TORONTO (January 3, 2018) – Lucky number seven! CTV today announced the expansion of its all-new, original music series and international TV format THE LAUNCH to include a seventh, final episode. JUST LAUNCHED rounds out the highly anticipated inaugural season, with an in-depth look at the continuation of the journey for the six breakthrough artists selected at the end of each episode of the series for the life-changing opportunity to record and launch a new, original song.
Today’s announcement comes ahead of THE LAUNCH’s world premiere airing next Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, and in super simulcast on CTV Two and Much. THE LAUNCH is also set to air in French on VRAK day-and-date with CTV.
In addition to the series’ expansion to seven episodes, CTV also revealed today THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT, an extended version of Episodes 1-6 of THE LAUNCH that will debut exclusively on CraveTV weekly at 10 p.m. ET immediately following the network broadcast. Each episode of THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT takes viewers inside extended auditions of each of the five artists featured in that episode along with comprehensive mentor reactions/feedback, and never-seen-before moments that are exclusive to the CraveTV DIRECTOR’S CUT version of the episode.
Fans are also invited to visit CTV.ca/TheLaunch leading up to and throughout the season for exclusive, expansive digital content featuring THE LAUNCH celebrity mentors and the 30 artists selected to participate in the series’ inaugural season. Digital content includes comprehensive Q&As with all artists taking part in THE LAUNCH, now available on the site’s video portal. Refreshed Q&A materials featuring each episode’s respective artists will be release in advance of the season premiere on January 10, and weekly leading up to each subsequent episode. In addition, CTV.ca is the destination for blogs highlighting Season 1 mentors’ greatest achievements, with new blog entries to surface throughout the season and beyond. Following each episode, CTV.ca will release videos featuring extended musical performances, in-studio demos and “first-listens”, unique moments between artists and their mentors, and a variety of other exclusive digital content.
More Information on THE LAUNCH: JUST LAUNCHED
Production of THE LAUNCH’s first six episodes wrapped last fall in Toronto, with the additional seventh bonus episode currently in development by the Bell Media Studios team, documenting the up-to-the-minute trajectory and life-changing journey of each week’s newly launched artist. JUST LAUNCHED will air one week following Episode 6 on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. MT on CTV and CTV GO.
Featuring behind-the-scenes moments and outtakes of the six artists chosen to launch their original songs, the one-hour bonus episode includes up-to-the-moment interviews with each selected artist and an all-new interview with series co-creator and world-renowned record mogul Scott Borchetta. The episode also follows each artist back to their respective hometowns after creating their new single; is on the scene with the chosen artists as they watch the broadcast episode for the first time with their nearest and dearest, as viewers across Canada tune in to the episode; and captures each of the six “launched” artists’ as they hear their song launch on the radio for the first time. In addition, the bonus episode will feature brand-new performances by each of the chosen artists – including clips of the first-ever performance of their respective singles outside of their episode.
More Information on THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT
THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT serves up a robust, behind-the-scenes look inside the production of THE LAUNCH, inviting viewers inside the audition process of the five aspiring artists featured in each weekly episode of the inaugural season of THE LAUNCH. Viewers are also taken inside the intimate, behind-the-scenes moments of post-audition deliberations, feedback, and suggestions provided to the five artists by each episode’s celebrity mentor and producer/ songwriter. An authentic, first-hand glimpse into how the music industry’s A&R process unfolds, THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR’S CUT offers a deeper look at the experience of the five artists featured weekly as they take a shot at becoming one of the two artists shortlisted to record the new original song and perform it on stage in front of a live audience.
As previously announced, international musical icon Shania Twain and award-winning producer/songwriter busbee join THE LAUNCH co-creator and world-renowned music mogul Scott Borchetta in amplifying the experience of five previously announced aspiring artists to be featured in the premiere episode, by providing invaluable industry guidance and mentorship as they audition for the opportunity to perform and record a new original song. The artists featured in Episode 1 include (in alphabetical order):
Episode 1: International musical icon and reigning “Queen of Country Pop” Shania Twain and award-winning producer/songwriter busbee (Jan. 10)
Following THE LAUNCH’s inaugural episode, a staggering roster of musical A-listers join Borchetta weekly as mentors in the series’ forthcoming episodes. As previously announced, the mentors are paired with groups of five emerging artists per episode as follows:
Episode 2: OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder and Grammy® Award-winner, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles (Jan. 17)
Episode 3: Eight-time GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum superstar Fergie and Canada’s own Stephan Moccio , the music mastermind behind massive, inescapable hits like the quintuple-platinum “Wrecking Ball” (Jan. 24)
Episode 4: Rock icon and founding member of legendary rock band Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx and Dann Huff (the producer behind more than 50 #1 hit records) mentor (Jan. 31)
Episode 5: 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 (Feb. 7)
Episode 6: 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 (Feb. 14)
Episode 7: THE LAUNCH: JUST LAUNCHED rounds out the highly anticipated inaugural season, with an in-depth look at the continuation of the journey for the six breakthrough artists selected at the end of each episode of the series for the life-changing opportunity to record and launch a new, original song. (Feb. 21)
**Media Note** Download artwork and access full bios for THE LAUNCH mentors and artists at BellMediaPR.ca
THE LAUNCH Season 1 Background:
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.
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 executive produced by Randy Lennox and 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). 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.
JUST LAUNCHED is produced by Bell Media Studios. Chris Perez is Supervising Producer. Nanci MacLean is Vice-President and Head, Bell Media Studios. 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.
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