Operación Triunfo is a reality-show talent contest which first aired on Spain's TVE network in 2001. A kind of cross between Pop Idol, Voces en Función, Star Search, and Big Brother, the show aimed to find the country's next solo singing sensation, putting a selection of hopefuls through their paces by getting them to sing a variety of cover versions of popular songs (mainly in Spanish and English, but also sporadically in Italian or Portuguese), with tutoring from various professionals, and a headmaster like a school (first 3 series, Nina, 4 and 5 Kike Santander, 6 and 7 (current) Àngel Llàcer).
During the first three series hosted by TVE, the show was used to select the singer and song that represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest. The three finalists sang three songs each, and the public voted the song they liked the most.
The show was not an instant ratings-winner, but later ran to at least three series. Finalists were whittled down by a combination of votes from "industry figures" and the general public. The first series participants soon became media stars, but the success dismished with subsequent editions. The show became a worldwide brand known as Star Academy (or Fame Academy in the United Kingdom).
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Most Successful Participants
In 2006, Telecinco compiled a list of the top 12 most successful contestants ever from Operación Triunfo. It was compiled by the teachers and judges from previous series, and the list is as follows:
- David Bisbal - 1st series 2nd (due to success in America)
- Chenoa - 1st series 4th (due to winning Eurobest in 2003)
- David Bustamante - 1st series 3rd (due to 5 successful albums)
- Soraya Arnelas - 4th series 2nd (due to representing Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009)
- Natalia - 1st series 12th (due to having more albums than everyone else, and being big in the UK)
- Manuel Carrasco - 2nd series 2nd (due to having 2 multi-platinum albums and success in South America)
- Rosa - 1st series 1st (due to her success in Eurovision, and 5 successful albums)
- Mai Meneses - 2nd series 17th (Spain's artist revelation in 2006 with her group Nena Daconte)
- Vega - 2nd series 9th (due to having 2003's biggest selling single in Spain (Grita!)
- Gisela - 1st series 8th (due to winning the Viña del Mar Song Contest and her contract with Disney Spain)
First series (2001-2002)
Winner: Rosa López
Finalists:
- Rosa López
- David Bisbal
- David Bustamante
- Chenoa
- Manu Tenorio
- Verónica Romeo
All three finalists of the first series released debut albums, but while Rosa (accompanied by some fellow contenders as backing singers) scored seventh place in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 with the song "Europe's Living a Celebration", and had notable success with her albums, it was Bisbal who went on to international success, even winning a Latino Grammy as best newcomer for his album Corazón Latino.
Other participants of this first edition (Chenoa, Verónica and Manu Tenorio) have also launched successful solo careers. Also, Gisela, got a contract with Disney Spain and has started a career in musical theater; and represented Andorra in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.
Second series (2002-2003)
Winner: Ainhoa
Finalists:
- Ainhoa - Her vocals are praised by many, hailed as one of the best vocalists ever to come out from Operacion Triunfo, as well as one of the most genuine people.
- Manuel Carrasco - The most successful (sales-wise) singer of this edition.
- Beth - She was sent to the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, where she scored 8th place with the song "Dime", and has experienced better success than the contest's winner.
The second series of Operación Triunfo became an anomaly in the category of popular reality TV music shows. First of all, the winner had very little success after the show. Second of all, many contestants who didn't do well had massive success across Europe and South America, not just in Spain:
The first person out of the show, Mai Meneses, shocked the music world in 2006 when herself and a childhood friend formed the group Nena Daconte. They released the album, He Perdido Los Zapatos, which some critics hailed as "one of the best albums in Spanish of all time". The album has sold over 200,000 copies in Spain alone, an amazing feat as an average album to get to number 1 in Spain needs around 20,000 sales.
Vega, who came 9th, managed to release the best selling single of 2003 in Spain with her own composition, iGrita!, with over one million copies sold.
Lunae, a pop group consisting of Elena Gadel, Tessa Bodi and Marey, (who came 11th, 12th and 13th respectively), released the second most successful single of 2003 in Spain, with the song Hipnotizadas, which was written and produced by Xenomania, who produce for Girls Aloud and Sugababes. It also had massive success over Europe, getting into the Top 10 in France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal. It was set for release in the United Kingdom, but nothing ever came of it.
Third series (2003-2004)
This was the last series hosted by TVE, and the one with the lowest ratings. Finalists:
- Vicente
- Ramón - He was sent to the Eurovision Song Contest 2004. He scored 10th place with the song "Para llenarme de ti".
- Miguel Cadenas
- Davinia
Fourth series (2005)
TVE refused a fourth series, choosing to select its Eurovision Song Contest entry using a national final. The show was then offered to Telecinco, who bought it. This fourth edition started airing on June 2005 and it got better audiences than the third one, but it never reached the awesome results that the first one achieved. Though, the second placed Soraya Arnelas represented Spain at Eurovision Song Contest 2009.
Winners:
- Sergio Rivero
- Soraya Arnelas
- Víctor
Finalists:
Others:
- Lidia Reyes
- Sandra Polop
- Guille Barea
- Guillermo Martín
- Mónica Gallardo
- Dani Sanz
- Héctor
- Jesús de Manuel
- Trizia
- Janina
Sergio, Soraya, Victor, Idaira, Edurne, Guille Barea and Jesús de Manuel received solo record deals after the show. Guillermo Martín, Sandra Polop and Fran Dieli formed a trio and released an album together called "Generación OT". As of 2009, most of the prior have been dropped by their respective record labels. Soraya Arnelas and Edurne are the only ones active with a major label backing them up. Series 5 winner, Sergio, and fourth placed finalist, Idaira, were dropped but are currently on indie labels. Sandra Polop formed her own band later on called El Secreto de Alex and hopes to release her album with the band in 2009.
