HAVE you always thought you had a hidden talent that could take the world by storm?

Can you sing, dance, or tie yourself in a knot? Can you do a magic trick or juggle? What about making people laugh by doing impressions or telling jokes?

Whatever you can do, the Evening Times' brand new talent competition is for you.

Glasgow's Star Turn 2012 is on the hunt to find the city's future talent.

Some of the biggest names in showbiz found fame on talent contests, from Cheryl Cole to Scotland's own Susan Boyle, through to chart toppers JLS and hip dance act Diversity to veteran stars like Victoria Wood and Jim Davidson.

And we hope our winners will also go on to great things.

With a top prize of £1000, the winner will also be given the chance to perform their act at a city event later in the year.

Our glamorous and star-studded final will be held on Monday, July 30 at the Old Fruitmarket, in front a packed audience.

To get involved, all you have to do is upload a short video – a maximum of four minutes – of yourself performing, to the Star Turn website.

And just like teen sensation Justin Bieber and American singer Rebecca Black, who both attracted the attention of industry bosses after posting videos of themselves online, it could be your passport to success.

Video entries will go in front of our expert panel of judges, which will be revealed on Friday.

They will pick the most talented acts from a series of rounds before the final top names are put to the public vote.

Voters will be able to view each video and submit their votes on the Glasgow Star Turn website.

One of Glasgow's most famous talent show stars, former Pop Idol winner and Evening Times columnist Michelle McManus, 31, from Shawlands, urged anyone with a talent to come forward.

She said: "I would always recommend if you have got a talent then go for it – nothing ventured, nothing gained. You will never know until you try.

"What could you have to lose? It is an amazing opportunity.

"If you feel you have got a talent or you want the rest of the city to see your talent you should come forward."

However, Coatbridge singer Edward Reid, 35, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent last year with his new musical take on nursery rhymes, said there's only one way to make your act perfect.

He said: "I think you have got to go in with an open mind but you have got to practise.

"If the nerves take over you can forget the words or the tune or whatever so you need to practise and practise and practise."

Over the following weeks we will have exclusive interviews with some of Glasgow's most talented stars as well as updates on every stage of the competition.

For years the Evening Times has been promoting up-and-coming talent in the city in our Times Out and news pages.

We have celebrated home-grown acts that have excelled on TV talent shows, including Glasgow dance groups The Box and Fear Of The Unknown, who appeared on Got To Dance, and Britain's Got Talent winner Jai McDowell, from Ayrshire.

Local bands like schoolboy act The Modests, singer Sarah Beth Brown to famous names from Westlife to the Saturdays have all featured in our Times Out section.

Meanwhile, our Community Champions events have offered a stage for talent from all four corners of the city, with young dancers from Dance UK the latest to be given the chance to shine at our Champs event at Maryhill Burgh Hall

Paul Bain, one half of country music duo Raintown, performed at the first Community Champions awards in the East End in 2008.

He said: "Playing at Community Champions brought Raintown to the attention of people and the fact we were singing a song at the time called Hero worked in nicely.

"It is always nice to appear in your local paper and that was very much at the start and now we are on the way to something much bigger I hope."

If you know someone who has the talent to make it big, give them a step up and help them submit a video.

Glasgow's Star Turn 2012 final will be the last event of the Merchant City Festival.

For more information about the contest or to submit a video visit http://stars.eveningtimes.co.uk

The deadline for entries is Thursday, May 24.