Exactly 25 years ago, in 2001, David Bisbal became a mass phenomenon as the runner-up of the first edition of Operación Triunfo on TVE before almost 13 million viewers. Even today, 14 editions later, the singer from Almería is the biggest star the format has ever produced, a format that also discovered Aitana, Chenoa, Pablo López, Lola Índigo, and Nena Daconte, and now he returns to it, but as a judge for the Latin version in the United States.
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After also participating in La voz in Spain, the singer of Bulería or Ave María maintains his judge position in an edition produced by Telemundo, owner of the broadcasting rights, which announced the signing in a statement. “Returning to the Operación Triunfo universe after so many years has a very special meaning for me, because it was the place where my career began and changed my life forever,” explains Bisbal in the press release. In addition, the 47-year-old performer, who has triumphed on both sides of the Atlantic, added that it is “an honor” to witness and accompany the development of a new generation of musical talents.
The Spanish program will return this summer to the United States 20 years after a similar format was canceled in the North American country. Auditions for Operación Triunfo were held in Miami, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico, and the final took place on April 11 in New York.
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In 2026, Telemundo observed a unique combination of factors that drove the decision to broadcast it in the US: the continued growth of the Latin market in the United States, the evolution of music consumption towards digital and social platforms, and a young audience seeking authentic stories and genuine talent, as Javier Pons, content director and head of Telemundo Studios, recently explained to Billboard.
The United States had a similar format in 2006, The One: Making a Music Star, which went down in history as one of the TV contests that lasted the least on air. It was canceled after the fourth episode due to very low ratings.
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