News: Grammy® Award-Winning, Multi-Platinum Solo Artist Fergie To Host The Four: Battle for Stardom

UPDATED: Tues 11/28/17 – Host for The Four announced

UPDATED: Fri 11/17/17 – Panel Experts Announced

In a press release:

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GRAMMY^® AWARD-WINNING, MULTI-PLATINUM SOLO ARTIST FERGIE

TO HOST NEW MUSIC COMPETITION SERIES

“THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM,”

PREMIERING THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, ON FOX

Sean “Diddy” Combs, DJ Khaled, Meghan Trainor

and Record Label Executive Charlie Walk to Serve as Panelists

Eight-time Grammy^® Award-winning, multi-Platinum solo artist Fergie will serve as host of FOX’s new singing competition series, THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM. The six-episode event premieres Thursday, Jan. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

“I am very excited and proud to be the host of THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM,” said Fergie. “This is a unique and modern show format that I believe will set the standard for the next generation of singing competition series on TV. I am looking forward to being by the contestants’ sides during what could be the most important performances of their lives. Along with these amazing panelists whom I know and love, I hope my experiences as a solo artist and as a member of The Black Eyed Peas can help guide them in their quest to make it in the music industry.”

“Fergie is a genuine superstar,” said Rob Wade, President, Alternative Programming and Specials, Fox Broadcasting Company. “She’s fierce, she’s a force in her own right and she knows exactly what these singers are going through. So who better than her to help guide them as they fight their way to the finish.”

As previously announced, Grammy^® Award-winning musician, record producer and songwriter Sean “Diddy” Combs, record-producing hit-maker DJ Khaled, Grammy-winning recording artist and songwriter Meghan Trainor and record label executive Charlie Walk will serve as the show’s panel of experts. These panelists are true star-makers and are responsible for some of the biggest hits and recording artists in the music industry today.

THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM begins where the other shows end: With the best. These four top-notch singers, spanning all music genres, will fight each week to defend their coveted seats on the show, as determined newcomers challenge them and try to knock them out of the competition. The singer who is the last standing at the end of the competition will earn the ultimate prize: the panel of industry experts becomes key players on the winner’s team. This elite group of starmakers will guide the winner’s career to help make him or her a breakout star. To audition for THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM, please visit thefourmusic.com.

As part of the grand prize, the winner will be named an iHeartRadio “On The Verge” artist. iHeartRadio’s On The Verge program provides artists with unparalleled national reach through on-air radio exposure, as well as digital and social support across iHeartMedia’s powerful range of music and entertainment platforms. FOX also has teamed up with iHeartMedia to support auditions, assist in the search for talent and boost the careers of artists throughout the run of the competition.

Influencing a generation of stars to follow, Fergie remains pop’s leading lady. On September 22, the eight-time Grammy^® Award-winning multi-Platinum solo artist released her anxiously awaited visual experience and second full-length album, “Double Dutchess” – the first release for her own Dutchess Music, the label she founded in partnership with BMG this year. The Visual Experience quickly captured the No. 1 spot on iTunes, in addition to the album becoming the No. 1 pop album in the United States, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Current Pop Albums Chart, No. 4 on the Top Independent Albums Chart and No. 9 on the Top Albums Chart. It became a runaway smash globally, going Top 10 on iTunes Overall in eight countries and Top 5 on the iTunes Pop Albums Charts in 11 countries. It’s gaining even more steam as she sets her sights on a 2018 world tour. This blockbuster follows up one of the most successful albums of this century, “The Dutchess,” which sold 7.2 million albums and 29 million tracks around the globe and yielded three No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits: “London Bridge,” “Glamorous” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” as well as Top 5 smashes “Fergalicious” and “Clumsy.” She also remains a driving force in The Black Eyed Peas, whose legacy eclipses sales of 35 million records and 60 million tracks over the course of four multi-Platinum offerings. Once again, she sets the pace for pop.

“Like” THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM on Facebook at facebook.com/TheFourOnFox.

Follow the series on Twitter @TheFourOnFox and join the conversation using #TheFour.

Check out photos and videos on Instagram @TheFourOnFox.

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————- Posted Nov. 17, 2017 ————-

In a press release:

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GRAMMY^® AWARD-WINNING MUSICIAN SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS,

RECORD-PRODUCING HITMAKER DJ KHALED,

GRAMMY^® AWARD-WINNING SINGER-SONGWRITER MEGHAN TRAINOR

AND RECORD LABEL EXECUTIVE CHARLIE WALK

TO JOIN NEW MUSIC COMPETITION SERIES

“THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM,”

PREMIERING THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, ON FOX

Grammy^® Award-winning musician, record producer and songwriter Sean “Diddy” Combs, record-producing hitmaker DJ Khaled, Grammy-winning recording artist and songwriter Meghan Trainor and record label executive Charlie Walk have joined the panel of experts on FOX’s new singing competition series, THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM. The six-episode event premieres Thursday, Jan. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

“This show is going to disrupt the world of competition television and will revolutionize the format,” said Combs. “It took the right show and network to bring me back in the game. We plan on being the best talent show out there, taking it to that next level and making history again. This series is about pure competition, fighting for your survival. Do you want to win? Do you want to be great? We’re giving fans a genuine look at what it takes to make it to the top and stay there – surrounding these up-and-coming artists with the best, turning them into the next generation of stars.”

