Fifteen years after orchestrating the most famous cheesecake run in history, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs still can’t stop/won’t stop giving tough love to aspiring artists—and the mogul’s signature straight-no-chaser approach to identifying talent will soon be on the small screen once again.
Fox’s The FOUR: Battle for Stardom debuted in January and was the network’s best-rated and most-watched non-scripted show in nearly four years. An announcement that the reality competition would be renewed on the same day of the season finale came as no surprise; in fact, there are some eighteen new versions of the series being developed in other countries, including Sweden, Italy and France.
Did you miss out on the fun, the fighting and the fierce completion the first time around? Think you might want to make your own appearance on the show? Check out our quick primer and be ready for Season 2 of The FOUR: Battle for Stardom to premiere on June 7th:
So, Just How Does The FOUR: Battle for Stardom Work?
Borrowing its format from Israel’s The Final Four, the reality competition features four singers performing before a live audience and going head-to-head with one another and possible challengers each week. New contenders perform each week, with those who get a unanimous vote of ‘yes’ from the judges then choosing a returning contestant to challenge for their spot in the contest. Both artists perform and studio audience members are tasked with voting to decide which of the two will advance to the next round.
At the end of the season, the winner will be named an iHeartRadio’s “On the Verge” artist and will receive a contract with Universal Music Group’s Republic Records imprint.
Who Are the Show’s Stars?
Veteran singer Fergie hosts The FOUR: Battle for Stardom; meanwhile, Combs is joined at the judge’s table by none other than producer/motivational speaker/proud papa DJ Khaled and Grammy-winning artist Meghan Trainor (“All About That Bass.”)
What Can We Expect from Season 2?
Among Season 1’s most noteworthy moments: Diddy’s take-no-prisoners judging style bringing a singer to tears in the very first episode (“This show is not called Second Chances,” he exclaimed in frustration); another contestant being removed after confronting the “All About the Bass” singer about her critique of his performance; an emotional exchange between Combs and Trainor that ended with the latter leaving the set in tears; DJ Khaled balancing out his castmates with his signature positivity, popular catchphrases and “vibe”-creating candles; and, of course, twenty-year-old Memphis-native Evvie McKinney, appearing as the season’s final challenger, only to win the series two episodes later.
If the first run of The FOUR is any indication, viewers should be prepared for a wild ride, complete with drama, tears and lots of quotables.
Season 2’s first contenders are Carvena Jones, a professional background singer from Jackson, Mississippi who recorded and toured with gospel star James Fortune before going solo; former boy-band member James Graham of England, Sharaya J, a Hawaiian-born choreographer/rapper whose worked with the likes of Missy Elliot, Alicia Keys and Rihanna—as well as Diddy himself—and Guatemala’s own Stephanie Zelaya, who began musical training at the tender age of five and has toured with fellow Latin singers such as Enrique Iglesias and Alejandro Fernandez.
How Can Artists Audition for The FOUR: Battle for Stardom?
Think you’ve got what it takes to challenge one of the show’s sitting contestants? Unsigned artists who will be at least 16 by June 1st 2019 can submit an application and audition video via the show’s official website or via the show’s new app (more info on that below.)
Are you less of a singer, more of a judge? Take your talents here to weigh-in on the current crop of aspiring challengers.
Fox’s The Four: The Battle for Stardom returns on June 7th at 8pm EST. Check your local listings and the show’s official website for more information. Also: NEW APP ALERT! Download The FOUR app to audition, check out this season’s potential challengers, and more! Click here to get the app for iOS at or click here to find it in the Google Play Store.
