Q'Viva! The Chosen (2012) s01e01 Episode Script

1 Two of the biggest superstars in the world What brings you two back together? The only thing that could, talent.
Have joined forces with legendary tour director Jamie King We're expecting the unexpected.
To put together the ultimate live Latin show in Las Vegas.
To assemble their cast, they've committed to traversing two continents And seeking out talent on their home turf.
Hola.
- Hector? - Ay, no! Hello.
Jennifer Lopez.
Whoo! In my biggest dream, I never thought that you would be here in my home.
There's a whole world of incredible artists to uncover.
To put together their Vegas show, they'll need dancers Whoo! Singers Musicians What? And the rawest entertainers of the street.
Aah! Nothing is off-limits.
No, please make them stop.
- Please make them stop.
- Okay, okay.
They're looking for passion, strength, sensuality And artists that define the spirit of Latin America.
This is what it's all about.
You're right there.
You're not sitting on a panel.
Anyone who inspires them will get tickets to the next stage in L.
A Right on the spot.
Once in Los Angeles, they'll face Jennifer, Marc, and Jamie for the first time To fight for a place in the cast A spectacular show.
It's gonna be the biggest thing I've been involved with yet.
Have a beer.
A beer? We're working.
Get ready for the journey of a lifetime.
What the did I get myself into? One that's gonna change everything.
It's so raw.
It's so raw.
Q'Viva is going to be the most spectacular Latin show the world has ever seen.
And the casting process is gonna be like nothing the world has seen before, as Jen, Marc, and Jamie follow up on playbook submissions, tip-offs from locals Wow! Recommendations from friends in the business, and even by meeting people along the way.
We will be going to countries all across Latin America and documenting finding authentic talent.
We are going all over.
Wow.
Look at the road.
We'll go to dance classes, somebody's house, the barrios.
We're in the jungle, bro.
I'm nervous.
I'm nervous about the journey we're about to go on.
I'm excited.
Good morning, Captain.
We have made a pact to go on this journey to uncover the world's most extraordinary talent.
We're actually going to find the talent where they live In barrios, dance halls, in the Amazon.
This is me being able to really, really ring that bell Really, really go, "I am Latina and this is who we are.
" It's gonna be an amazing ride.
Marc and I each watched thousands of online submissions before starting out in our travels And the exceptional ones had to be seen in person Which is why I traveled thousands of Miles to check out my first act.
Just another day at the office.
We're going to the beach to see about the winner group.
I think we're gonna make the world dance again.
That's my job.
I'm gonna do it.
Out of dozens of Capoeira performers that were put forward for the show, Capoeira topazio particularly stood out.
You can see that they already started incorporating some staging and choreography in it, whereas, like, when you usually see Capoeira, it's just kind of, like, the kicking.
But they actually have a real idea of showmanship.
Do I want to do Capoeira? Yes, in these shoes, I would like to do Capoeira on the beach, okay? The dancers thought they were being filmed for a casting video.
They had no idea I was coming to see them.
Hi.
Hello.
And after coming all this way, I was hoping they lived up to expectations.
Always good to have flippers.
Gracias, gracias, gracias.
This is what Q'Viva was about for me For us to represent each country in the best way possible.
Whatever we could find, whatever entertainment that really, really says something about history.
This is a perfect way to represent Brazil, with Capoeira.
It's just exactly what I envisioned when we set out to do the show.
It's just so acrobatic, athletic, and entertaining.
And they look pretty good too.
I'm taking all of them with me.
So I invited all ten dancers back to L.
A.
to fight for a spot in the live show.
Marc was going to have to find something pretty special to compete.
Yay! Okay.
Whoo! Meanwhile, I was excited to get under way myself.
I'm looking forward to tasting it and seeing what these young kids are doing and witnessing what I've never seen before.
I'm really excited.
But I hadn't realized it was rainy season in Colombia.
It might be over in a little while.
Unbelievable.
Like Jennifer, I decided to begin my journey by checking out some dancers.
