You know what's missing from the DJ and producer world? What the EDM and dance scene could really use? An “American Idol”-style talent show.
Or at least that's a gap that Simon Cowell and SFX is hoping to fill with their new series, “Ultimate DJ.” In a press release, the “The X Factor” creator's production company Syco announced a partnership with electronic music promoter and events giant SFX and T-Mobile for an “innovative electronic music competition to showcase fresh new DJ/producer talent and creative production skills.”
“We have been developing this concept for a while but our partnership with SFX has been a real game-changer for this format. It made complete sense for us to collaborate with SFX with their access to the best up-and-coming DJs and their great marketing platform to build new DJ talent,” Cowell said in a statement.
“Up-and-comers” will be submitting dance mixes to the series; the T-Mobile angle will help enable users, er, fans to vote on their favorite tunes and launching contestants in the limelight to compete at live events — SFX's specialty.
How a competition like this works in a reality series setting remains to be seen: DJs don't necessarily step to a deck like a singer would a microphone, nor do judges have the same criteria as a singing show. But the global reach of EDM and electronic music culture is apparently now up for a vote, and coming to a digital device near you.
“Ultimate DJ” will be launched online initially. No television networks have picked it up yet, which may indicate that TV doesn't know how this all shakes out, either
SFX is behind popular electronic dance music events like TomorrowWorld, Electric Zoo, Rock in Rio, Mayday, Decibel and Q-Dance. So at the very least, they know how to put on a show, even when the competitors may fall flat.