The Launch

Hey my lovely Chameleons. In today's blog I am going to talk about The Launch and the contestants from both seasons. I will also be talking about some who were in the top 2, but did not win. I even got inspired to do this after talking to my sister-&-law on Facebook messenger on March 13.

The Launch premiered January 10, 2018 on CTV. The Launch is the next level from The Next Sta. It's based in Toronto. They audition 80 out of million Canadians. That 80 gets narrowed down to 5 to get on TV. Out of 5 the host, judge, and celebrity judge pick 2 to record the song that week. The winner gets Launched. Pretty basic on what the show is about. I have been a huge fan of The Next Star for years, but what I like about The Launch is that you hear about the winner (or the runner up) more, even when the show is done. Yes, there are some people from The Next Star that are still going strong today. Like Alyssa Reid & Brooklyn Roebuck.

I am going to go threw each season and tell you what the winners are doing now. I will even be saying some of what the runner ups are doing now too 

Season 1 - Winners

Logan Staats - Being born on the Six Nations Reserve and being raised in a small town in Branford, Ontario he started writing and performing music in his early teen. At a young age, with his haunting and distinct voice has won him multiple opportunities to share the stage with acts like Buffy Sainte-Marie, Keith Secola and Mumford and Sons, to name a few. Still a young man, he is regarded as an accomplished, multi-nominated and an award winning artist. Forever a student of great music - Staats enjoys jamming, collaborating and learning from his contemporaries and other recording artists. A great example is a powerful late night live off the floor version of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” in collaboration with peer Terra Lightfoot. His live performances are juxtaposed by a level of self-possession and control that still wildly careen through emotions of sadness, hope, longing and joy. His songs are his own. Armed with his guitar and harmonica, he has transitioned from running the weekend bar circuit to playing sold out ven-ues across Canada including his favourite venue, The Sanderson Centre, in his hometown. Logan was on the first episode of The Launch in January of 2018. His single was ’The Lucky Ones’. His single topped the Canadian charts as the number 1 song in the country the day after it was released. He is currently on an open journey of art, expression, and culture. On March 15 he came out with his newest single called, Fear Of The Flame.

Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine - Elijah and Jamie came together as a music duo in early 2014 when the 2 met at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. Elijah, who was in college for a music program heard a recording go Jamie’s voice on a friend’s smartphone singing an original , Falling Down’ and was inspired to reach out to her to collaborate on music. They worked together for 2-3 years before releasing a string of digital singles in 2017. In September of 2017 the duo competed on the first season of The Launch, episode 2 (Witch aired January 2018). They’re single for that episode was Ain’t Easy. The song is the only coronation from the show to reach Canadian Hot 100. The single even went platinum in May of 2018 at the IHeartRadio concert. After the episode aired and with their success they won Best New Canadian Artist or Group at the IHeartRadio MMVA’s. They even came out with a new single on August 2018 , called ‘Better Off’ witch is also charting the Canadian Hot 100. On March 8, 2019 Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine came out with their first EP, , called, 8:47, with the hit singles Ain’t Easy & Better Off.

The Static Shift - Is a band from Calgary. The bad is made up by 3 guys, Mitchell Brady, Keone Friesen, & Isaiah Stonehouse. Before The Launch they made a full-length album in 2014 called, Windsor Street. In 2014, 2015, & 2016 the trio where the finalists in the International Songwriters Competition (out of more than 18,000 entries each year). In 2015 they came out with an EP; At Odds. 2 years later before they were on The Launch they made a 3rd album witch was other full-length album, Common Bliss. In 2016 & 2017 the trio were winners of the 2016 and 2017 YYC (Calgary) Music Awards for Rock Recording of the Year, nominees for Group of the Year at the 2016 YYC Music Awards, and winners of the Zachariah and the Prophets Memorial Award at the 2017 YYC Music Awards. And in 2017 They were National Semi-finalists in CBC's 2017 Searchlight Competition (Top 25 out of thousands of entries). In 2018 their episode of The Launched aired. Their single on The Launch was ‘Wide Awake’. Since after The Launch the trio ended up opening for Collective Soul, Billy Talent, & Kansas in summer of 2018. 

