest names. An influential judging panel of industry experts, with the help of the voting public, will whittle down the contenders until six triumphant acts will win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform alongside their idols in front of a live studio audience.

Evo Music Rooms is the ultimate gig ticket for 2010, offering a line-up of past, present and future stars. Young and spirited like the Fiat Punto Evo itself, Evo Music Rooms will redefine live music and inspire a generation of music lovers. Executive Producer Jez Nelson said, “We're incredibly hyped to be producing this series. There's never been a more exciting time for music – and these shows will celebrate the best acts out there. Crucially though, we'll also be discovering new talent, mentoring them and then giving them an amazing TV platform to launch them. As a digital company as passionate about on-line content as we are about TV, this is a dream production to be involved in.”

Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK said: “Punto Evo is leading the way in innovation, so we were thrilled to get involved with a music initiative that reflected our forward-thinking approach. At Fiat we strive to bring forward the future for our customers, and we can’t wait to bring them the next big thing.”

Somethin’ Else is the UK’s leading cross-platform production company for TV, radio and digital and also has a talent agency. Its Radio division is the UK’s biggest independent radio production company, supplying more audio programmes (by revenue and hours) to the BBC, commercial and online broadcasters than anyone else. The TV and Digital departments create video (TV and online) and content for games, apps and websites. The Talent department represents many of the UK's leading TV and radio presenters including Theo Phaphitis and Jeremy Kyle. Branded content is seen by Somethin’ Else as a crucial piece of the broadcasting ‘landscape’ and therefore runs across all areas of the company. Somethin’ Else has 65+ staff and is headed by Founder and Chief Executive Jez Nelson, Managing Director Steve Ackerman, Digital Director Paul Bennun and Director of Talent Grant Michaels. The company has won numerous awards including Sony Radio Awards, Interactive BAFTAs and GSM Mobile Awards.