Kumari Shreya
Created by Lex Borrero, Netflix’s ‘The Signing,’ AKA ‘La Firma,’ is a reality show that traverses international boundaries and gives aspiring Latin American musicians a chance to shine. Starting with 12 participants, the artists have to participate in a series of challenges to prove that they have what it takes to be the ones to be signed by the popular record label Neon16. With such high stakes, it’s no wonder the contestants give their all to be the winner. However, many viewers cannot help but wonder just how legitimate the show is. Are the events in the reality series scripted, and just how was the competition conceived?
The Signing is Not Scripted
No, we do not believe ‘The Signing’ is a scripted show. Given the association of the musical competition with reputed Latin American music giants like Lex Borrero, Tainy, Nicki Nicole, Rauw Alejandro, and Yandel, it is pretty easy to believe that the series is as legitimate as it claims to be. Neon16, the record label that serves as the main prize of the show, is also very well known within the entertainment industry and has worked in collaboration with Paramount and Nickelodeon for ‘The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run.’ Furthermore, the organization is known for producing “Revelacion,” the first-ever fully Spanish album by Selena Gomez.
Talking about the show’s creation, Tainy told Rolling Stone how the concept came to be. “Lex wanted to create a show that spoke to the culture, so we started thinking of all the shows we loved and all the ones that we hated in order to find the space that was missing — not only for Latin music, but music shows overall,” he shared. “Netflix is the biggest streamer in the world, so partnering with them was a no-brainer.”
Lex himself expanded on his reasons behind partnering with the streaming giant. “The combination of our iconic judges, Tainy’s expertise and versatility artistically, and our partners at Netflix and Propagate make this show the perfect platform.” One of the shiniest parts of the show is its star-studded judging panel, which Tainy himself is pretty proud of. “This panel has experience, knowledge, and an understanding of today’s music business,” he explained.
“From the perspective of a producer, I feel we’ll see more experimentation sonically, which for me is what I love and gets me pumped,” Tainy added. “The original sound will always be there, but I’m happy to see creatives and fans open to accepting new ideas, and that’s what this new generation is doing these days, with no fear of what genre it is.” Indeed, throughout the show, it is not uncommon for the mentors to explain that they don’t just want talent and will only sign with someone with everything it takes to be an artist.
Having discussed the show’s conception, the events we see on-screen also add to its legitimacy. Most of the initial rounds of season 1 of the show occur in popular nightclubs in Maimi, Florida. The presence of the live audience during such events at such well-known locations certainly makes the show more believable to be true to life. Moreover, the series is open to showcasing any mistakes the participants might make, like forgetting lines or missing cues, no matter how popular they might be. The judges try to be as fair as possible and point out mistakes despite their personal preferences.
Multiple factors make us believe that ‘The Signing’ is the real deal. Not only does the show have the backing of some of the best within the Latin American entertainment industry, yet it is also not shy about potential mistakes that one often expects from live performances. The training the contestants are given during their time on-screen focuses on several of these factors to ensure that their talent does not go unnoticed due to other creative or practical choices.
Read More: Where is Netflix’s The Signing Filmed?
