Canadian television series
The Launch
|
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|
Genre
| Reality competition
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Country of origin
| Canada
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Original language
| English
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No.
of seasons
| 2
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No.
of episodes
| 14
|
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Executive producers
| Scott Borchetta
Paul Franklin
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Running time
| 60 minutes
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Production company
| Insight Productions
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Network
| CTV
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Release
| January 10, 2018
(
2018-01-10
)
?
March 13, 2019
(
2019-03-13
)
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|
Canadian Idol
|
The Launch
is a
Canadian
reality music competition
series broadcast by
CTV
, which premiered on January 10, 2018.
Each episode of the series follows five emerging musicians competing for a chance to have a debut
single
released commercially. The series was described by its executive producer and lead mentor,
Scott Borchetta
, as being a contrast to other music competition formats such as
American Idol
, by being formatted as a self-contained program (rather than a long-term competition with viewer voting), and emphasizing the work of
record producers
in tailoring new songs to the prospective performers. The series also leverages the platforms of CTV's parent company
Bell Media
, including its
radio stations
, in order to promote its winners.
The series was renewed for a second season which aired on CTV between January and March 2019,
[1]
and Bell sold international format rights to
Sony Pictures Television
.
Production
[
edit
]
In February 2017, Bell Media announced that it had partnered with
Scott Borchetta
, a record executive best known for developing
Taylor Swift
, to develop a new, international
television format
that would "uncover, develop, and promote pop culture's next musical superstars", and "leverage Bell Media's massive reach and extensive platforms to showcase musicians on the national and international stage."
[2]
Bell Media officially announced the new series,
The Launch
, in April 2017, with a six-episode order for CTV to air in 2018.
[3]
The season 1 order was later expanded with a follow-up episode focusing on the six winners.
[4]
In an interview with the
Toronto Star
, Borchetta contrasted
The Launch
to other reality music competition series such as
American Idol
(where he mentored during its
fourteenth season
) and
The Voice
, by emphasizing its focus on a song itself rather than just performers. He explained that "going 20-plus weeks seeing who gets voted in as the winner, then trying to figure out the song and producer, it just felt like we can do a better job with that much attention and that many sets of ears and eyes paying attention to the show."
[4]
Borchetta added that
record producers
had "a lot of great songs that just haven't had the right opportunity", such as
Stephan Moccio
, who supplied a song he had worked on whilst working on the soundtrack for
Fifty Shades of Grey
. Bell Media president and former
Universal Music Canada
head
Randy Lennox
(who has previously worked with Borchetta)
[2]
described the pace of the format, where producers are given 48 hours to work with the two candidate musicians to record their debut single, as being "star-making machinery meets
Kiefer Sutherland
24
". The winners' songs receive additional production work in between the completion of episode production and their public release.
[4]
Over 10,000 applications were received for the first season;
[5]
Borchetta explained that Canada had a large pool of untapped musical talent because there were no "opportunities" to kickstart their careers (unlike the U.S., whose talent had, in his opinion, been "gone through over and over again" by competing programs), and noted that there was a sense of pride over domestic artists. He emphasized that the series "isn't about somebody that has never performed before getting a record deal; this is about an artist who's ready and just needs this big break. This is the big break."
[4]
Bell Media's
vertical integration
is leveraged as an aspect of the series; the winning songs are featured on
Bell Media Radio
stations and the division's
iHeartRadio
service, and the series is also covered as part of other CTV programs.
[4]
On February 22, 2018, Bell Media sold international rights to the format to
Sony Pictures Television
; the company began to sell the first season of the Canadian version, and develop a British version through its production house Electric Ray.
[6]
In May 2018, CTV announced that
The Launch
had been renewed for a second season.
[7]
Format
[
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]
During each episode, five musical acts audition for a panel of mentors (although due to time constraints, not all of the contestants are featured in the episode as broadcast on television). Two of the acts are selected to advance to the second phase of the competition, where they are given 48 hours to record their own versions of an original song, working with producers to adapt the song to suit their individual style. The contestants then perform their versions of the song in front of a live audience. After judging the recording and live performance, the mentors and Borchetta select a winner, whose song is "launched" through digital music services and stores after the airing of the episode.
[8]
[9]
Episodes
[
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]
Season 1
[
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]
Season 2
[
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]
Reception
[
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]
Montreal Gazette
media writer Steve Faguy gave the series premiere a positive review. He noted that
The Launch
'
s contrasting format to viewer-voted music competitions, as well as its focus on the
production process
of music, would make it appeal to viewers interested in a show focusing on artists and music. He felt that the contributions of Borchetta and other expert mentors gave the program authenticity, but that Borchetta was "stiff" as an on-camera personality. However, Faguy was critical of the premiere's featured song, "The Lucky Ones", describing it as being "catchy" but written "
by committee
", with "uninspiring" lyrics and "a melody that doesn't really set it apart from anything else you'll hear on
Virgin Radio
." He also criticized the decision to cut auditions from the airing episode for time constraints (although Bell defended the decision by noting that these contestants were still able to participate in promotion for the series, would be featured in supplemental digital content posted on the CTV website and
YouTube
, and that "director's cut" versions of each episode would be made available for streaming on
CraveTV
after their CTV broadcast). In conclusion, Faguy felt that
The Launch
"has some potential as a format that could be exportable elsewhere, despite its flaws."
