ITVS spins ‘The Voice’ with new rap version, acquired by Turkish SVOD Exxen

ITV Studios (ITVS) has unveiled a spin-off from singing competition format The Voice, which will focus on aspiring rap artists.

The Voice Rap will see aspiring talent attempting to impress their coaches with their distinctive styles, rhythm and poetry before facing a judging panel.

ITVS described the format as a “digital first music competition” that had been developed specifically for younger audiences, with music including hip hop, mumble rap, reggaeton and pop music featuring.

Turkish taker

The format has already been picked up by Turkish SVOD Exxen, where it will launch later this month. It is being produced by Exxon owner Acun Medya, which also produces The Voice and its spin-offs in Turkey, Greece and Mexico.

The Voice was created in 2010 by Talpa Media, which ITVS acquired in 2015, and has since spawned a raft of spin-offs including junior and senior versions, which have resulted in 133 adaptations in total globally.

Maarten Meijs, president of ITVS global entertainment, said: “Rap music has been conquering the charts for decades and translates into the hottest music genres in the game with a loyal community of followers.

Where The Voice, The Voice Kids and The Voice Senior are formats that cater to all ages, this version is about celebrating a special skill set that is used in various genres. It’s original, diverse, and fits perfectly to our cross platform strategy with the rise of on demand players, skewed at the younger audiences.”

SVOD platform Exxen launched in January and offers acquisitions and locally produced shows, including factual and competitive reality programming.