Stars Academy (Chinese: 聲夢傳奇; lit. Legend of a Musical Dream) is a Hong Kong singing competition television series created and produced by television network TVB and its subsidiary TVB Music Group. The show has spanned two seasons in 2021–2022 with the aim of discovering unsigned young singing talents. The judges' panel featured various Hong Kong music executives, music producers, singer-songwriters, radio DJs, and music critics. The winners of the two seasons are Gigi Yim and Jasmine Yam.

Stars Academy
Also known as聲夢傳奇
GenreReality competition
Presented bySammy Leung
Original languageCantonese
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes29
Production
Producers
  • Lam Chun-man (2021)
  • Keung Yin-hoi (2021)
  • Chan Yuk-leung (2021)
  • Mok Chun-tung (2021)
  • Cheng Yu-sing (2022)
Editors
  • Yuen Sze-yung (2021)
  • Wong Ka-lok (2021)
  • Chan Fung-san (2022)
  • Chan Wai-lan (2022)
  • Cheng Sei-lun (2022)
Running timeapprox. 70 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkTVB Jade
Release10 April 2021 (2021-04-10) –
2 October 2022 (2022-10-02)

Format

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The singing competition spans multiple seasons, featuring pre-recorded rounds and a live finale. Contestants showcase their talents individually or in groups, progressing through various rounds and facing eliminations. Coaches, composed of established singers, form teams and guide contestants, while judges, including industry professionals like music executives from major record labels, music producers, singer-songwriters, radio DJs, and music critics, provide evaluations.[note 1] In all rounds except the live finale, contestants are evaluated based on judges' scores. The ultimate winner is determined through a combination of judges' scores and audience votes in the grand finale, where the voting window opens for a specific timeframe leading up to, and closing at a designated time on the finale day. The format combines individual performances, team dynamics, and themed challenges.

The winner receives a monetary prize of HKD $100,000. In the second season, additional prizes were introduced for the first and second runners-up, as well as other awards for remaining finalists.[2][3] The eligible age-range for contestants is 30 years old and below.[4]

Series overview

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Johnny Yim took on the role of music director,[5] and Sammy Leung served as the host for both seasons.[6] Following the competition, TVB maintains a fixed-period management contract with the contestants.[7]

Winners of Stars Academy
Gigi Yim (2021)
Jasmine Yam (2022)

Season 1 (2021)

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The inaugural season of the show premiered from April to July 2021, featuring 15 contestants ranging in age from 14 to 26.[8] Coaches included AGA, Pakho Chau, Vincy Chan, JW, Gin Lee, Hacken Lee, and Janice Vidal.[1] The top five finalists included Gigi Yim, Chantel Yiu, Yumi Chung, Archie Sin, and Rock Ho. Ultimately, Gigi Yim won the crown, with Chantel Yiu as the runner-up on 19 July 2021.[2][9] Throughout the competition, several performances gained popularity, including Gigi Yim's rendition of "Without You, I Still Love You" (沒有你還是愛你), Chantel Yiu's "Love Prediction" (戀愛預告), and Yumi Chung's "Wild City" (狂野之城).[10] The finale had an average viewership of 1.57 million.[11] The first season contestants signed a record deal with TVB Music Group (formerly Voice Entertainment), which launched a sublabel called All About Music dedicated to releasing their musical works. The top five contestants were the first to release their solo debuts.[12] Additionally, All About Music formed the girl group After Class, consisting of Gigi Yim, Chantel Yiu, Yumi Chung, and Windy Zhan.[13] After the competition, the contestants had the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience at their graduated live concert First Live on Stage (2021) and later starred in the musical television series Forever Young at Heart (2021—2022).[14][15]

Season 2 (2022)

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The second season aired from June to October 2022, featuring a total of 23 contestants, including 17 individuals and a 6-membered girl group, with ages ranging from 13 to 29.[16] The show featured Eric Kwok, Eman Lam, Phil Lam, Alan Po, Hanjin Tan, along with the return of Vincy Chan, JW, and Gin Lee as coaches.[17] The top five finalists were Jasmine Yam, Janees Wong, Sabrina Chiu, Pamela Chiu, and the girl group XiX. On 2 October 2022, Jasmine Yam was crowned the winner, while Janees Wong took the runner-up position.[18] Throughout the season, Yam was deemed one of the most popular contestants among the viewers.[19] The finale reached a peak viewership of 1.16 million.[20] Gin Lee, in her coaching role, was noted as the key figure in guiding both Gigi Yim and Jasmine Yam to their winning titles in their respective seasons.[21][22] Following the competition, the contestants performed at their graduated live concert Prom Night (2022).[23] In September 2023, the girl group XiX, having signed a record deal with Universal Music Hong Kong, became the first finalists to make their official debut.[note 2]