We're gonna go see a salsa troupe from Cali.
They dance salsa caleã±a.
I've seen salsa once or twice in my life, but that is crazy.
And I was starting to realize just how crazy this journey was going to be.
I'm in the middle of warehouses and weeds.
I'm sure it looks amazing, but where I'm at right now, I have no idea.
You wanted to go out of the bubble.
Yeah, the bubble, but Jesus There's bubble, and there's jungle.
Marc.
Holy Let's all give them a hand, man.
You kidding me? Q'Viva's gonna be a sexy show, an exotic show, a passionate show, a beautiful show.
This was as hot as it gets, as sexy as it gets And how physical it was, how clean it was, how beautiful the girls were, how powerful the guys were.
It was on the highest level I've ever seen.
And we found it in the middle of nowhere.
Thank you very much.
So the first tickets that I gave out went to swing Latino.
It's acts like that, at that level, that That I see as a pillar of the show.
Something that people look forward to seeing.
It's exciting.
It was time for Jennifer and I to move on to our next countries.
Despite the fact that we were getting a divorce, this project was important to us, and we committed to doing it together.
We're just meant to be in each other's lives on different levels.
This is a long story.
This is not a short story.
You know what I mean? Marriage was one chapter.
You know what I mean? And, uh And the kids are another, and We got each other for life.
What we hope to kind of show through this journey is how we're all very much one and how we're all very much the same.
We share the same feelings and emotions.
The things that are important to us are the same Family, love.
I think that that's gonna come through in this.
You know, being with Marc, I think it's gonna be a discovery for us too, 'cause that's what a journey is.
You don't know what's coming down the road.
Still to come Q'Viva's 20-country voyage in search of Latin America's greatest artists continues.
Jennifer holds an impromptu audition in traffic.
He wants to audition right now.
And Marc visits a high-flying Mexican brother-and-sister dance duo.
Then later, the couple get together on the road.
Very Sonny & Cher after the divorce.
But Marc has some explaining to do.
Jennifer sees me bringing these girls, she's gonna kill me.
Welcome back to Q'Viva.
Marc and I are traveling throughout Latin America, searching for talent to invite back to Los Angeles where they'll compete to join the Q'Viva cast we're putting together for a breathtaking live Vegas show.
So far, the journey is off to an incredible start.
And two spectacular dance groups are on their way to the next stage.
Over the next few days, we stayed on the road.
I headed to Chile to follow up on a tip-off.
I love Paolo.
He just has something that's so authentic and is just Deserves to have a chance.
Then Marc traveled north to meet a Guatemalan fire juggler.
I hope it pans out, you know? I have really high expectations.
It looked like the stage in Los Angeles was going to be very competitive.
And only the very best would stand a chance of making it into our cast.
Singer Dalia Fernandez had a special reason for hoping that she would make the grade.
Hello.
Surprise.
That was a clear no from me, from the beginning.
I didn't see it.
I didn't get it.
It's terrible, but, you know It's definitely a part of the process.
Coming up, Jennifer gets stopped in the street.
Hi.
Then later Ay, no! One contestant has a message for Marc.
Welcome back to Q'Viva Where Jennifer and I are traversing two continents in search of amazing artists to bring together in a Vegas show featuring the greatest Latin talent in the world.
In Santiago, Chile, word got out that I was in town.
Hi.
Hi.
Hi, Pablo.
He wants to audition right now.
He wants to audition right now.
Should we let him audi He came prepared.
Wow.
I don't have any more tickets.
I need a ticket! Right here.
Hey! I got a ticket! Thank you! Thank you so much.
You're welcome.
That was amazing.
That was beautiful.
So it may not have been planned, but I found my first singer to invite to L.
A.
I was serenaded.
That was some beautiful singing right there.
That was amazing.
He had a beautiful voice.
He may have had one of the best voices we've heard.
Still to come Marc hits Mexico city in his search for talent.
Oh, my God.
Plus, some of the sexiest dancing yet, as a sizzling Argentinean tango couple bring the heat.
