CTV Unveils Remaining THE LAUNCH Season 1
Mentors and Aspiring Artists' Episode Pairings
– CTV also announced ETALK PRESENTS: THE LAUNCH,
delivering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at THE LAUNCH
in 30-minute special episode premiering Monday, Jan. 1 on CTV –
Click this image to view THE LAUNCH
trailer.
To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/2jclVYH
TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - One song can change
everything! CTV revealed today across its expansive footprint of
flagship social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and online at
CTV.ca/TheLaunch, an exclusive sneak peek 90 second trailer, as
well as a 60 second Instagram version, showcasing footage of CTV's
all-new original music series and international TV format THE
LAUNCH. The sizzling teaser was unveiled by THE LAUNCH
series co-creator and record mogul Scott
Borchetta alongside mentor and multi-platinum solo artist
and recording star Fergie in front of a sold-out audience at
Toronto's Air Canada Centre during
the taping of the IHEARTRADIO JINGLE BALL NORTH on Saturday. The
inaugural episode and world premiere of THE LAUNCH is set to
premiere Wednesday Jan. 10 at
9 p.m. ET / 8
p.m. MT on CTV and CTV GO, and will air in super
simulcast on CTV Two and Much. THE LAUNCH is also set to air
in French on VRAK day and date with CTV.
CTV also announced today ETALK PRESENTS: THE LAUNCH, an
exclusive behind-the-scenes first look at CTV's all-new music
series in advance of THE LAUNCH premiere on CTV, airing
Monday, Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. Hosted by ETALK's
Ben Mulroney and Liz Trinnear, ETALK PRESENTS: THE LAUNCH
takes viewers behind-the-scenes of the production, which was taped
in Toronto this past fall. The
special provides an exclusive opportunity for viewers to meet the
panel of internationally renowned music industry legends and the 30
artists showcased in Season 1, with a glance at the monumental
journey of launching a new artist and creating an original song
week after week.
**Media Note** Download artwork and access full bios for THE
LAUNCH mentors and artists at BellMediaPR.ca
Following the previously announced broadcast details for Episode
1 headlined by international musical icon Shania Twain and
award-winning producer/songwriter busbee, a staggering roster of
musical A-listers join Borchetta as mentors in the series'
additional episodes. All are paired with groups of five previously
announced emerging artists per episode as follows:
OneRepublic frontman and acclaimed producer/songwriter
Ryan Tedder and Grammy Award-winner
and co-founder of country-pop duo Sugarland Jennifer Nettles are on hand to mentor:
- Basil Phoenix – the R&B and
hip-hop artist from The Pas,
Manitoba started writing songs and instrumental beats as a
teen and has since amassed a strong following on Instagram.
- Divine Lightbody – the R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and reggae
singer and multi-instrumentalist from Brampton, Ont., has received more than 14,000
hits just months after launching her YouTube™ channel.
- Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine – the "x" in their name is pronounced
"and", but it also represents the multiplying effect the
instrumentalist/composer Elijah and lyricist/vocalist Jamie have on
one another.
- JP Maurice – Vancouver's
pop/rock/alt-country artist's first EP Girls sweeps from
cinematic pop-noir into slinky neo soul with powerfully emotive
vocals.
- LITEYEARS – the high-energy, alt-pop group of four meshes
programmed electronic loops, ethereal keyboards, and melodic guitar
counterpoint with organic instrumentation for a unique and
refreshing sound.
Rock icon and founding member of legendary rock band Mötley Crüe
Nikki Sixx and Dann Huff (the producer behind more than 50 #1
hit records) mentor:
- Amy Bishop – the bluesy,
pop-rock vocalist from Calgary,
whose spectacular performances to date include collaborations with
Moby, April Wine, Farmer's Daughter,
and Chris Cummings.
- Chad Price – the soul, folk, and
R&B artist from London, Ont.
earned a reputation as an "artist to watch" while playing hundreds
of shows since 2011, and has shared the stage with the likes of
Ben Harper, The Strumbellas, Walk
Off The Earth, Lights, and many more.
- Dylan Menzie – from Belle River, P.E.I., the indie, folk, pop, and
rock artist with a sprawling vocal range released his debut EP
Heather Avenue in 2013, earning multiple award nominations,
before going on to open for artists City and Colour and
Ron Sexsmith.
- Sons of Daughters – the Vancouver-born, Nashville-based duo Chrystal Leigh and Jimmy
Thow have collaborated with numerous Grammy®-nominated
songwriters, and have recorded a six-track debut EP entitled
Pick your Poison.
- The Static Shift – bursting onto the local Calgary scene at the ages of 14, the rock,
blues, and alternative group were the youngest band to ever
headline the Blues Can. Now with more than 130 live performances
under their belt and multiple award wins, The Static Shift has
shared the stage with Trooper, Colin
James, The Sheepdogs, and more.
Grammy® Award-winning, multi-platinum solo
artist and recording star Fergie and Canada's own Stephan
Moccio, the music mastermind behind massive, inescapable
hits like the quintuple-platinum "Wrecking Ball", join forces to
mentor:
- Ezra Jordan – the Toronto artist blends the genres of R&B
and alt-pop with his keyboard-oriented approach to songwriting to
create a style that is soulful, refreshing, and authentic.
