No Sleep Tonight: The Static Shift is the Third Artist Chosen on CTV's THE LAUNCH to Release a New, Original Song

"Wide Awake" Now Available Everywhere

– THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT featuring extended auditions available on digital platforms CTV.ca, CTV GO, and CraveTV™ –  
– Episode 1 and 2 chosen artists Logan Staats and Elijah Woods x Jamie Fines' respective new, original singles "The Lucky Ones" and "Ain't Easy" hit #1 on iTunes All-Genres Top Songs Chart –
– Next week's episode features Grammy^® Award-winning, multi-platinum solo artist and recording star Fergie and Canada's own Stephan Moccio –

To tweet this release: bmpr.ca/2rCsY03   

"'Wide Awake' lyrically touches on two things: where these artists are – you are wide awake…it is happening right now – but it's also a little nod to what is happening globally – it's urgent." – Nikki Sixx

"I like your [The Static Shift's] voice. You guys are in-tune with each other musically…it's a thing and it's not easy to do." – Nikki Sixx

TORONTO, Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Viewers of CTV's THE LAUNCH aren't getting any sleep tonight, as Calgary-based alternative/blues/psychedelic rock trio The Static Shift – comprised of Mitchell Brady (guitar/lead vocals), Keone Friesen (Bass/harmonica/ background vocals), and Isaiah Stonehouse (drums/background vocals) – were chosen from among the episode's featured artists to record the new original single "Wide Awake." The series' third single was released to radio stations across the country immediately following tonight's broadcast, and is also now available to buy and stream everywhere, including iHeartRadio, Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.

With a "Summer of Love" look and sound resonant of a bygone rock'n'roll era, the charismatic trio of teenaged old souls wowed the mentors with their fresh, stadium rock sound flawlessly combining the backbeat of Isaiah's pulsating drums, Keone's grooving bass lines, and Mitchell's shredding guitar and explosive frontman vocals. Applauded for their simultaneously "loose and tight" sound by rock icon and founding member of legendary rock band Mötley Crüe – Nikki Sixx, mentors Dann Huff (the producer behind more than 50 #1 hit records), record mogul Scott Borchetta, and Sixx chose to launch The Static Shift's music career with their rock version of "Wide Awake," written by Nathan Barlowe & Bonnie Baker.

The series' chosen artists and songs to date – Logan Staats "The Lucky Ones" and Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine's "Ain't Easy", both hit #1 on iTunes following the broadcast of episodes in which the aspiring artists were featured.

"We're good at being authentic…we want to be exactly who we are when we're playing music," said The Static Shift. "There is a rock revival coming and we are really excited to be a part of it. It's such an honour to be recognized by rock royalty like Nikki Sixx, killer guitarist and producer Dann Huff, and of course Scott Borchetta. We are beyond proud to put our stamp on 'Wide Awake' and hope music fans give what we are doing as artists a chance!" 

"The Static Shift completely blew my mind," said Scott Borchetta. "I am always on the hunt for uniquely talented artists and musicians that have a special chemistry and that's exactly what they have. This is a band that has a world stage and they're uniquely positioned at the dawn of a new Rock Revolution." 

Streaming now on various platforms including CTV.ca, CTV GO, and CraveTV, THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT features extended auditions of Amy Bishop, Sons of Daughters, and the newly launched The Static Shift, as well as Chad Price and Dylan Menzie, who are featured exclusively in the On Demand version of the episode. The special edition also features comprehensive mentor reactions, feedback, and never-before-seen moments from THE LAUNCH that take the viewer deeper into the once in a lifetime opportunity for each of the artists.

Following an intense audition process before the celebrity mentors, aspiring – and coincidentally both Calgarian – artists The Static Shift and Amy Bishop emerged as the two breakthrough artists chosen to perform and make the original song "Wide Awake" their own.

After a nerve-wracking 48 hours in studio rehearsals, recordings, and working closely with the episode's celebrity mentors, the final artists took the stage in front of a live studio audience to perform their unique interpretations of "Wide Awake".

Two, uniquely tailored renditions of the song resulted in dazzling performances by both aspiring artists, but following intense deliberations, The Static Shift were ultimately chosen for the opportunity of a lifetime – to have their raw, alt-rock version of the song "Wide Awake" launched across Canada and to the world via THE LAUNCH's expansive slate of top music partners.

Following tonight's song launch, Bell Media is poised to throw the full weight of its marketing, promotional, and publicity support behind The Static Shift's "Wide Awake" across its national footprint of broadcast and digital entertainment properties.

