Star Equation: Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine = Second Artists Chosen on CTV's THE LAUNCH to Release a New, Original Song

"Ain't Easy" Now Available Everywhere

– THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT featuring extended auditions now available to additional digital platforms CTV.ca and CTV GO as well as CraveTV™ –  
– Episode 1 chosen artist Logan Staats' new original single "The Lucky Ones" debuted at #1 on iTunes All-Genres Top Songs Chart -
– Next week's episode features Mӧtley Crϋe's Nikki Sixx, and award-winning producer Dann Huff –

To tweet this release: bmpr.ca/2mPZuXz

  "Your [Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine] vibe is so original and so unique..." – Ryan Tedder

"Vocally, you [Jamie Fine] have such a beautiful cry in your voice, the way you manipulate your vowels…it's unique…" – Jennifer Nettles

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Lightning in a bottle was captured tonight on CTV's THE LAUNCH, as pop/jazz/hip-hop/R&B duo Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine from Ottawa were chosen from among the episode's featured artists to record the new original single "Ain't Easy." The series' second single was released to radio stations across the country immediately following tonight's broadcast, and is also immediately available to buy and stream everywhere, including iHeartRadio, Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, and Google Play.

The duo's effusively kinetic performance showcasing Jamie's raw, distinct vocals buoyed by Elijah's rousing keyboard accompaniment propelled the duo to frontrunner position among this week's artists. Ultimately, Grammy®-Award-winner and co-founder of country/pop duo Sugarland Jennifer Nettles, music mogul Scott Borchetta, and OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder chose to launch Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine's music career with their street/bluesy interpretation of "Ain't Easy," written by Tedder.

Last week, folk/blues/soul artist Logan Staats from Ohsweken, Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario, became the first-ever artist chosen on the inaugural episode of THE LAUNCH. His single "The Lucky Ones" debuted at #1 on iTunes following the broadcast.

"We love the whole concept of THE LAUNCH because the show is really about the music and that has always been our focus," said Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine. "Working with a heavy hitter like Ryan Tedder was a dream, and to flex our musical muscles on a song he wrote is indescribable. We're beyond thrilled to have worked with these amazing mentors. To put our mark on "Ain't Easy" and have it launch right now is nothing short of spectacular."

"Ryan Tedder is not only a great lead singer and frontman of OneRepublic, but a brilliant writer and producer that can get inside an artist's psyche and really deliver a hit song," said Scott Borchetta. "This experience equals magic, and magic is what Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine have created with 'Ain't Easy'."

Streaming now on various platforms including CTV.ca, CTV GO, and CraveTV, THE LAUNCH: DIRECTOR'S CUT features extended auditions of R&B and hip-hop artist from The Pas, Manitoba Basil Phoenix; R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and Vancouver's pop/rock/alt-country artist JP Maurice; and the newly launched Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine as well as R&B/soul/hip-hop/reggae singer and multi-instrumentalist Divine Lightbody from Brampton, Ont. and alt-pop group LITEYEARS from Hamilton, Ont., 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 artists Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine and Basil Phoenix emerged as the two breakthrough artists chosen to perform and make the original song "Ain't Easy" 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 "Ain't Easy".

Two, uniquely tailored renditions of the song resulted in dazzling performances by both aspiring artists, but following intense deliberations, Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine were ultimately chosen for the opportunity of a lifetime – to have their raw, alt-pop version of the song "Ain't Easy" 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 Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine's "Ain't Easy" across its national footprint of broadcast and digital entertainment properties.

"Ain't Easy" is written and produced by Ryan Tedder in association with Camila Cabello, Zach Skelton, Jamie Fine, and Elijah Woods. Label: Big Machine Canada and Universal Music Canada. Executive Producers are Scott Borchetta and Randy Lennox.

The "x" in Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine is pronounced "and," but it could also be said to represent the multiplying effect the two artists have on one another. When Elijah (instrumentalist/composer) and Jamie (lyricist/vocalist) put their passions together, the possibilities are endless. Their partnership began when Elijah heard Jamie's soulful vocals on a track recorded by a friend. Four days later, the two were together in his studio. Elijah and Jamie use their bond, and musical multiplication effect to continue to grow their passion. To learn more about Elijah x Jamie, visit CTV.ca/TheLaunch. 

**MEDIA NOTE** – To download additional images of Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine 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 Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine tomorrow (Jan. 18) 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 Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine will be featured on Bell Media Radio stations across the country.

On the next episode of THE LAUNCH, "Wide Awake" (Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO, and super simulcast on CTV Two and Much, and in French on VRAK), emerging artists Amy Bishop, Chad Price, Dylan Menzie, Sons of Daughters, and The Static Shift  audition in front of celebrity mentors: rock icon and founding member of legendary rock band Mötley Crüe Nikki Sixx, Dann Huff (the producer behind more than 50 #1 hit records), 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:
@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 
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nikkisixxofficial 
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CTV
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iHeartRadio Canada

Instagram:
@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