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Stars Junior Academy (Chinese: 聲夢Junior) is a 4-episode TV programme broadcast from 27 February to 27 March 2022. The show documented the training and elimination journey of eighteen contestants aged 11–15, with the final four earning the opportunity to join the second season of Stars Academy. The programme featured Eric Kwok as the guiding director accompanied by various other established singers. Several first season contestants of Stars Academy made appearances as coaching assistants.[26][27] Caitlin Yang, Crystal Leung, Charlotte Mow, and Kiele Tang were announced as the winners.[28] Later, it was revealed that two eliminated contestants, Aster Lau and Vici Chong, would join the original four winners to form a 6-membered girl group named XiX, who would compete together.[29]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Major record labels include Emperor Entertainment Group, Media Asia Music, Sony Music Hong Kong, TVB Music Group, Universal Music Hong Kong, and Warner Music Hong Kong.[1]
  2. ^ Originally a 6-membered group, member Aster Lau left in May 2023 to pursue a solo career under All About Music.[24][25]

References

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  1. ^ a b 【聲夢傳奇】周柏豪+衛蘭等眾歌手任導師 一文盡睇15名參賽者資料【多圖】 [Stars Academy: Pakho Chau, Janice Vidal, and other artists as coaches; Comprehensive Guide to Information on 15 Contestants]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 10 April 2021. Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b 【聲夢傳奇】炎明熹連奪三大獎 大贏家Gigi成傳奇新星:想回去探父母 [Gigi Yim won Stars Academy; she wishes to visit her parents]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 19 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  3. ^ 郭偉亮陳奐仁合作作歌贈《聲夢2》冠軍 Sabrina戒食炸雞養聲 [Eric Kwok and Hanjin Tan to co-write a tailor-made song for the Stars Academy 2 winner]. Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). 29 September 2022. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  4. ^ 入圍《聲夢傳奇》獲200萬訓練費 胡鴻鈞羨慕:做旁聽都滿足 [Stars Academy Contestants Receive HKD $2 Million in Training Fees, Hubert Wu Envious: Even Just Being an Audience Member Would Be Satisfying]. Wen Wei Po (in Traditional Chinese). 14 July 2020. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  5. ^ 聲夢傳奇|音樂總監Johnny Yim點名最愛蓮姐 大讚有音樂天分:靠把聲一定成功 [Stars Academy: Music Director Johnny Yim Names Kaitlyn Lam as Favorite, Highly Praises Her Musical Talent: "Success is Assured with Such a Voice"]. Sky Post (in Traditional Chinese). Hong Kong Economic Times Holdings. 10 July 2021. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  6. ^ 【聲夢傳奇】00後直言不知李克勤是誰 《聲夢傳奇》參賽者平均年齡只17歲【有片】 [Stars Academy: Contestants born in the 2000s don't know who Hacken Lee is; the average age of the contestants is 17 years old]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 5 April 2021. Archived from the original on 9 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  7. ^ 冼麗宜 (2 September 2021). 【聲夢傳奇】無綫連串計劃捧聲夢學員 樂易玲 : 他們值得投資 [TVB Has a Series of Plans to Support the Stars Academy Contestants; Virginia Lok, TVB Assistant General Manager for Artists Management and Development Said "They Are Worth Investing In"]. Ming Pao Weekly (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ 《聲夢傳奇》15位參賽者正式登場 4.10 成就音樂夢想 [Stars Academy is Set to Officially Debut On 10 April, With the Contestants Aiming to Achieve Their Musical Dreams]. TVB Weekly (in Traditional Chinese). TVB. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  9. ^ 《聲夢傳奇》決賽炎明熹成三料冠軍 網民鬧爆賽制有問題戥Archie唔抵 [Stars Academy: Gigi Yim Won Three Awards in the Finale; Netizens Criticize the Competition Format and Feel Sorry for Archie Sin]. Yahoo Entertainment Hong Kong (in Traditional Chinese). 19 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. ^ 劉傳謙 (10 September 2021). 十大《聲夢傳奇》學員參賽片點擊排行榜 姚焯菲炎明熹各佔四首 [Chantel Yiu and Gigi Yim Each Have Four of the Top Ten Most-viewed YouTube clips from Stars Academy]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  11. ^ 《聲夢傳奇》決賽收視23.9點 《刑偵》繼續跌! [Stars Academy Finale reached 23.9 points while Murder Diary ratings continued to fall]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). Oriental Press Group. 26 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  12. ^ 劉傳謙 (6 November 2021). 