“I’m proud to announce that I will be participating in one of the most important, if not the most important events on television and pop culture,” said DJ Khaled. “It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that will showcase the best of the new generation of musical geniuses. When you come from where I come from, you know just how hard it is to turn your dreams into a reality. It’s a long road to the journey of success. I’ve spent my career discovering amazing talent and working with the biggest icons from every corner of the globe and now I’m bringing my one-of-a-kind approach to FOX. I immediately jumped at the opportunity when I realized FOX shared the same vision as me, and that’s to be the best!!! If you think you have what it takes to become the next icon, trust me, DJ Khaled is the one that will let you know. So be prepared for a new era of television. All I know is how to win…more!!! FOX x DJ Khaled…be ready!!!”

“When FOX asked me to be a part of this new series, without hesitation, my answer was…YES!,” said Trainor. “I know firsthand what it’s like to be thrown into the music industry head first, as an artist and a songwriter. I also know what it takes to hang on for the ride. I’m so humbled to help discover new talent with this amazing panel of experts.”

“What lies at the heart of the music business is ‘talent,’” said Walk. “Discovering and developing talent remains the most important, consistent driver of my home, Republic Records, and now FOX’s THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM. I’m thrilled to be joining this incredible panel of my longtime friends, Sean, Khaled and Meghan, to help make the difference on a platform that’s truly committed to identifying and breaking the next generation of superstars. We will guide them, advise them, and be with them every step of the way on their journey, starting on the most transparent stage in television.”

“Diddy, DJ Khaled, Meghan and Charlie are giants in the music space,” said Rob Wade, President, Alternative Entertainment and Specials, Fox Broadcasting Company. “They understand what an artist needs to break through – from killer music and style to innovative marketing and social media. This is a show like no other and we can’t wait to get started.”

THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM begins where the other shows end: With the best. These four top-notch artists, spanning all music genres, will fight each week to defend their coveted seats on the show, as determined newcomers challenge them and try to knock them out of the competition. The singer who is the last standing at the end of the competition will earn the ultimate prize: the panel of industry experts becomes key players on the winner’s team. This elite group of starmakers will guide the winner’s career to help make him or her a breakout star. To audition for THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM, please visit thefourmusic.com.

Sean “Diddy” Combs, AKA Puff Daddy, started his career as the director of A&R at Uptown Records, where he was integral in launching the careers of Mary J. Blige and Jodeci. He later started his own label, Bad Boy Records, which has fostered talent that includes Mariah Carey, Method Man, Boyz II Men, Lil’ Kim and more. Combs’ solo music career began in 1997 with his first single, “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, quickly followed by a No. 1 debut album that has gone Platinum seven times. Over the course of his career, he has earned three Grammy Awards and ASCAP’s Songwriter of the Year honor. Combs also has become an established actor and executive producer in both film and television. He starred in the 2008 telefilm “A Raisin in the Sun,” for which he won an NAACP Award for Best Actor; he was an executive producer and featured personality on the 2002 unscripted music series “Making the Band 2”; and he executive-produced the Academy Award-winning documentary “Undefeated” and the Academy Award-nominated “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” Combs continues to apply the same drive and entrepreneurial spirit to his philanthropic work and political activism, most recently leading the response to the water crisis in Flint, MI, by pledging one million bottles of his AQUAhydrate water, along with long-term assistance to the area. He has supported organizations including the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE), the Boys & Girls Club and others that create opportunities for young people. He also has served on the board of the Hip Hop Action Network and rallied millions of young people to register to vote during the 2008 election, through his Vote or Die project.

DJ Khaled is a major force in the music industry. He is a music producer, a 2017 Grammy Award-nominated recording artist and New York Times best-selling author. Known as the “Anthem King” and commonly referred to as the “Quincy Jones of Hip Hop & R&B,” Khaled has made dozens of chart-topping hit records, featuring JAY Z, Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, Ludacris, T.I., French Montana, Future, Big Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others. In the past 12 months, he has captivated millions of fans globally by the use of social media and has been coined the “King of Snapchat.” In 2006, he launched innovative label deals and started We The Best Music Group. His 2010 hit song, “All I Do is Win,” went 3x Platinum, sold more than three million singles and crossed over all music genres to become a mainstream hit, solidifying him as a force to be reckoned with. That same year he also released “I’m On One,” feat. Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne. Khaled went on to release the hit single “No New Friends,” featuring Drake, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, which reached gold status and has sold more than 500,000 singles worldwide. He has sold more than 15 million singles in his career. Khaled also is committed to pro-social initiatives and is the first social media ambassador of Bono’s Project Red, as well as the national spokesperson for Get Schooled.