POESY - I am not getting what POESY did before The Launch. So we are just going to say what she was influence by and her journey on The Launch. I did get this, in 2016 she came out with an EP called, The Spotless Mind. She is becoming the most exciting new voice in Canada. Her influenced by innovation enigmatic artists like Kate Bush & Freddie Mercury, along with 90s alternative rock queens PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, & Alanis Morissette. She even formed a gritty and unmistakable sound that demands to be hared. How she came up with her stage name POSEY is by getting inspiration from her favourite novels with vulnerable confession from her own life. POESY’s dark and powerful alt-rock rhythms makes it possible to dance, cry, wonder, and hope all at one. Now that I told you Chameleons about her being influenced and how she got her name POESY, lets move on to The Launch. In February of 2018 her episode of The Launch was on. Her single was Soldier Of Love. After being on The Launch she signed with a major label deal with Big Machine Label Group in May of 2018. To follow with the success of her single Soldier Of Love she went on to give spellbinding performances at several Canadian Music Festivals. In the fall of 2018 she came out with a new single titled, Strange Little Girl 

Jayd Ink - She is an independent artist. Before The Launch she has accomplished a great deal of success with music. She has been releasing music since 2013 along with her background in poetry, watch allows her to her to effortlessly move through a myriad of musical genres.In 2015 she has been headlining shows in her hometown of Toronto since the release of her first EP, Invitation Only. In 2017 she performed in Japan alongside K. Camp, DJ Whoo, and Silento. Plus was recognized as “Toronto Musicians To Watch” by NOW Magazine. In February of 2018 her episode of The Launch was on. Her single was, Codes. After The Launch, I can’t really find out with she is doing with music Chameleons 

Ethan Young - He was the youngest one, but that does not mean he can roll with the others. He proved that on The Launch. First thing first though, I am going to be telling you Chameleons what he has done before The Launch and then after the show. He had a love for performing and song writing from a very young age. He became one of the Mini Pop Kids, and performing for sold out shows across Ontario. He was on 3 of the MPK CDs. In early March of 2018 he was on The Launch. His single was, Giants. After the show he is still performing regularly for charitable events, like: ThreeToBe, Covenant House, Make A Wish, & Jacob’s Ladder. He is currently working on his craft live and in the studio 

Season 1 - Runner Ups

Vivian Hicks - Before The Launch she began singing at 2 and started taking dance lessons at 3. She even won numerous awards for singing and dancing. In 2014 she toured and recorded with the Mini Pop Kids. She also made a name for herself on social media with several viral videos on Instagram, Facebook with more than 1 million fans on Musically. In 2015 she came out with her first single called, #DISS. May 1, 2017 she came out with her 2nd single called, Start Over. In 2018 she was the runner up on The Launch against Logan Staats. After the show she still does covers with Jake Donaldson & solo. She even did a mash up single, called A Very Merry Mash Up with Jake Donaldson along with their Mash Up covers on YouTube. This year she came out with 2 new single. The first one was on January 11, 2019 called, Unsteady and then the other one on February 15, 2019 called, Fan Girl.

Ezra Jordan - Before The Launch he was 18 he suffered a terrible boating accident that injured his leg. It forced his to put piano training on hold during his recovery process. That is when he turned to singing and songwriting as an outlet. When he was back on his feet he went on tour with Scott Helman to play keyboards for him and sing backup too. After going on tour with Scott he ended up going to school is L.A for Music Insitude to focus to focus on his solo career. He returned back to Toronto, Canada where he is playing gigs all over GTA. On May 26, 2017 he came out with his first single called, Drag Me Down. Then in the same year, on July 7, he came out with his 2nd single Calle  Only Got Eyes For Her. Before his episode of The Launch came on he came out with a 3rd single, Lonely Now. He was the runner up against POESY. After the show he came out with a single, 10 Miles A Minute. He even did performances around in Toronto and this year he ended up going on tour across Ontario all threw March. On the same day of March 15 before he performed at the Mill's Hardware he came out with his newest single called, Low. I know this part is not really important, I am just saying it anyhow. This is an original picture. I took this on Friday March 15. Do not take this photo.