"Wide Awake" is written by Nathan Barlowe and Bonnie J. Baker and produced by Dann Huff in association with Barlowe and Baker. Label: Big Machine Canada and Universal Music Canada. Executive Producers are Scott Borchetta and Randy Lennox.

Emulating the hay days of rock n' roll, The Static Shift's goal is to transport audiences away through music. Bursting onto the scene at the age of 14, The Static Shift were the youngest band to ever headline The Blues Can in Calgary. Now with more than 130 live performances under their belt and multiple award wins, The Static Shift has shared the stage with Trooper, Colin James, The Sheep-dogs, and more. To learn more about The Static Shift, visit CTV.ca/TheLaunch. 

**MEDIA NOTE** – To download additional images of The Static Shift and THE LAUNCH, please visit BellMedia.ca/PR.

Tonight's episode is also available on CTV.ca, CraveTV, CTV GO, and On Demand. Encore presentations of THE LAUNCH air Saturdays at 5 p.m. ET/MT on CTV; Fridays at 7 p.m. ET and Saturdays at 1 p.m. ET on Much; Sundays at 5 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. ET on MTV; Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on E!.

Viewers can catch live interviews featuring The Static Shift tomorrow (Jan. 25) on CP24 BREAKFAST (weekdays 5:30 a.m. ET), YOUR MORNING (weekdays at 6 a.m. ET), THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW (weekdays at 10 a.m. ET), THE SOCIAL (weekdays at 1 p.m. ET), ETALK (weekdays at 7 p.m. ET), and CTV News Channel. As well, live interviews with The Static Shift will be featured on Bell Media Radio stations across the country.

On the next episode of THE LAUNCH, "Soldier of Love" (Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT on CTV and CTV GO, and super simulcast on CTV Two and Much, and in French on VRAK), emerging artists Ezra Jordan, Faiza, Jaryd Stanley, Poesy, and Sariyah Hines audition in front of celebrity mentors: Grammy^® Award-winning, multi-platinum solo artist and recording star Fergie, Canada's own Stephan Moccio (the music mastermind behind massive inescapable hits like the quintuple-platinum "Wrecking Ball"), and record mogul Scott Borchetta, for the once in a lifetime opportunity to record a new original song that will be released next week.

THE LAUNCH airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT on CTV and CTV GO, and in super simulcast on CTV Two and Much, and in French on VRAK.

Fans are also invited to visit CTV.ca/TheLaunch throughout the season for exclusive, expansive digital content featuring THE LAUNCH celebrity mentors and the 30 artists selected to participate in the series' inaugural season. Digital content includes comprehensive Q&As with all artists taking part in THE LAUNCH, now available on the site's video portal. Refreshed Q&A materials featuring each episode's respective artists will be released weekly leading up to each subsequent episode. In addition, CTV.ca is the destination for blogs highlighting Season 1 mentors' greatest achievements, with new blog entries to surface throughout the season and beyond. Following each episode, CTV.ca will release videos featuring extended musical performances, in-studio demos and "first-listens", unique moments between artists and their mentors, and a variety of other exclusive digital content.  

Bio pages showcasing all of the artists are available on CTV.ca's dedicated artist pages at CTV.ca/TheLaunch.

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, 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.

Hand-picked from more than 10,000 emerging performers, the artists were selected to be on THE LAUNCH following an international casting call and completion of an extensive A&R and review process. Contending for the opportunity of a lifetime – 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 selected artists face the life-altering prospect of being catapulted from discovery to stardom in just 48 hours.

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; Paul Franklin and Lindsay Cox 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.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter:
@TheStaticShift
@ewxjfmusic
@LoganStaats
@alessiacara
@BoyGeorge
@Fergie
@iek
@JenniferNettles
@imjmichaels
@NikkiSixx
@RyanTedder
@scottborchetta
@ShaniaTwain
@stephanmoccio
@BellMediaPR
@umusic
@bigmachine
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@insightprod
@TheLaunchCTV
@iHeartRadioCA

Facebook:
alessiacara
boygeorgeofficial
fergie
JenniferNettlesMusic
juliamichaelsofficial
nikkisixxofficial
RyanTedder1R
scottborchetta
ShaniaTwain
StephanMoccio
CTV
TheLaunchCTV
iHeartRadio Canada

Instagram:
@thestaticshift
@ewxjf
@logan_staats
@alessiasmusic
@boygeorgeofficial
@busbee
@cloudology
@fergie
@jennifernettles
@imjmichaels
@nikkisixxpixx
@ryantedder
@scott.borchetta
@shaniatwain
@stephanmoccio
@TheLaunchCTV
@umusic
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@iHeartRadioCA

Website:
www.CTV.ca/TheLaunch

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