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Meghan Trainor is one of pop’s most reliable hit-makers, known for her powerhouse voice, indelible melodies and relatable lyrics that encourage self-acceptance and empowerment. Since her 9x-Platinum breakthrough single, “All About That Bass,” in 2014, the 23-year-old Massachusetts native has charted seven multi-Platinum singles, released two critically acclaimed studio albums – 2015’s “Title” and 2016’s “Thank You” – sold out three headline tours, written multi-Platinum hits for top pop and country artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Fifth Harmony and Rascal Flatts, and received countless industry awards and nominations worldwide. Trainor is currently in the studio finishing up her highly anticipated third studio album.

Charlie Walk, President of The Republic Group, continues to redefine the role of a record executive in a rapidly changing business. In addition to overseeing and integrating the company’s marketing, promotion and media departments, Walk also actively seeks, signs and develops new talent. He’s driven over 50 Billboard No. 1 hits. His vision and hands-on guidance have been crucial to the rise of new, generation-defining superstars The Weeknd, Lorde and Ariana Grande. He also spearheads promotion partnerships for Big Machine Label Group (Taylor Swift), Cash Money Records (Drake, Nicki Minaj) and Island Records (Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas). He personally signed Hailee Steinfeld and co-created Joe Jonas’ new band, DNCE, to multi-Platinum status. Walk also encouraged powerhouse songwriter Julia Michaels to make the leap to becoming an artist and – after signing her to Republic – has helped her to become the biggest breakout star of 2017, with over six million singles sold to date. Before joining Republic Records as Executive Vice President in 2013, Walk spent more than 15 years at Columbia Records, fostering the careers of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, John Mayer, New Kids on the Block, The Fugees and John Legend, to name a few. At the end of 2005, he transitioned to President of Epic Records, where he steered the release of Shakira’s triple-Platinum-selling “Hips Don’t Lie,” which remains the ninth-most-downloaded song in music history. During his time at the label, Walk also helped break Sean Kingston, The Fray and Sara Bareilles. A longtime philanthropist and cultural leader, Walk serves on the board of Phoenix House, a nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization; City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment center; and the Board of Councilors of the University of Southern California’s Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation.

THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM was created by Armoza Formats and is produced by ITV Entertainment in association with Armoza Formats. David George, Adam Sher, David Eilenberg, Becca Walker, David Friedman, Avi Armoza, Moshiko Cohen and Elwin Viztelly de Groot are executive producers. Additionally, Sean “Diddy” Combs will serve as a producer on the series. “Like” THE FOUR: BATTLE FOR STARDOM on Facebook at facebook.com/TheFourOnFox. Follow the series on Twitter @TheFourOnFox and join the conversation using #TheFour. Check out photos and videos on Instagram @TheFourOnFox.

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———– Original Post Aug. 8, 2017 ————

In a press release:

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FOX ANNOUNCES NEW SINGING COMPETITION SERIES

“THE FOUR”

FOX has ordered the new singing competition series THE FOUR, it was announced today by Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group.

THE FOUR begins where most competitions end: with the four finalists. Four super-talented and fiercely competitive singers, chosen from their auditions by the show’s panel of music industry experts, will try to defend their coveted spots on the stage, as they are challenged individually by new singers determined to replace them. Each week, if any of the four are outperformed, they’ll go home and their challengers will take their place.

And those challengers could be fans who had been sitting on a couch one week, and singing onstage the next. Viewers who think they’ve got the talent to compete and unseat the four singers onstage will have the opportunity to submit an audition video. America will have the chance to decide who is brought onto the show by voting on the available streamed auditions and influencing which challengers will take on THE FOUR and shake up the competition.

If the existing four singers outperform their challengers, then they survive to sing another week, until the end of the season, when the singers have safely secured their spots on stage and face off against each other, resulting in one being named the winner. At stake is the ultimate prize: the panel of industry experts becomes key players on the winner’s team. This elite group of star-makers will help shepherd the winner’s career and be fully invested in making him or her a breakout star.

Expert panelists and additional information regarding THE FOUR will be announced soon.

THE FOUR was created by Armoza Formats and is produced by ITV Entertainment in association with Armoza Formats. David George, Adam Sher, David Eilenberg, Jessica Sebastian-Dayeh, Simon Thomas, Becca Walker, David Friedman, Avi Armoza and Nehama Cohen will serve as executive producers.

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