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Desafio de Estrellas

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Desafio de Estrellas is a Mexican musical show produced and distrivuted by TV Azteca, the second most important network in the country. The format of the Desafio is similar to American Idol with contestants eliminated every week and a grand finale with the top contestants competing to win the first place prize. TV Azteca has, until 2006, produced two versions of the program, one in 2003 and the other in 2006. The 2003 version consisted only of former contestants of La Academia, another TV Azteca-produced show which had already garnished two seasons and, in the process, taken away rating from Televisa, the prime network of the country. The 2006 version, on the other hand, consisted of both former contestants of La Academia (all four seasons), as well as other artists produced by TV Azteca in the middle and late 90s.

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Desafio de Estrellas 2003

The 2003 Version of the Desafio de Estrellas was announced right after the end of the second generation of La Academia. The 32 contestants which made up both generations would go on head-to-head to see what generation would get the best place. This expected competition was non-existent, as the participants of the 2nd generation were eliminated swiftly. Of the Top 10 Singers chosen by the public, only 1 had come out of the second generation, Erika, who would go on to become the fourth place of the competition. With a total of 15 concerts and above good ratings, TV Azteca confirmed its strong hold on the Mexican public.

Concerts

Finale

The finale, which was broadcasted live from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, was a clear display of the full potential of the network, which garnished better results than the program in the competing network, the Mexican version of Big Brother (Mexico). The rating was far superior for the Desafio and caused major changes in Televisa. At the end, after singing songs from their albums, as well as new, classic latin songs, Yahir took the night and beat out Myriam, the public's clear favorite, who was also ousted by Nadia, winner of the second place. TV Azteca would not produce another version of the Desafio de Estrellas until 2006.

Desafio de Estrellas 2006

Some time after the end of the 4th version of La Academia, and in order to compete with Televisa's highly successful Cantando por un sueño (Singing for A Dream), TV Azteca announced the production of a new version of the Desafio. This time, however, not only would the competition be between former Academia singers, but also with artists released in the late 90s by the network. The 2006 version of the Desafio was less successful than the first, mostly because of the competition and high ratings of Cantando por un Sueño of Televisa. To increase ratings and, therefore, revenues, the network tried implementing new mechanics into the show. For example, in every show the judges were to chose "the best singer of the night", who would win 30,000 pesos (approximately twenty-nine hundred dollars), also, for six concerts the judges were to chose one singer who would be a particpant of a grand concert in the Metropolitan, one of the most important auditoriums in the country. Controversy arose after the judges eliminated Yuridia, the clear favorite to win, because she didn't appear in Concert 8. Several sources of the Mexican media and some shows, especially from Televisa, claimed the producers planned the whole thing to improve ratings for the show. Bad rumors about the Desafio also arose when Jolette, controversial former Academia participant, claimed Cynthia, attractive Desafio participant, was being supported by one of the producers, who prevented her elimination from the competition. (Cynthia was eliminated before the final round, she was not one of the final six contestants. It should be noted that Cynthia organized a concert to benefit the families of miners killed in an accident in Coahuila. Many of the top contestants of Desafio de Estrellas participated, and Cynthia was able to donate ten thousand pesos each to every family who lost a loved one in the disaster.)

Concerts

Aranza, first participant to be Best Singer of the Night three times.
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Aranza, first participant to be Best Singer of the Night three times.

Throughout 25 concerts, the first one airing on January 8, 2006, 32 contestants competed to become one of the 6 finalists who would compete for a grand prize of three million peson (300,000 dollars). In these concerts, three participants were chosen three times as the best singer of the night, Aranza, Toñita and Erasmo Catarino. Also, six participants were chosen for a major concert in The Metropolitan, an important auditorium in Mexico City: Erasmo Catarino, Toñita, Cynthia, Estrella, Miguel Angel and Raul.

Finale

The Desafio de Estrellas finale took place on June 25, 2006 with the final six participants competing to win the grand prize: Erasmo Catarino, winner of La Academia 4, Toñita and Raul, who did not make it to the finale on La Academia 1 or the Desafio 2003, Carlos, La Academia 3 winner, Adrian, third place in La Academia 4 and Aranza, the only non-Academia participant left in the competition. After singing two songs each (their best song throughout the competition and a new song), and after a close competition between the six finalists, the results were revealed: This Desafio finale was not as successful as that of the 2003 version because of the competition with the rival channel's show, Cantando por un Sueño...Reyes de La Cancion (Singing for A Dream...Kings of the Song).

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