Eeh! I'm getting the goosies.
And two Puerto Rican twins Cause double the trouble for Marc.
I just want him to stay professional.
I see a lot of potential.
For what? Welcome back to Q'Viva.
I decided it was high time to discover what Mexico is all about.
I just landed here in Mexico city.
I want to start getting a sense of Mexico, man.
I want to learn.
And I think that my appetite is just insatiable.
I was on my way to surprise a brother-and-sister dance duo who had submitted an audition video.
I mean, I've witnessed all kinds of dance, and it's one thing is seeing it on playbook.
But another thing is I want to see how it feels in In the room.
Guillermo.
Aah! Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
So Guillermo and Marta were the first Mexican artists that I invited to the next round.
All right, let's go.
Come on, Jamie.
Oh, God.
We're in Argentina.
Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, I was joined on the road by our live show director Jamie King.
Hi.
This whole idea - Jennifer! - Hey, she's mine today.
And it was getting harder to stay under the radar.
Jennifer! Hola.
We'd invited two of Argentina's top tango dancers to meet us at a local dance hall.
Hello.
German y Gisela.
Keep going.
.
Wow.
Oh.
Eeh! I'm getting the goosies.
Ooh, yeah, that's great.
Bravo! - Nice.
Wow.
- So good.
Great, great job.
German y Gisela were exactly what we were looking for.
Not only did they have the technique They had the passion.
They had the showmanship.
They had the intensity in their face and their look.
They had great tricks.
They had everything.
When we saw them, me and Jamie were like, "oh, we got it.
It's here.
We found it.
It's okay, good.
" And so two Argentinean dancers were coming to Los Angeles to compete for places in the live show.
Coming up Marc falls for a Puerto Rican pair.
But Jennifer's not impressed.
I see a lot of potential.
Let's just try to keep the integrity of the show together.
It's been an amazing start for me and Jennifer.
What I just saw is wow.
And after a week on the road, a spectacular group of artists are coming to Hollywood to compete for places in the live show.
With four weeks left in the casting process, it felt like a good time to team up in Puerto Rico and compare notes.
This is where we shot el cantante.
I know.
Bad memories.
This is, like That's terrible to say.
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
No, this is, like, the the wedding, right? Yeah.
Actually, it was a great scene.
And as always, we had company.
- Jennifer, Jennifer! - Okay.
How does it feel? Very Sonny & Cher after the divorce.
Yeah.
Really? Yes.
But we've always been like this, even when we were together.
Busting each other's chops.
Over the course of the week, we'd set the standard high.
But after I auditioned these two Puerto Rican twins, I felt like I had a little explaining to do.
I told Jennifer about my famous twins.
Do you remember the casting video? I kind of remember them, yeah.
They were so dope.
Those are my girls.
Look, I'm fine with it, but, like, let's just try keep the integrity of the show together and not let our Our what? Say it.
Talk talk like you really talk to me.
Yeah, you see? I just want him to stay professional.
You'll see.
I have a vision.
- Oh, I know.
You have lots of visions.
- I do.
Yeah, I see things before they happen.
- Is that what you're hoping? - Yeah.
- Yeah, okay.
- Seriously, they got a lot of potential.
- What? - Here.
Oh, my God.
Gracias.
I think there's something to it.
I think it's exotic talent.
The bones are there.
But Jennifer sees me bringing these girls, and the potential I see in them She's gonna kill me.
What's unprofessional about that? What, hiring somebody just 'cause they're twin girls? Yeah.
- I see a lot of potential.
- For what? Caribbean, green-eyed, gorgeous But I was really hard on them.
I was really hard on them.
I'm sure.
When they started crying, they got me.
- You started crying with the twins? - I threw myself on the floor.
I just needed a hug, I told them, and Group hug, except the guys.
Thank you.
That was awkward.
So, after the first leg of the journey, nine world-class acts and one with a lot of work to do are headed to the next stage in Los Angeles.
And after their first week on the road, Jennifer and Marc were more committed to the journey than ever.
