RTVE is preparing The Winner Takes It All, a new musical competition that will pit 50 contestants in elimination duels for a prize of 100,000 euros. The format will blend live performances, strategic choice of opponents, and a competition designed to bring together performers with very different profiles.
The public broadcaster has confirmed the Spanish adaptation of the program, created by Talpa Studios, the same international company behind The Floor. For now, RTVE has not announced a premiere date, host, or the names of the judges who will form the panel.
How the new RTVE musical contest works
The mechanics will position the 50 contestants on different slots, each linked to the song they have prepared to perform. A random system will select the first participant, who must choose one of their neighbors as an opponent to open the competition.
Before making the decision, the contestant will be able to request information about the abilities or the level of the artists around them. That possibility introduces a strategic element that goes beyond simply singing well: choosing the right duel will be as important as delivering the song.
Once the matchup is chosen, the two performers will perform before a jury composed of three well-known figures from the music industry. Their scores will determine who continues in the program and who is eliminated immediately.
- 50 contestants will compete for the final prize.
- The confrontations will be elimination duels.
- The performances will feature music performed entirely live with a backing band.
- A panel of three professionals will evaluate each performance.
- The winner will receive €100,000.
A repertoire that blends styles and generations
One of the program’s distinguishing features will be the diversity of its participants. RTVE envisions bringing together amateur and professional singers, backing vocalists, rock performers, opera voices, and artists linked to big hits from the past.
The selection will not be limited to a single type of singer or a specific genre. The repertoire will include songs from pop, rock, soul, opera, musical theatre, copla, and singer-songwriter styles, among other genres. The idea is that each duel pits not only two voices but also two different ways of interpreting the performance.
That approach allows the show to appeal to both family entertainment and musical spectacle. The band will play a significant role, as contestants will not perform over a pre-recorded track, but will be accompanied by live musicians.
What it shares with The Floor and how it differs
The comparison with The Floor is inevitable because both formats belong to Talpa Studios’ catalog and use a visual layout based on squares. They also share a duel-based dynamic that moves the competition forward.
However, The Winner Takes It All will translate that mechanism to the musical realm. Instead of competing in knowledge-based challenges, the participants will have to defend songs and demonstrate their vocal ability before a specialized jury.
The choice of opponent can thus become one of the program’s narrative engines. The contestant who knows their options best can try to avoid a particularly powerful voice or seek a duel that suits their style, though the final performance will still be decisive.
RTVE’s bet on prime-time competitions
The new format joins an entertainment lineup in which RTVE already features titles such as MasterChef, The Floor, Until the End of the World, The Tunnel: Move Forward and Win, Hitster, The Hideout and the Benidorm Fest.
The arrival of another musical contest broadens a line that public television has already developed with the festival and various entertainment programs. The difference here is that music will not be merely the thematic axis, but also the elimination criterion in each round.
According to RTVE, the format comes from The Winner Takes It All, premiered in 2026 on the Dutch channel SBS6. The Spanish adaptation will preserve the blend of competition, spectacle, and variety of styles, though essential production details are yet to be finalized.
What remains to be known about the program
The announcement confirms the premise, the number of contestants, the prize, and the main mechanic, but leaves several relevant questions open for viewers. RTVE has not yet detailed the premiere date, the duration of each episode, the number of programs, or the exact system for selecting participants.
Nor have the three jury members been announced, a crucial element in a format where their judgments will decide each elimination. Their composition will define the tone of performances and the balance between technical criteria, popularity, and spectacle.
With 50 voices, a live band, and a prize of €100,000, The Winner Takes It All emerges as a format with broad potential: it can turn a familiar song into an unexpected duel and make strategy as important as talent. The next step will be to learn when it will arrive on RTVE and which names will shape its stage.
