Catalina Content, a Sky Studios company, today announced its partnership with the renowned Emmy-nominated director, producer and choreographer Laurieann Gibson to develop ICON, an arced talent competition series in pursuit of discovering and cultivating the next global pop icon.
Over the past twenty years, Gibson has established herself as a true innovator within the entertainment industry, having created pop culture moments for some of the world’s top music artists including Lady Gaga, Meg Thee Stallion, The Jonas Brothers, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys and countless others. She has also dominated the unscripted television space, passionately building superstars on hit reality shows So You Think You Can Dance, Making the Band, Dance Moms and Beyond the Spotlight.
Laurieann is now expanding her television ventures as creator, executive producer and main judge of ICON, which will offer a fresh competition show format. With the help of various celebrity judges, Gibson will handpick 11 artists to participate in an arduous, transformative 11-week artist development camp to challenge and elevate their artistry as a singer, dancer and dynamic entertainer. Viewers will gain an intimate view into the blood, sweat and tears behind Laurieann’s proven star-making methodology. At the culmination of her intensive training, only one will transcend above the rest to receive a highly coveted development deal.
Laurieann Gibson shares, “Artist development is the key component for the evolution of the music industry today and the trajectory of a recording artist. Without artist development, there is no sustainability and longevity for the artist, their vision, the process, and the music. True icons are built in the process, and my methodology is that process. Singers are born, but are they built to be an ICON?”
“ICON sets itself apart from the traditional competition format that searches for the next best singer; all of our performers will already have award-worthy vocal talent, however, they are in need of guidance when it comes to the polish and presence to conquer and captivate global attention, says Jeff Collins, president of Catalina Content. “Laurieann’s breadth of experience paired with her track record for creating legend after legend is unrivalled. It’s intoxicating to watch her inspire such genius artistry.”
Launched less than two years ago, Catalina is currently building on Collins’ longstanding success in lifestyle and prioritizing talent driven and female unscripted programming. The company has already secured more than 85 hours of programming across multiple networks and platforms, including Notorious for Oxygen, Mighty Underdogs for Discovery+, as well as unannounced series with Oxygen, A&E and Peacock.
Laurieann Gibson is repped by Maximum Artist Group, APA, and Abrams Garfinkel Margolis Bergson.
Catalina Content is repped by APA and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.