It's gonna be a big journey.
I mean, some people probably will have never left their countries.
We know how rich the Latin culture is and what it has to offer.
A ticket! Thank you! And we are out to share that with the rest of the world.
It's gonna be a discovery for us too.
Earth is the limit.
There's no place I'm not willing to go to find the talent.
I wake up, and I feel proud that we're taking this very unique opportunity in our lives to show the world these gems that's we're gonna find.
I can't wait.
I cannot wait.
In the next hour of Q'Viva, Marc and Jennifer's journey continues Jennifer! And so do the surprises.
Hola.
The talent is red hot.
And when Jen and Marc get together in Puerto Rico, sparks fly.
That was assault, on camera.
The search for the best Latin-American talent and culture continues as Marc and Jennifer's paths cross in Puerto Rico.
Somebody save me.
On this leg of the journey, the talent is raw, inspiring.
- Wow.
- Getting there won't be easy.
- We're stuck in the elevator.
- Help! But Marc and Jen are relentless No matter how out of control it gets.
That was assault, on camera.
We're casting the most spectacular Latin show the world has ever seen.
We will be going all across Latin America, finding authentic talent that is worthy to represent their countries.
And when we find them, we give them a plane ticket to Los Angeles.
Some people probably will have never left their countries.
They're gonna come to the States for the first time To fight it out for places in the Vegas cast.
We're gonna create the biggest Latin show on earth and a beautiful piece of art.
To start the second leg of my search, I decided to look for talent in the island I call home.
What do I like about Puerto Rico? - Yeah.
- Everything.
It's like being able to see your blood.
Beautiful It's the people.
It's where I'm from My God! Where the bloodline is from.
Home.
I'd seen a video of a local percussionist that really got me excited.
This mother is crazy.
It's unbelievable.
You don't realize what he's doing.
I've seen everybody.
And I would venture to time what he's doing with his hands It has to be, like, the fastest drummer on the planet.
But what this kid does is absolutely remarkable.
I'm surprised I never heard of him.
- Hello? - Hello, Jose.
I arranged to meet him in his hometown Carolina.
Knowing I was on my way, he invited his family for support, because for him, the drums were all about family.
I've worked with the best percussionists in the world, and I was dubious.
Could a world-class talent really have remained undiscovered in this small Puerto Rican town? Jose.
What I just witnessed is something I've never witnessed before.
I mean, you have a guy who has six congas who can make it musical.
It's melodic.
I think he has everything we need in every way, shape, or form.
I think we found something extraordinary.
He's humble, put time into his craft, loves his family.
I think it's a no-brainer.
So Puerto Rico provides the first percussionist to make it to the next round in Los Angeles.
I'm proud to have found him here in Puerto Rico, and there's no question He made my decision for me.
I'm happy.
I decided to start the second leg of my talent search by surprising a dancer whose story moved me.
Hi.
Thank you.
Okay, go ahead Give them some music.
I'm on the fence about her.
I think she's sexy and beautiful, but I feel like her partner today really is hurting her.
She's actually technically really good.
She's great at the lifts.
She's very confident to do it with a partner that's not that great.
I just feel like she really didn't have her best audition today.
I understand what it is to be an artist, and I understand what it is to be a mom.
And if somebody asked me to give up one for the other, it's just, like It's ridiculous.
She's just dancing.
She's just dancing.
So inspired by her story, I was determined to give Angeli a second chance to compete for a spot on the Q'Viva stage.
I really understand her.
I really connect with her.
I really get what she's saying.
I understand what it is to have something live inside you that you just have no control over.
It's what you love to do.
It's what you have to do.
That's what being an artist is.
Coming up One all-female Colombian group is in for a shock Ay, no! As one contestant gets too close for comfort.
And later Smile.
I am smiling.
Jennifer and Marc take a romantic break on the beach.
- They're beautiful.
- I got my eye on a couple of them.
Kind of.
Welcome back to Q'Viva.
