Cosmopolitan Magazine Narrows Field to 10 Semi-Finalists in StarLaunch(TM) Search for the Next Female Rock Star

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - October 21, 2008) - After a month of submissions and a rigorous screening process by a panel of music industry hit makers, Cosmopolitan has narrowed the field of hundreds of female artists to just 10 who will now compete for the chance to be the magazine's first "Fun Fearless Female" music star.

Cosmopolitan, along with sponsors Nikon, CoverGirl, Pantene and bebe, kicked off its first-ever StarLaunch™ national talent search September 9 on YouTube, asking female-fronted bands and solo artists to upload a performance video of an original song for consideration.

From Tuesday, October 21 at 12:01 a.m. until Sunday, November 2, readers and music fans will have a chance to vote on their favorite artist online at www.cosmopolitan.com/starlaunch. Their votes will determine the 3 finalists who will compete in a live battle of the bands at Terminal 5 in New York City on December 5, emceed by MTV VJ Damien Fahey. The three acts will open the show, performing on the same stage as pop superstar Natasha Bedingfield and special guest Solange Knowles.

The top three vote-getting acts will be announced on Monday, November 10. All will receive Nikon COOLPIX digital cameras so that they can document their journey to NYC. A slideshow of their pictures will be available at www.Cosmopolitan.com following the concert. In addition, bebe's VIP stylist will work with each female finalist to perfect their rock star look for the evening. Outfits will be gifted to each female performer. And all will receive a prize package from Pantene and CoverGirl.

Cosmo's10 semifinalists are from all walks of life, embracing many musical influences. They are:

--  Alexa Wilkinson, New York, NY
--  Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast, New York, NY
--  Cruel Black Dove, Brooklyn, NY
--  Fortune 457, New York, NY
--  Mieka Pauley, New York, NY
--  Nikkole, Los Angeles, CA
--  Polina, New York, NY
--  Stevi Madison, Orange County, CA
--  Suzanna Choffel, Austin, TX
--  Victoria George, Nashville, TN
    

On the evening of the concert, a panel of top music executives including Sylvia Rhone (President/EVP, Universal Motown), David Novik (SVP of A&R, Decca/Universal) and Mike Mangini (Grammy Award-winning producer and musician), along with the in-house audience and online community, will help select the winner, who will receive a package that will jump start their music career including:

--  $10,000 cash
--  A 3-track demo created with a hit-making record producer
--  Up to 10 performances at Cosmopolitan-sponsored events
--  Memberships to SESAC (a performing rights organization for music
    artists and publishers) and FanBridge (a premier fan list management
    service)
--  Prize packages from CoverGirl, Pantene, Nikon and bebe
    

"When we started this search, we knew we would discover some amazing talent, but as submissions poured in we were blown away by the high caliber of undiscovered female musicians out there just searching for an entrée into the music industry," said Donna Kalajian Lagani, Senior Vice President and Publishing Director, Cosmopolitan. "Now, the fun really begins as fans get to be democratic and help us pick our first fun, fearless female musician."

For more information on StarLaunch™, visit www.cosmopolitan.com/starlaunch. Tickets for the StarLaunch™ concert on December 5 at New York City's Terminal 5 are on sale now. To purchase, visit www.terminal5nyc.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan (www.cosmopolitan.com) is the best-selling young women's magazine in the U.S., a bible for fun, fearless females that reaches more than 18 million readers a month. Cosmopolitan delivers the latest news on men and love, fashion and beauty, women's health and self-improvement, and entertainment. Readers can also interact with the brand on the digital front, with Cosmopolitan mobile (m.cosmopolitan.com). In addition to its U.S. flagship, Cosmopolitan publishes 58 editions around the world. Hearst Magazines is a unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with nearly 200 editions around the world, including 18 U.S. titles and 20 magazines in the United Kingdom, published through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (75.6 million total adults, according to MRI, Spring 2008).

Contact Information: Contact: Marisa Ollins Cosmopolitan 212-649-2577 mollins@hearst.com Andrea Faville Cosmopolitan 212-649-2165 afaville@hearst.com