Grace Bakker - Before The Launch she started singing at a very young age, she even taught herself how to play guitar. She was the runner up against Ethan. After the show she came out with a 6 song EP, called Always Learning. Always Growing

Season 2 - Winners

 Cassiopeia - At 16 years old she already has a voice that is emotional maturity above her age. For a girl who never been in love has the desire.When she is singing on stage she is no teenager and before the song starts she is already in the music. At an early age she started writing songs with depth and meaning. Channeling her creativity into her music and lyrics. She has written more than 30 songs before The Launch, and released 3 of them. They are: Blue (2017), Breathless (2017), and Wake Up (2018). She even plays 5 instruments; guitar piano, drums, ukulele, and bass. She was on The Launch in September of 2018 on the second season of The Launch, episode 1 (Witch aired January 2019). Her single was, Better. After the show she has been working really hard to hoping one day to release her debut EP on day.

 T Thomason - He is no stranger to performing. He was raised on theatre and film sets in Nova Scotia. Before The Launch he end up releasing an EP, Sweet Baby in 2016. Along with acting he is also an actor. He was on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Along with his music career, he has had multiple ECMA and Music Nova Scotia nominations, and in 2017 he received recognition as on of “Canada’s Top 25 Under 25” by CBC Music In the same year of 2017 he was also nominated for Rock Recording Of The Year at the Nova Scotia Music Awards. Next year , in 2018 he came out with 2 singles, Bliss and Loser in the fall. In 2019 he was on The Launch and his single, was Hope. After his episode of The Launch “Hope” has gained over 100,000 streams and has landed on Canadian’s Top 40 Charts. He is also going to be going to the UK for showcasing at the Great Escape and FOCIS Wales. Even with some tour dates that are in the works. He has even been back in the studio and booking a bunch of summer festival shows. He even played at JUNO fest in London, Ontario in March 

Saveria - She started singing at 8. Before The Launch she already performed at fairs, festivals, charity events, radio stations, and on TV. In 2010 she teamed up with Family Channel’s “Stand Up” campaign as part of is eighth annual Bullying Awareness Week, touring across Canada. In 2017 she formed a band called, Daytrip. They made an EP, Sleep Through The Madness that came out June of 2018. In 2019 she came out with a new single called, Harsh Lights right before The Launch. She was on the 3rd episode of The Launch. Her single was, Down To The Roots. After the show she been performing more and also performed at JUMO fest alongside T Thomason. Since releasing her own single and winning The Launch she is focusing on her solo career. 

Olivia Lunny - She started playing guitar when she was 10 by her dad, and started writing music at the age of 12. She ended up releasing her first song at 15. It’s not available anymore She says it’s away of journaling to her and an outlet to express her feelings. Before The Launch she ended up releasing her self-title EP in 2018, that garnered her a Western Canadian Music Award nomination for Pop Artist of the Year. In 2019 she was on The Launch, and her single was, I Got You. After the show, Thepressrelease called her, “Singer-Songwriter to watch in 2019”. She had no vocal training. She is writing and record more music

Maddie Storvold - She was raised in Dubai, but now in Edmonton. She is even a member of the Edmonton music community. Her poetic background and Bachelor of Arts degree in English in University account for her poignant lyricism. She has been playing piano at a young age, and by the time she was 12 she was playing guitar. Before The Launch she came out with her debut CD, The Old Brag Of My Heart in late spring 2017, witch was charting Top 10 on folk/roots radio across Canada. A year later she made another full-length CD called Freedom, Books, Flower, & the Moon. In 2019 she was on The Launch, and her single was Don’t Say You Love Me. Plus also on her episode she finally got to sing with Bryan Adams after not singing with him when he did a concert a few years ago in Dubai. After the show she is performing in Calgary & Edmonton. She actually been playing across Canada since October of 2018. She wants to continue writing and performing

Michelle Treacy - From Ottawa she started by joining Lady Gaga on stage at her Artrave tour for performing for only 10 minutes infant of more than 20,000 people at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Following the concert she got signed by a major record label. Now parted ways. Before The Launch her debut single, Armageddon came out in 2016. Spotify named Michelle one of “17 Artists to Watch” in that same year. Her songs been featured in Degrassi and Killing Daddy. She even did some acting. Later in the same year of 2016 she came out with her 2nd single, Colours. In 2017 she played at the IHeartRadio concert in April. In 2018 she came out with her 3rd single, No Means No (Means No), Later in the same year she came out with her EP, featuring No Means No (Means No) & her newest single Everything Will Kill You. In March of 2019 she was on The Launch. Her song was Emotional. After there show she is just performing

Too early to tell what some runner ups are doing. Since the show jus ended their second season. Keep checking back