So far, the second leg of our journey was off to a promising start.
We found a Venezuelan dancer and a Puerto Rican drummer.
Hoping to join them was an all-female gaita group.
I tracked them down to a local restaurant where they were practicing their routine.
I think it's fair to say they weren't expecting me.
Ay, no! Hola.
Hey! It has to be extraordinary Something Even if they're rough.
But there's something that's just captivating.
I wasn't as impacted as I thought I would be.
And that's what it comes down to.
Are they right for Q'Viva? That's my responsibility.
That's my job.
Buenas I need to find the best talent in the world.
And that's what I'm here for.
And I think they're doing a good job at what they have.
I just simply felt like they were not at that level for Q'Viva.
I wanted to love it.
I mean, I'm not in this to I'm almost a little let down every time, 'cause I want to love it.
And it just didn't happen.
So the winning streak was over, and things were about to get even worse.
Help! We're stuck in the elevator in Medellin, Colombia, with 100 mother.
I think it crashed.
We touched the bottom.
Went Help! Help! It could be worse.
I could be sober.
Coming up A Mexican singer leaves Marc undecided.
No se.
And Jennifer discovers the passionate heart of Argentina.
Welcome back to Q'Viva.
The journey to find the best Latin talent in the world had left me in a very tight corner.
Help! Yeah, you can press all the buttons you want, bro.
Aah! - Hold on, hold on.
- There's a trip on the side.
You touch the trigger, it opens.
Watch your fingers.
Be careful.
Be careful.
Que viva! Meanwhile, I was headed deep into the heart of the Argentinian countryside.
We're here looking for a malambo group.
Malambo's very authentic and exciting and powerful and sexy.
Me and Marc fought to come see these guys.
Marc was like, "they're my group.
" I'm like, "no, they're my group.
" Remolino malambo are at a local ranch, and they think they are here to meet with a local casting agent.
Jennifer Lopez.
Hola.
Walter.
Jennifer.
Wow.
How are you? Wow.
Goosies everywhere! Whoo! When we set out on this journey, we wanted the world to see something amazing and that embodied Latin culture.
These are the type of performers that we were hoping that we would find.
They play their whole souls.
It's just an amazing display of what we came for.
Whoo-hoo-hoo! So six more Argentinian dancers were coming back to L.
A.
to compete.
Over the next few days, Marc and I turned our attention to finding the first female vocalist to send to Los Angeles.
He paid a visit to thircha, a Guatemalan reggae artist.
And in Uruguay, I met a young tango singer.
But I just couldn't see her on the Q'Viva stage.
Then, in Medellin, Colombia, Marc took a trip to hear naki, hoping the third time would be a charm.
Three singers, three nos.
When I got back to the hotel, I was going through some viewer submissions when a Mexican singer named Roxana Puente caught my eye.
So I headed off to Mexico city to see if she had what it took to move on to the next round.
She just returned from seeing her family, over 800 Miles away, in Merida.
Hello.
Roxana.
She has everything it takes.
She just needs to let go of the bad habits.
You know, it's a bad version of Mariah.
I do think that she's extremely capable.
The instrument that she has is pretty, pretty impressive.
God gave her a very, very, very, very special gift.
But she has to realize what she has and how special it is and find her Her own identity.
Coming up Is Roxana one of the chosen? Welcome back to Q'Viva, where Mexican vocalist Roxana Puente's fate is on the line.
Marc must decide whether she'll be the first female vocalist to move on to the next round.
So we finally had a female singer coming to L.
A.
, with a chance to compete for the Las Vegas stage.
And over the next couple of days, the hot streak just continued.
In Uruguay, Jen found another tantalizing tango act.
Then I traveled to central America to surprise a pair of salsa dancers.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
After watching their acrobatic salsa routine I had another shock for them.
Aah! Panama.
We were four days into week two.
Five more talented acts were headed to L.
A.
For the next round, where they will audition for Jennifer, Jamie, and me.
Meanwhile, on the way to see my next performer, I was starting to feel the effects of my grueling schedule.
