This Throwback Thursday post is dedicated to one of my favorite reality singing competitions in the history of TV. Before there was American Idol, The Voice or even The X Factor there was Making the Band, the show in which a singing group was created by music moguls Lou Pearlman (Series 1) and P. Diddy (Series 2-4). After four installments of the show O-Town, Da Band, Danity Kane and Day26 were formed and this is their story…
In 1999 Lou Pearlman, the man behind the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, began a nationwide talent search looking for five young guys to form yet another successful boy band. The search was televised on ABC as part of the TGIF lineup in 2000. After a successful round of auditions 25 guys were selected to compete for a shot at making the band. 25 soon became 8 as eliminations began. It wasn’t long before Ashley Parker Angel, Jacob Underwood, Erik-Michael Estrada, Trevor Penick, and Ikaika Kahoano were chosen to be in Pearlman’s band we now know as O-Town. Just a few episodes into the first season on the reality competition, band member Ikaika left the show and the group because of the lack of respect he felt from the others. The remaining for members agreed that Dan Miller, a contestant who made it to the top 25, should replace Ikaika as the group’s fifth member. Though they never were as famous as *NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys, O-Town was a very successful band. Their debut self titled album went platinum with hits including “Liquid Dreams” and “All or Nothing.” In 2003, one year after their second studio album O2 dropped, the band was dropped from their record label. Though fans tried the guys weren’t successful at landing another record contract. In 2011 it was rumored the four of the five band members were going to reunite, but the group has yet to release new material.
In 2002 Making the Band 2 premiered on MTV. Unlike the first Making the Band, rapper/mogul P. Diddy was in charge and he wanted to create a super rap group. After weeks and weeks of competition Sara Stokes, Dylan Dylinjah, Chopper “Young City”, Babs, Ness and Freddy P were chosen by Diddy to be in the band ironically called Da Band. Their debut album, Too Hot for TV, was released in 2003 on Bad Boy Records. The album went Gold in the US. After three seasons of Making the Band 2, Diddy made the decision to dismantle Da Band while keeping a few of it’s members on the label as solo artists.
In 2005 the third installment of the Making the Band franchise aired on MTV. This time Diddy was on the hunt for the ultimate female group. They had to not only sing like Beyonce and dance like Britney; they had to look like supermodels. After weeks of auditions 21 girls were chosen to live in a NYC penthouse and compete for a chance to make the band. With the help of manager Johnny Wright, vocal coach Doc Holiday and choreographer to the stars Laurie Ann Gibson, Diddy eliminated girls left and right, leaving seven girls to compete for five spots. After their final audition Diddy wasn’t impressed with this group of ladies. He asked that Aubrey O’Day, Aundrea Fimbres and Malika Ubaka return for a second season of Making the Band 3 where he would find more girls to compete for a spot I the group. In season two 20 additional girls moved into the NYC penthouse, and after weeks and weeks of intense completion to outshine the others, Aubrey and Aundrea along with Shannon Bex, Dawn Richards and D. Woods were chosen by Diddy. The girls soon became Danity Kane, the multi-platinum selling girl group signed to Bad Boy Records. After major success around the world, it seemed as if the girls couldn’t get along with each other, their management and their boss. In 2009 Diddy fired the outspoken Aubrey O’Day on national television. Soon after he released D. Woods from the band, and it wasn’t long before Danity Kane was no more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, DK REUNION PLEASE!!! I have a feeling that someday in the future Danity Kane will be back…
In 2007 Diddy began the search for a male R&B music group. Staying with the same structure of the previous installment of Making the Band, Making the Band 4 followed the journey of 20 young guys competing for a spot in Diddy’s latest band. After nine weeks of competition Robert Curry, Brian Andrews, Willie Taylor, Michael McCluney and Qwanell Mosley were chosen and soon became Day26. Though he wasn’t chosen to be in the band Donny Klang was also added to the Bad Boy Records roster. Day26 went on to release two studio albums before their 2012 breakup. Third album A New Day was scheduled to be release in 2012, but was canceled because of their split. It is uncertain if Diddy dismantled the band like he did with Danity Kane or if the split was a mutual decision.
There seems to be some sort of curse between the show and the bands that were created. I find it funny how each band that was formed only released two studio albums before getting the ax. I wonder if there will ever be a Making the Band 5, or have four dismembered bands became enough for the TV executives.
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-WD
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