- Faiza – the Toronto-based
R&B/hip-hop singer/songwriter released her first EP in 2014,
garnering positive buzz from Toronto's underground music scene for her
seductive vocals and 90s-reminiscent vibe.
- Jaryd Stanley – from
Rothesay, N.B., the acoustic
guitar-playing singer-songwriter mixes elements of rock, hip-hop,
soul, pop, dance, and folk into his songs. He earned "Fan
Favourite" status for CBC's 2017 National Searchlight songwriting
competition, and was named the 2017 Grand Prize Winner of
Canada's Walk of Fame Emerging
Artists Music Mentorship Program.
- Poesy – writing her first song at the age of nine, the
Ancaster, Ont.-born
alternative/indie artist and piano player finds inspiration in
literature, 1970s rock, thrift stores, and bus rides, to create the
narratives present in her songwriting.
- Sariyah Hines – the London,
Ont. soul singer was named 2015 Youth Grand Champion of
CNE's Rising Star, and is a multi-medalist for Team Canada at the
2016 World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
Grammy®-nominated Best New Artist of the Year
Julia Michaels ("Issues") and the
in-demand songwriter behind chart-topping hits for artists
including Selena Gomez and
Justin Bieber, along with
Grammy®-nominated record producer Ian Kirkpatrick responsible for multi-platinum
hit songs from Jason Derulo, Nick
Jonas, and many more, mentor aspiring artists:
- James Marshall – the
Acton, Ont. singer/songwriter
expresses his adventurous soul through his unique blend of pop,
blues, and rock-infused music.
- Jayd Ink – the Toronto independent R&B, soul, hip-hop,
pop, and reggae artist has been headlining shows in Toronto since the release of her first EP
Invitation Only in 2015, and has performed in Japan alongside K.Camp, DJ Whoo Kid, and
Silento.
- Nicky MacKenzie – singing before
she could even talk, the R&B, jazz, alternative, and pop
vocalist from Salt Spring Island,
B.C. plays several instruments including piano, guitar, and
harp.
- Noelle Maracle – from
Tyendinaga, Ont., she won YTV's "Virtual Next Star" singing contest
at the age of eight and presented Justin
Bieber with his first Platinum Award in Toronto that same year. Her YouTube™ channel
currently has 27 million views and more than 92,000
subscribers.
- Zack Lane – the Moncton, N.B.-born pop, pop-rock, and folk-pop
multiple award-winning Canadian songwriter, performer, and
recording artist has shared the stage with artists including
Jann Arden, Jeff Cook, and the iconic group Alabama.
Culture Club alumnus and Grammy® Award-winner
Boy George; Grammy®-nominated Best New Artist of the
Year, international pop sensation and Canadian singer/songwriter
Alessia Cara; and Canadian producer
extraordinaire Stephan Moccio team
up to mentor artists:
- Elequen – the exuberant singer-songwriter from Forest, Ont. began her career in entertainment
as a model. Her passion for performing arts garnered her modeling
campaigns and acting roles for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Canada's Wonderland, and IMAX.
- Ethan Young – the Toronto
R&B and pop artist's love for performance and songwriting began
at a very young age, and he's been featured on three Mini Pop Kid
albums that were sold in retail stores internationally.
- Grace Bakker – inspired by
artists like Amy Winehouse, City and Colour, and Matt Maeson, the indie artist began singing at a
young age and is self-taught on guitar.
- Raymond Salgado – the
pop/R&B, classical, and musical theatre artist is a veteran of
competitions, festivals and concerts, and has been the
representative for Provincial Performing Arts of B.C. for the last
six years, winning the Senior Classical at Provincials 2016.
- Victoria Azevedo – beginning her
singing career at the age of 10, the Toronto-based pop/R&B artist made a name
for herself after winning several local singing contests, becoming
a member of acclaimed singing group Mini Pop Kids, recording three
albums and touring nationwide, and selling out stadiums across
Canada.
Bio pages showcasing all of the artists are available on
CTV.ca's dedicated artist pages at CTV.ca/TheLaunch.
Debuting a new and unique format documenting an authentic,
behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to break a new artist and
bring a song to life, in each close-ended, hour-long episode of
THE LAUNCH, five unsigned emerging artists audition for the
opportunity to record and perform a new original song written by a
world famous songwriter/producer and mentored by a panel of
internationally renowned music industry legends. The mentors
then decide which version of the song will be released across the
country immediately following the broadcast of the episode each
week.
Additional announcements will be made in coming weeks regarding
additional content being created to enhance THE LAUNCH
viewer experience.
Hand-picked from more than 10,000 emerging performers, the
artists were selected to be on THE LAUNCH following an
international casting call and completion of an extensive A&R
and review process. Contending for the opportunity of a lifetime –
to record and perform a new original song written by a world famous
songwriter/ producer and mentored by a panel of internationally
renowned music industry legends – the selected artists face the
life-altering prospect of being catapulted from discovery to
stardom in just 48 hours.
