La Academia USA
First US reality show with only Hispanic contestants.
La Academia USA was the first musical reality show with only Hispanic contestants, launched by Azteca America in October 2005. Nationwide auditions selected 30 people, who then went to Mexico for a week of hard work to prove themselves before 18 were chosen as the final cast. The first concert was on November 20, 2005. A week before that, a two-hour special showed audition footage and eliminated 12 of the 30, leaving the lucky 18. The winner, Mariana Vargas, and runner-up Gustavo received contracts with Warner Music for an album. The show caused uproar over the expulsions of Michael Anthony Muenchow Rivera and Diana Galindo Martínez, both considered strong contenders.
Quick Facts
- Premiere
- October 2005
- Network
- Azteca America
- Number of final contestants
- 18
- Winner
- Mariana Vargas
- Runner-up
- Gustavo
- First concert
- November 20, 2005
Facts from the source article.
Background
One participant, Michael Anthony Muenchow Rivera, had previously been on Telemundo's Nuevas Voces de América in 2005. He was among the 18 selected, lives in San Antonio, Texas, and made it to the top 13 before being expelled. His vote-off caused major uproar among viewers and teachers alike. The same was true for the premature elimination of Diana Galindo Martínez in the eleventh concert; many thought she would win due to her great voice, big popularity, and good critical comments. After three months, the show crowned Mariana Vargas as winner. After the show ended and the 'La Academia Hot-Tour' was cancelled, many ex-students—including Michael, Diana, Frankie, Fatimat, Jazmín, Alejandro ('El Chino'), and Nohelia—were called back to continue singing together across the US. Other projects included forming a band with Ivannkie, Adán, Catalina, and Heloisa. The show featured participants born in different Latin American countries or with Latin roots born in the US, including Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, Colombia, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil. In 2007, Frankie Alvarado participated in a duet with Spanish pop rock singer Diana Mera on the song '20 Pedacitos'.
Did You Know?
- Diana Galindo Martínez's elimination in the eleventh concert caused major uproar because many thought she would win.
- Heloisa Alves anchored the sports show Los Protagonistas a Nivel mundial for TV Azteca America during the 2006 Soccer World Cup and won Miss Brazil USA in November 2007.
More in Spanish-language American Television Shows
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