Fifth Series (2006-2007)
Telecinco announced in May 2006 that the fifth series of the program was to be released in October 2006.
In July, 25 Telecinco release a TV Show called Operación Triunfo 2006: Otra Vez en Marcha. In this show some former OT artists (Rosa, Soraya Arnelas, Sergio Rivero, Natalia, Beth,...) performed and the new generation of contestants to participate in the new edition was presented.
The fifth series started on Sunday October 8, 2006 with 18 finalists, but two finalists had to leave and they didn't enter the academy. It created some controversy as one of first two people out that night was the first black person, Claritzel, ever to be on the show (she had to pull out of last year's show). She had to leave the show because of a heart intervention.
Winners
Finalist
- Saray
- Moritz
- Jose
Others
- Ismael
- Jorge
- Eva
- Vanessa
- Mayte
- Mercedes
- Cristina
- José Antonio
- Xavier
- Encarna
After the show, Lorena, Daniel, Leo, Saray, Jose, Jorge, Mayte and Encarna received solo record deals.
Series 5 winner, Lorena has so far released 2 albums and is set to release her 3rd record (first album of original songs) mid 2009. Daniel was set to release his second album but was quickly dropped. Leo has so far released three albums. Saray is still in the works of her anticipated debut album, which may see the light of day in 2009. Jose is set to release his second album in the summer. Jorge released one album. Mayte is working on an R&B/Urban album, set for summer 2009. Encarna released an album, but was soon later on dropped.
Sixth Series (2008)
Castings started in Barcelona for the new series on February 18, 2008. The sixth season began on April 8, 2008, with 18 candidates to enter the academy (two of them didn't). This season has been the most polemical of all because many of the critics over OT comment that this edition has the worst vocal capacity.
Contestants
Winners
-
- Winner: Virginia
- Second Place: Pablo
- Third Place: Chipper
Finalists
4. Manu
5. Sandra
6. Mimi
Evicted Contestants
- Iván - Evicted on Gala 11 - 7th place
- Noelia - Evicted on Gala 10 - 8th place
- Anabel - Evicted on Gala 9 - 9th place
- Tania S - Evicted on Gala 8 - 10th place
- Reke - Evicted on Gala 7 - 11th place
- Esther - Evicted on Gala 6 - 12th place
- Tania G - Evicted on Gala 5 - 13th place
- Ruben - Evicted on Gala 4 - 14th place
- Paula - Evicted on Gala 3 - 15th place
- Ros - Evicted on Gala 2 - 16th place
- Patty - Quit on Gala 1
After the show, Virginia, Pablo, Chipper, Manu, Noelia, Tania S and Esther received solo record deals.
Virginia released her debut album as an act by the name Labuat. The self titled album (Labuat) debuted well in the Spanish albums chart, charting at number 2. Pablo is set to release his debut album in the summer. Chipper released his debut album entitled Funky Town. Manu, Tania S and Esther have all confirmed to be releasing albums in the summer. Both Noelia and Anabel tried out for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Noelia with her debut single entitled Cruza Los Dedos and Anabel as part of a five piece band called Santa Fe with their single entitled Samba House. Both Noelia and Santa Fe made the spanish pre selection final. Noelia ended up finish 11th place overall, whilst Santa Fe finished 3rd. They faced competition by past Operacion Triunfo contestants, such as Series 4 runner-up, Soraya Arnelas (the overall winner), series 4 8th place, Sandra Polop and her band 'El Secreto De Alex' and series 6 contestant, Jorge Gonzalez.
Seventh Series (2009)
The castings were made on March and April 2009 in all Spain. The first gala from OT 2009 was televised on April 29, 2009. Once again, Risto Mejide is a part of the jury pannel, along with Noemi Galera, Coco Comín and Ramoncín.
International
Operazione Trionfo Italy
The One: Making a Music Star
In the summer of 2006, the US television network ABC started airing its own version of Operación Triunfo, but cancelled it after the second week's result show due to low ratings. The premiere episode was one of the lowest rated premieres in years. It was shown Tuesdays (live concert) and Wednesdays (live results show) at 10PM ET/PT.
Fame Academy
In 2002, the United Kingdom created its own version of Operacion Triunfo called Fame Academy. Like Operación Triunfo, it was created to find new talent in the United Kingdom. The first series was won by David Sneddon and the second by Alex Parks. Other Fame Academy alumni include Lemar (who has since achieved the greatest success of all Fame Academy pupils) and James Fox (Series 2), who went on to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest.
After 2 series, the regular show was axed (in 2004). However, its celebrity version remained popular and stayed on British TV until 2008.
Operación Triunfo Argentina
See also
- (Spanish) official site Sandra Criado
- (Spanish) Official site
- (Spanish) Operación Triunfo in Telecinco
- (Serbian) Operacija trijumf - official site
- (Italian) Operazione Trionfo Italy
- (Spanish) Rosa López Website
- (Spanish) Natalia. Website
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