何麗全唔想炎明熹姚焯菲有爭獎壓力:最重要係聽眾鍾意啲歌 [Voice Entertainment's CEO indicates Gigi and Chantel are not under pressure for awards; the important thing is to win the audience]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  13. ^ 趙允琳 (28 November 2021). 炎明熹姚焯菲組四人女團After Class MV青春滿瀉一日破八萬點擊 [After Class's debut MV reached 80k YouTube views on first day]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  14. ^ 聲夢騷︱炎明熹自爆緊張到爆鼻涕 冼靖峰緋聞被擺上枱 [First Live on Stage concert review]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). Oriental Press Group. 13 August 2021. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  15. ^ Haitaeng (7 December 2021). 【青春本我】劇情簡介+演員角色+5大重點一覽!《聲夢》學員擔正!港版《歌舞青春》? [Forever Young At Heart Synopsis and character introduction]. HolidaySmart (in Traditional Chinese). PressLogic. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  16. ^ 【娛樂熱話】《聲夢傳奇2》6.11 矚目登場 23位學員超越自我 [Stars Academy 2 to premiere on 11 June, featuring 23 contestants learning to "surpass themselves"]. TVB Weekly (in Traditional Chinese). 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  17. ^ 「姚焯菲接班人」 任暟晴先聲奪人 [Being seen as Chantel Yiu's successor, Jasmine Yam made a strong first impression]. Oriental Daily News (in Traditional Chinese). 20 June 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  18. ^ Jasmine奪冠成「傳奇新星」「大魔王」Janees屈居亞軍 [Jasmine Yam claimed the crown of Stars Academy 2, while Janees Wong became the runner-up]. Sing Tao Daily (in Traditional Chinese). 3 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  19. ^ 攞完冠軍極速錄新歌 任暟晴唔敢同師姐Chantel比│任暟晴專訪 [Interview: Jasmine Yam quickly recorded a tailor-made song after winning Stars Academy 2, feeling hesitant to be compared to her senior sister Chantel Yiu]. Ming Pao Weekly (Interview) (in Traditional Chinese). 4 November 2022. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  20. ^ 《聲夢傳奇2決賽》最高收視17.9點 「人氣王」任暟晴登上冠軍寶座 [Stars Academy 2 finale drew a 17.9-point peak TV rating, crowning popular contestant Jasmine Yam the winner]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). Oriental Press Group. 3 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  21. ^ 拒談《聲夢》心水 Gin Lee當炎明熹女咁教 [Gin Lee avoids discussing her favorite contestant on Stars Academy and mentors Gigi Yim like a daughter]. am730 (in Traditional Chinese). 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  22. ^ 【聲夢傳奇2】李幸倪為炎明熹+任暟晴導師 Gin Lee曾歷零收入捱過低潮成歌后 [Stars Academy 2: Gin Lee, the mentor of both Gigi Yim and Jasmine Yam, had walked through a period of financial struggle and hardship]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 3 October 2022. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  23. ^ 《聲夢2》開騷唔齊人 Eric Kwok側手翻最High [Stars Academy 2 graduation live concert]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). Oriental Press Group. 2 November 2022. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  24. ^ XiX由6變5更團結 正式出道Eric Kwok任經理人 [XiX transitioned from 6 members to 5 for greater unity, officially debuted with Eric Kwok as their manager]. Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). 15 September 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  25. ^ 離團獨立發展不捨XiX隊友 劉芷君體操少女變跳唱歌手│劉芷君專訪 [Interview: Aster Lau left the girl group XiX to pursue a solo career]. Ming Pao Weekly (Interview) (in Traditional Chinese). 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  26. ^ 劉傳謙 (24 February 2022). 聲夢JUNIOR|兩大熱門率先跑出 藝術體操港隊代表有望接鍾柔美棒 [Stars Junior Academy: Initial Overview of the two stand-out contestants Aster Lau and Vici Chong]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  27. ^ 劉傳謙 (28 March 2022). 聲夢JUNIOR|十強席位全女班 Isabel結他走音照表演反得到好評 [Stars Junior Academy: Top Ten contestants unveiled. Despite Isabel's guitar being out of tune, her performance received favorable reviews]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  28. ^ 【聲夢JUNIOR】Aster大熱倒灶 Caitlin+Crystal+Charlotte+Kiele躋身四強打入《聲夢2》 [Stars Junior Academy: Caitlin, Crystal, Charlotte, and Kiele became Top 4 who will enter the second season of Stars Academy]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 28 March 2022. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  29. ^ 志偉睇好《JUNIOR》6人組合XiX [Eric Tsang unveiled 6-member girl group XiX at Stars Academy 2 press conference]. Sing Tao Daily Canada (in Traditional Chinese). 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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