With the iconic Hollywood sign at sunset as a backdrop, two of the stars of “Westside,” Netflix’s first music reality series (arriving November 9) — and arguably its most experimental and ambitious show to date — describe their real lives as aspiring stars. Meta enough?
“What I love about ‘Westside’ is that it’s the first of its kind,” says Pia Toscano, who may be the most recognizable cast member, having placed ninth on season 10 of “American Idol.” “I’m finally able to tell my story and peel back those layers and write and collaborate with other incredible artists [on the show]. But we weren’t competing with each other, so there was this camaraderie — we became a tight-knit family. We really grew and learned from each other. It wasn’t like: Who’s going to win this week? And who’s going to get voted off?”
“I don’t necessarily consider this a reality show,...
“What I love about ‘Westside’ is that it’s the first of its kind,” says Pia Toscano, who may be the most recognizable cast member, having placed ninth on season 10 of “American Idol.” “I’m finally able to tell my story and peel back those layers and write and collaborate with other incredible artists [on the show]. But we weren’t competing with each other, so there was this camaraderie — we became a tight-knit family. We really grew and learned from each other. It wasn’t like: Who’s going to win this week? And who’s going to get voted off?”
“I don’t necessarily consider this a reality show,...
- 10/30/2018
- by James Patrick Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Annie Lennox has been added to Variety’s inaugural Music for Screens Summit and will take part in a keynote conversation with composer Scott Salinas. The event will be held at Neuehouse in Hollywood, Calif. on Oct. 30
Lennox, who rose to fame during the 1980s as singer and co-songwriter of Eurythmics, has released six studio albums and won three Grammys. Her latest album, “Nostalgia,” was released in 2014.
Other new additions to the event include a keynote conversation with the team behind Netflix’s “Westside,” and speakers include executive producer Kevin Bartel and executive music producer James Diener from the upcoming reality music series. Shirley Halperin, Variety’s executive editor of music will moderate.
Also, Tom Holkenborg a.k.a. Junkie Xl (“Alita: Battle Angel”) has joined the Composer Roundtable presented by Ascap. Variety contributor Jon Burlingame will moderate the conversation about how best to craft music for film and TV in the digital age.
Lennox, who rose to fame during the 1980s as singer and co-songwriter of Eurythmics, has released six studio albums and won three Grammys. Her latest album, “Nostalgia,” was released in 2014.
Other new additions to the event include a keynote conversation with the team behind Netflix’s “Westside,” and speakers include executive producer Kevin Bartel and executive music producer James Diener from the upcoming reality music series. Shirley Halperin, Variety’s executive editor of music will moderate.
Also, Tom Holkenborg a.k.a. Junkie Xl (“Alita: Battle Angel”) has joined the Composer Roundtable presented by Ascap. Variety contributor Jon Burlingame will moderate the conversation about how best to craft music for film and TV in the digital age.
- 10/18/2018
- by Rachel Yang
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix unveiled its first unscripted music show today. “Westside,” which premieres globally on Nov. 9, is a genre-defining eight-episode series that follows the lives, loves and assorted struggles of nine aspiring artists (including former “American Idol” finalist Pia Toscano) as they pursue ever-elusive success in the modern-day music industry. Eschewing the standard competition-style format, this innovative approach intersperses raw docu-series footage with slick music videos and 20 original songs that emphasize the show’s themes and character story arcs.
The production quality of the series’ cinema-verite approach, along with a gritty, unfiltered look at the reality of struggle for success in Hollywood, makes “Westside” the polar opposite of the sanitized fantasy-like “Cinderella” story approach of a show like “American Idol.”
“Westside” also features original music written by some of today’s top hitmakers, among them Diane Warren, Philip Lawrence, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Pat Monahan, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan,...
The production quality of the series’ cinema-verite approach, along with a gritty, unfiltered look at the reality of struggle for success in Hollywood, makes “Westside” the polar opposite of the sanitized fantasy-like “Cinderella” story approach of a show like “American Idol.”
“Westside” also features original music written by some of today’s top hitmakers, among them Diane Warren, Philip Lawrence, Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Pat Monahan, Johan Carlsson, Ross Golan,...
- 10/12/2018
- by James Patrick Herman
- Variety Film + TV
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