TORONTO (November 26, 2017) – As announced today during TSN’s broadcast of the 105th GREY CUP presented by Shaw, CTV’s all-new original music series and international TV format THE LAUNCH will air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO beginning Jan. 10, with the premiere episode slated to air in super simulcast on CTV Two and Much. THE LAUNCH will also air in French on VRAK day and date with CTV.

CTV also revealed today that international musical superstar Shania Twain and award-winning producer/songwriter busbee – the songwriter behind the #1 hit single “Try” from P!nk’s Grammy®-winning album The Truth about Love – among countless others – headline the series’ inaugural episode as celebrity mentors.

The acclaimed pair join THE LAUNCH co-creator and world-renowned music mogul Scott Borchetta by providing invaluable industry guidance and mentorship to five previously announced aspiring artists as they audition for the opportunity to perform and record a new original song. The artists featured in Episode 1 include (in alphabetical order):

• Havelin – the Edmonton-born artist channels his inner folk-based narrative to tell rich, meaningful stories with his music.
• Julia Tomlinson – the Indie-Pop artist from King City, Ont., has spent countless hours in studio sessions and has captivated audiences showcasing her skills at venues such as Toronto’s Mod Club and The Opera House.
• Logan Staats – the Folk/Blues/Soul artist from Ohsweken, Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario whose haunting and distinct voice provided him opportunities to share the stage with acts such as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Keith Secola, and Mumford and Sons.
• The Revel Boys – a five-member pop music act that began as a collective of friends making beats and YouTube cover videos, who have collaborated with artists including Jocelyn Alice, Kojak, Walk Off the Earth, and more.
• Vivian Hicks – the quintuple-threat singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and model has made a name for herself on social media with more than 1 million followers on Musical.ly, garnering re-posts from musical stars including Fifth Harmony, Bruno Mars, Meghan Trainor, and more.

“Shania Twain sets the gold standard for the first-ever episode and season of THE LAUNCH – and we’re delighted she is helping us deliver a new platform for Canadian artists to showcase their talents to audiences across the country each week,” said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media.

**Media Note** Download artwork and access full bios for THE LAUNCH mentors and artists at BellMediaPR.ca

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.

Following Twain and busbee’s appearance in Episode 1, a staggering roster of musical A-listers join THE LAUNCH co-creator and world-renowned music mogul Scott Borchetta to amplify the experience for the five previously announced artists per episode. Superstar mentors and producers in future episodes include:

• OneRepublic frontman and acclaimed producer/songwriter Ryan Tedder and Grammy Award-winner and co-founder of country-pop duo Sugarland Jennifer Nettles
• 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)
• 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”
• Best New Artist of the Year nominee 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
• Culture Club alumnus and Grammy® Award-winner Boy George; 2017 American Music Award Favourite Pop/Rock Female Artist nominee, international pop sensation and Canadian singer/songwriter Alessia Cara; and Canadian producer extraordinaire Stephan Moccio

Bio pages showcasing all of the artists are available on CTV.ca’s dedicated artist pages at CTV.ca/TheLaunch.

Additional announcements will be made in coming weeks regarding programming details and artists appearing in each of the episodes as well as additional content being created to enhance THE LAUNCH viewer experience.

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.