I'm sleepy.
We're on our third country in three days I'm tired.
I'm ready to get back home to my babies.
No easy task.
I'm still doing it because It's never been done.
And it needs to be.
Hoping to bring the adrenaline back was Leonardo Sandoval.
Did I surprise you? So, so much.
- I am Brazilian, but I do speak English.
- Oh, good.
I heard about you, so I crept around the corner.
- Okay.
- I'm feeling really good.
- You feel good? - Yeah.
- You want to do some more? - Okay.
- Give me everything you got.
- Okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
You know, I've seen a lot of tap dancers, obviously, being a dancer in my life.
But he has a sense of rhythm and of sound.
He actually creates music with his feet, and it has an innate Latin sense.
To me, this kid is a star.
He really, really, really blew me away.
Let's go.
We're putting together a show about Latin culture.
I think that, um You would bring a really, really special and unique flavor to it.
So I'm gonna ask you if you would accept this ticket To come and go to the next level.
Aah! Jump.
Okay.
You can do it.
I can.
Thank you.
And with that, Brazil had one more dancer heading to Los Angeles.
Wow.
I'm going.
That's why we're doing it.
That's it.
Aah! I got it! Up next Marc and Jennifer reunite for a romantic performance in Puerto Rico.
But is Marc going to spoil the mood? - They're beautiful.
- I got my eye on a couple of them.
Douche.
Welcome back.
The second leg of our Q'Viva talent search is nearing the end.
But I was ending the week back where I started In Puerto Rico.
Every time I'm here, I want to live here bad Really bad.
I'd arranged to meet up with Jen and to see the week's final audition together.
And as we got together, we had a chance to check out each other's discoveries.
This guy, what he does with his hands, I swear to God, I want to get the Guinness book of world records Oh, this is the conguero? Yeah, I love him.
He has to have the fastest hands I have ever - Did you see him already? - Yeah.
I went to his house.
Packed with his cousins It was awesome.
I just love talent like that.
That's so rare.
- So prodigious.
- I'm really excited about him.
- Big word.
- "Prodigious" Can you spell it? P-r-o-d-i-g-i-o-u-s, prodigious.
I-o-u-s? Yes.
But for the final audition of the week, we were seeing a bomba group together.
I like her little swing right here.
Yeah, she's, like, the lead, I think.
I'm not saying that again.
It was her fault.
Somebody save me.
Hello.
How's everything? There you go.
- They're beautiful.
- I got my eye on a couple of them.
That was assault, on camera.
Whoo! Eso! Wow.
So coming to Los Angeles is a traditional dance troupe from Puerto Rico.
And with the second of our journey over, we headed back to the hotel.
All right, we had fun in Argentina last weekend.
I heard.
Good for you.
Good for you.
That's the way to do it.
You got one life.
Live it up.
Smile.
I am smiling.
Have a beer.
A beer? We're working.
I guess there's a lot of beers when I'm not around.
So, at the end of the second leg, 18 acts will be headed to Los Angeles to compete for a spot on the Q'Viva stage.
And as the search continues, Marc and Jennifer are realizing that the lives they're changing have been changing theirs as well.
I feel a lot richer today as a human being.
Hopes are alive, you know? Hopes are alive.
We just want all of Latin America to create this movement.
We want the world to see how rich in talent, how rich in passion and feeling the Latin culture is To really represent ourselves in the way that we want the world to see us.
This season on Q'Viva Marc and Jennifer take a journey like they have never done before.
Don't be scared.
Nobody get nervous.
Nothing can stop these two superstars in their search for the best talent that Latin America has to offer.
From the biggest cities to the smallest towns, from the jungle to the barrio, they will take all kinds of artists by surprise.
Hi.
And if their talent measures up to the standards that have been set Marc and Jennifer are ready with tickets to send singers, dancers, acrobats, musicians to Los Angeles Hollywood! Where they will compete for the chance to land a place in the grandest spectacle of Latin talent show the world has ever seen.