Vancouver-based singer-songwriter JP Maurice will appear on music contest The Launch on Jan. 17 with an edge over the majority of his fellow contestants, each competing for the weekly prize of having their celebrity-stamped songs played on radio across sa国际传媒.
The Victoria native has been down similar roads, netting $75,000 for second place during 2015鈥檚 Peak Performance Project contest and $10,000 for fourth place in 2012.
But as one of 30 performers chosen to appear during The Launch鈥檚 six-episode run, Maurice will perform in front of television cameras before a celebrity judging panel and national audience 鈥� a career first for the Vic High grad.
鈥淚 was really nervous,鈥� Maurice, 33, said of his days on the Toronto set. 鈥淚 had a concern going in, because it was TV, that the situation would be exploited in some way, or I would be made to do something I didn鈥檛 want to do. But I left feeling totally supported.鈥�
Maurice shot his episode of The Launch, which airs Jan. 17 at 9 on CTV, in September. Unlike popular singing competitions The Voice and American Idol, The Launch was designed to focus on five random contestants in each episode. The show is built around the process of writing a hit song, not the battle between contestants, Maurice said. But make no mistake, there was an incentive to win.
The results have been under wraps since shooting completed, with only Maurice鈥檚 family and closest friends in on the secret (to learn his fate, each had to sign a confidentiality agreement, he said). The waiting has been stressful for Maurice, who was asked by the show鈥檚 producers to keep his upcoming album, Boys, out of stores until the show runs its course.
鈥淚鈥檝e been in a holding pattern, wanting to time everything right. I鈥檒l see how things shake out in the next month or two, and then I鈥檒l have a better idea.鈥�
The Launch, which premi猫red on Jan. 10, is drawing viewers with a starry roster of guest mentors including Shania Twain, OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, Sugarland frontwoman Jennifer Nettles, Alessia Cara, Fergie of Black Eyed Peas, Nikki Sixx of M枚tley Cr眉e, Culture Club singer Boy George and show co-creator Scott Borchetta, who discovered Taylor Swift.
Maurice鈥檚 experience working alongside Tedder (nominated for a Grammy for his work with Beyonc茅, Adele, Taylor Swift and Maroon 5) gave the former frontman for Victoria rockers Maurice a first-hand look at the songwriting process at its highest level.
It was an experience he鈥檇 be happy to relive, he said. 鈥淩yan said some really complimentary things about my songwriting, and Scott did as well. It was great validation.鈥�
Maurice, who lately has been touring and recording as a member of Vancouver鈥檚 Bend Sinister, could be the most experienced of any participant on The Launch.
Throughout his 15-year career, he has overcome several hurdles, tops being a promising but failed U.S. recording contract with producer David Foster. During his time at the helm of Maurice, the singer and songwriter weathered an up-and-down storm that began in 2006, when Foster walked the four Victoria twentysomethings into Warner Bros. Records in Los Angeles and personally endorsed them, and finished in 2010, when the label rejected the record and left the band in limbo.
鈥淗e has such an abundance of talent in every way,鈥� Foster, a Victoria native, told the sa国际传媒 at the time.
鈥淗e鈥檚 handsome as hell, he鈥檚 charismatic, he writes good, he plays good and he sings his ass off. You tell me if that鈥檚 not a winning combination.鈥�
Maurice hopes Foster鈥檚 prediction eventually materializes with The Launch. Should he beat the four contestants who appear alongside him, Maurice will see his song released to radio stations across sa国际传媒 shortly after the episode airs, with a full promotional push from CTV online and in print.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about managing expectations,鈥� Maurice said. 鈥淲ith the Foster stuff, it felt like all these things were going to happen, but nothing did. This will be a good thing for me moving forward, to build off.鈥�
Maurice was happy to learn that the show鈥檚 producers wanted him to present an authentic side of himself, not one simply made for TV. He鈥檚 a bit gun-shy from his previous major-label experience, but would love to earn the trust of producers and have Borchetta follow through with what was presented as a possibility at the outset of the contest 鈥� a contract with the same Big Machine imprint for which Taylor Swift records.
The experience whizzed by for Maurice, who would love another shot to work with the show鈥檚 team. 鈥淲henever you鈥檙e doing something exciting and there鈥檚 adrenalin involved, it鈥檚 harder to stay in the moment,鈥� he said.
