Channel Four has announced it will be launching an X-Factor style music talent contest for the first time in it’s broadcasting history. The show, called Songland, has been devised by Adam Levine of Maroon Five, Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics and Ryan Tedder of One Republic.
Channel 4 to take on The X Factor with new music competition Songland https://t.co/KMQ2GNjAQ5 pic.twitter.com/lAJJ10VMMf
— TellyMix (X Factor) (@TM_XFactor) March 25, 2019
Auditions for the new show are set to begin next month, with the show aiming to provide a platform for new musicians to work with a variety of producers and established artists. Recruitment for these auditions has already begun.Whilst presenters and the celebrities involved are yet to be announced.
A spokesperson for Channel Four said “The songwriters each perform to a different big music star, and each will choose one song to release as their next song. Industry insiders believe this is the best show since X Factor. There’s real raw talent involved and the opportunity to launch some amazing careers. The show will put them in front of people that they’d otherwise only dream of meeting. There will also be the added entertainment of watching the songwriters negotiate with artists who are performing their songs and putting their own stamp on the tune. Producers are expecting some diva behaviour from both the potential songwriters and the stars. It’s set to be a fascinating insight into what goes on behind the scenes of putting a single together before the big release date.”
The show is a remake of an American format already broadcast on NBC. Explaining the show’s format ‘Deadline Magazine’ wrote: “In each episode five songwriters will perform their original tracks in front of three top music producers and a major recording artist on an intimate soundstage. The first episode features three-time Grammy nominee Charlie Puth as the recording artist along with a panel of producer-songwriters that includes Grammy winner Tedder, singer and Grammy-nominated songwriter Ester Dean and Grammy-winning country singer-songwriter Shane McAnally.”
“Each song’s lyrics, arrangements, beats, melody and story will be considered by the panel as producers discuss ways to creatively adapt them to better fit the style and sensibility of the recording artist of the week. After the performances, the recording artist will choose three songwriters to move forward to the studio and pair them each with the producer best suited to perfect their song. In the studio, the songs will take shape as the songwriter and producer duos work together to win over the recording artist. In the end, a winner will be chosen and their song will be recorded and released as the top artist’s next single.”
Previous music shows on Channel 4 have been met with mixed reviews, TFI Friday’s fronted by Chris Evans, had great success in the 90s, however a more recent show ‘The Singer Takes It All’ was canned after one series. However with Channel 4’s current success in diversifying it’s programme range, Songland could be the X-Factor challenger the BBC wanted The Voice to be.
