Shania Twain Leads THE LAUNCH into CTV Mid-Season Schedule with Super-Simulcast Premiere January 10
CTV, CTV Two, Much, and CTV GO to Debut Bell Media's New Music Format
– International musical icon Shania Twain helms inaugural episode as celebrity mentor alongside award-winning producer/songwriter busbee and format co-creator and world-renowned music mogul Scott Borchetta in CTV's all-new, six-part music series –
– Detailed information on each of the mentors, producers, and artists featured on THE LAUNCH can be found at CTV.ca/TheLaunch –
– Each episode of THE LAUNCH takes viewers on an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to break a new artist and launch a new original song to the world –
– THE LAUNCH also set to air in French on VRAK day and date with CTV –
To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/2zqh48Y
TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2017 /CNW/ - As announced during Sunday's 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 has also revealed 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 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; Lindsay Cox and Paul Franklin 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.
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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 CTV
Natalie Cole, THE LAUNCH Unit Publicist, [email protected] or 416.580.7741; Matthew Almeida, CTV, [email protected] or 416.384.2629; Patricia Garcia, CTV, [email protected] or 416.384.2645
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