TIJUANA A young entertainer with roots in the region will be one of the 35 contestants in the Spanish-language musical reality show "La Academia" that begins Sunday on Azteca América.
Juan Francisco Díaz, 20, will be representing Los Angeles though he's lived most of his life in Tijuana.
That's where he studied a career in communication.
At night, he would sing at La Parroquía café in Otay Ranch and Trobar, a Tijuana wine bar.
"Frank Díaz," as he's called by his godfather, Mexican singer Yahir, is currently in Mexico City, where the show is taped.
The goal of "La Academia," which first aired in 2002, is to identify the best talent in Mexico, the United States and Latin America. The format is that the participants live in a house and spend their days taking classes in singing, dancing and acting.
They perform a song in a concert each Sunday. The TV audience can vote by text for their favorite and the performer who receives the fewest votes is eliminated week after week, until only a handful of finalists remain to vie for the grand prize.
This year's edition will be directed by noted singer and actor Eduardo Capetillo, and hosted by his wife Bibi Gaytán.
The network said that the "La Academia" will be the first musical reality show that will be transmitted in 3D.
The show airs Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 15 in San Diego. Fans can follow the action at La Academia's website.