[9]
"The Lucky Ones", the featured song in its series premiere, reached #1 on the
iTunes Store
sales chart in Canada following the episode's broadcast.
[8]
[5]
"
Ain't Easy
" was the most successful song of the first season, reaching a
Music Canada
Platinum certification and being the only one to chart on the
Billboard
Canadian Hot 100
.
[20]
[21]
Discography
[
edit
]
- 2018:
The Launch EP
- 2019:
The Launch Season 2 EP
Singles
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"CTV Announces 2019 Midseason Schedule Headlined by Hit Original Series THE LAUNCH and CARDINAL in January"
.
Bell Media The Lede
. 2018-12-20
. Retrieved
2019-08-24
.
- ^
a
b
"Scott Borchetta's Big Machine, Canada's Bell Media Ring Up Deal on New TV Talent Property"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
"CTV Unveils THE LAUNCH, A New Six-Part Original Music Series and International TV Format - Casting for the Next Big Breakout Artist Open Now!"
. Bell Media
. Retrieved
23 November
2017
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Yeo, Debra (2018-01-10).
"New singing competition The Launch takes off on CTV"
.
The Toronto Star
.
ISSN
0319-0781
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
a
b
c
"He's bringing Mohawk back: Musician Logan Staats wins first episode of CTV's The Launch"
.
CBC Radio
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
Clarke, Stewart (2018-02-22).
"Sony Prepares 'The Launch' for International Take Off"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2018-03-13
.
- ^
"CTV's The Launch returning for Season 2"
.
Toronto Sun
. 2018-05-07
. Retrieved
2018-10-10
.
- ^
a
b
Angermiller, Michele Amabile (2018-01-13).
"Canadian Singing Competition 'The Launch' Sees Out-the-Gate Success on iTunes"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
a
b
Faguy, Steve (2018-01-12).
"Review: CTV's The Launch is an interesting concept with some implementation issues"
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
"Top Programs ? Total Canada (English) January 8 - January 14, 2018"
(PDF)
.
Numeris
. Retrieved
26 January
2018
.
- ^
"Ottawa pop duo wins CTV's The Launch"
.
Ottawa Citizen
. 2018-01-18
. Retrieved
2018-01-23
.
- ^
Allison Bowsher (1 February 2018).
"The Launch just showed us the stunning evolution of new artist POESY"
. The Loop
. Retrieved
2 February
2018
.
- ^
CTV.ca
- ^
Credited as Jocelyn Alice Strang
- ^
CTV.ca
- ^
CTV.ca
- ^
"Olivia Lunny Chosen on 'The Launch' to Release 'I Got You'
"
.
- ^
CTV.ca
- ^
CTV.ca
- ^
Dauphin, Chuck (May 22, 2018).
"Scott Borchetta on TV Series 'The Launch': 'It's Made Me Sharpen My A&R Skills'
"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
Yeo, Debra (May 7, 2018).
"Casting is now open for Season 2 of CTV's The Launch"
.
Toronto Star
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Chart Search (Logan Staats "The Lucky Ones")"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Elijah Woods X Jamie Fine Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)"
.
Billboard
. Archived from
the original
on June 26, 2018
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Elijah Woods X Jamie Fine Chart History (Canada AC)"
.
Billboard
. Archived from
the original
on June 26, 2018
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Elijah Woods X Jamie Fine Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)"
.
Billboard
. Archived from
the original
on June 26, 2018
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Elijah Woods X Jamie Fine Chart History (Canada Hot AC)"
.
Billboard
. Archived from
the original
on June 26, 2018
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Canadian single certifications ? Elijah Woods X Jamie Fine ? Ain't Easy"
.
Music Canada
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Chart Search (The Static Shift "Wide Awake")"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Chart Search (POESY "Soldier of Love")"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
"Chart Search (Jayd Ink "Codes")"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Chart Search (Ethan Young "Giants")"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
June 25,
2018
.
- ^
"Cassiopeia"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Cassiopeia"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
a
b
"T. Thomason"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Saveria"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Saveria"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Saveria"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
Media, Bell.
"Olivia Lunny Chosen On 'The Launch' To Release 'I Got You'
"
.
www.iheartradio.ca
. Retrieved
2021-01-06
.
- ^
"Olivia Lunny"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Olivia Lunny"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Maddie Storvold"
.
Billboard
.
- ^
"Michelle Treacy"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
2020-11-11
.
External links
[
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]