THE LAUNCH was put into development in January 2016. The series was co-developed by and
is produced by Bell Media in association with Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Label Group,
Paul Franklin of Eureka (MASTERCHEF, THE BIGGEST LOSER), in
partnership with John Brunton and
Lindsay Cox of Insight Productions
(THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, CANADIAN
IDOL, THE JUNO AWARDS).
THE LAUNCH is executive produced by Scott Borchetta, Randy
Lennox and John Brunton;
Paul Franklin and Lindsay Cox are Showrunners and Executive
Producers; Executive producers for Bell Media are Robin Johnston and Corrie Coe, who is also Senior Vice-President,
Original Programming, Bell Media. Pat DiVittorio is
Vice-President, CTV and Specialty Programming, Mike Cosentino
is President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Twitter:
@alessiacara
@BoyGeorge
@Fergie
@iek
@JenniferNettles
@imjmichaels
@NikkiSixx
@RyanTedder
@scottborchetta
@ShaniaTwain
@stephanmoccio
@BellMediaPR
@bigmachine
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@insightprod
@TheLaunchCTV
@iHeartRadioCA
Facebook:
alessiacara
boygeorgeofficial
fergie
JenniferNettlesMusic
juliamichaelsofficial
nikkisixxofficial
RyanTedder1R
ShaniaTwain
StephanMoccio
CTV
TheLaunchCTV
iHeartRadio Canada
Instagram:
@alessiasmusic
@boygeorgeofficial
@busbee
@cloudology
@fergie
@jennifernettles
@imjmichaels
@nikkisixxpixx
@ryantedder
@shaniatwain
@stephanmoccio
@TheLaunchCTV
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@iHeartRadioCA
Website:
www.CTV.ca/TheLaunch
About Big Machine Label Group
Led by Founder,
President and CEO Scott Borchetta,
the Big Machine Label Group encompasses Big Machine Records,
The Valory Music Co., BMLG Records, Nash Icon Records and
publishing company Big Machine Music as well as its own
digital radio station, Big Machine Radio. BMLG artists include
superstars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Reba
McEntire, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Brantley
Gilbert, Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Dunn, Cheap Trick
and Jennifer Nettles; chart-topping acts Justin
Moore, Eli Young Band, Brett Young, Aaron Lewis, THE
VOICE winner Danielle
Bradbery; up-and-comers Midland, Carly Pearce, Delta Rae, The Cadillac
Three, Drake White, Tucker Beathard, and Tara
Thompson. BMLG also helms soundtracks for the hit TV show
NASHVILLE. BMLG artists have
received multiple GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, AMA, CMT, Teen
Choice, MTV, Billboard, People's
Choice, and Brit Awards. Big Machine is the
first- ever American label to align with terrestrial radio for
performance royalty rights for its artists and is an industry
leader in fighting for artist, songwriter, publisher and record
company rights. Visit BigMachineLabelGroup.com for more
information.
About Eureka
Eureka is a next-generation production company
combining the expertise, credibility and key relationships
traditionally found within large multi-national production
companies with the energy and nimbleness of a startup. Launched in
January 2016, Eureka has offices in Los Angeles and Sydney and produces both unscripted and
scripted programs. Within less than a year of opening Eureka has over sixty hours of programming
commissioned in 2017 with more series to be announced soon.
About Insight Production Company, Ltd.
Insight
Productions, known for its award-winning ratings juggernauts, is
Canada's most established content
producer. Headed by CEO John Brunton
& COO Barbara Bowlby, Insight is
an industry leader in the development, financing, and production of
hit programming, both scripted and unscripted. THE TRAGICALLY HIP:
A NATIONAL CELEBRATION; THE JUNO AWARDS; CANADA'S WALK OF FAME; BIG BROTHER CANADA; HOW
TO CHANGE THE WORLD; and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA – the most watched Canadian series on
record – were collectively nominated for 31 Canadian Screen Awards
in 2017 taking home 14 statues. Year after year, THE AMAZING RACE
CANADA wins the Golden Screen, the
CSA for the highest-rated reality program in Canada. Other productions include: CANADIAN
IDOL; BATTLE OF THE BLADES; NEVER EVER DO THIS AT HOME;
INTERVENTION; TOP CHEF CANADA;
READY OR NOT; FALCON BEACH; and A
CHRISTMAS FURY. Recently, Insight produced THE TRAGICALLY HIP: A
NATIONAL CELEBRATION, a live concert special watched by one in
three Canadians. Insight Productions was founded in 1979 and has
since created thousands of hours of groundbreaking and
multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. In
2015, Insight received the Academy of Canadian Cinema and
Television's inaugural Icon Award in recognition of its 35th
anniversary. For more information visit www.insighttv.com.
About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a
wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment
programming, CTV has been Canada's
most-watched television network for the past 16 years in a row. CTV
is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with
leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell
Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More
information about CTV can be found on the network's website at
CTV.ca.
SOURCE Bell Media