Tango Challenge

The Tango Challenge is a competition in which collaborations between Urapopstar artists and groups are formed. A week is set aside for the releases and all ten of the collaborations release against each other, competing for the highest chart position. The Tango Challenge is often met with anticipation similar to Christmas week. Many acts promote as much as they can, while others fail to promote at all.

2006
On August 14, 2006, was the first URAPS Tango Challenge. A week was set aside exclusively for 10 duets to face off in order to see which one will make the highest appearance, a competition as fierce as Christmas week.

Competitors
The first challenge saw the releases of these duets, listed in order of their first-week position:

•Christine Tyler & Arwyn Knight – Race Against The Clock (#2)

•X3D & Nikki – Yin & Yang Party (#4)

•Alesha & Ben Parker – Go Fuck Yourself (#6)

•Lemon Cosmos & Morris D Cat – Sourpuss EP (#8)

•AJ Hutton & Vivian – I Thought You Were A Gentleman (#9)

•Ben Johnston & Natasha Hilton – Center Stage (#11)

•Jake & Vernie – Music Is My Lover (#17, peak #15)

•Kazimiera & Tiffany – Open The Doors To Fun (#26)

•Paulo Araujo & Ella Crawford – Take A Trip (Granny) (#27, peak #16)

•David Stevens & Winnie – Untitled (DNC)

Trivia
•Alesha's original duet partner was Kantar but he dropped out, citing 'creative differences' as his reasoning. It is widely believed Alesha bullied him because of his disagreements with her good friend Josie Matthews.

•Ben Parker, Kantar's replacement, is Alesha's ex-husband.

•Vernie and Jake didn't get along during the promotion of their single, so Vernie re-recorded the single with four of her best friends in addition to having the original version.

•X3D and Nikki were both introduced on the talent competition URAPS Stars.

2007
The second Tango Challenge was different from the first, with the duets being chosen “lucky dip” style where groups of four participated in set challenges and the winner chose which act from the other three they wanted to collaborate with. The week of release was January 22, 2007.

Competitors
The winners of the challenges and the collabs decided as a result: Group 1: Buffi

•Buffi & Emblaze –War Of The Roses (#7, peak #4)

•Delta Nu & Russ Hooch – I've Got No Sympathy (#1) Group 2: Dillon Burns

•Kati & Dillon Burns – Quick Fix (#12, peak #10)

•Jake & Suzie and the Outcasts – Red (#16)

Group 3: Sidonia Sinn

•Innocent & Sidonia Sinn – Dead and Buried (#6)

•Dalisay & PSJ - Saving Myself For You (#23)

Group 4: Bullet Lips

•Bullet Lips & Natasha Hilton – Cirque De Freak (#22, peak #17)

•Dr. C and the Predicates & Rocco Varens – Cry Wolf (#15)

Group 5: Loretta Lambert

•Loretta Lambert & Heather – Hit The Road (#17, peak #6)

•Tropical Storm & Run Lola Run – Ms. Understood (#20)

Trivia
•Tropical Storm were a last minute replacement when Snake Bite dropped out.

•Natasha Hilton and Jake were the only two who took part in both challenges.

2009
The third Tango Challenge finally took place on February 23, 2009, two years after the second. Duet partners were literally drawn from a hat.

Competitors
The duets in the order announced:

•Luke Ramada & Amy Cooper - Bonnie & Clyde (#13)

•2gether & China - Bubble Pop Electric (#2)

•Alex Washington & Paulo Araujo - Sort It Out (Part 3) (#4)

•Miss Drips Vs. Danelle Becker - Forever And A Photograph / Uncertified (#6)

•Aftershock & Kaylee Walker - Battle Of The Sexes / When All Is Said & Done (#24)

•The Infinite & Violetta DiNozzo - Devil's Playground / Do Me Dirty (#11)

•Bleak September & Michelle Harmon (did not release)

•Twisted Disco & Sophie Ramone - Get Me My Gun (#14)

•Full Quality & Ellen Fitzpatrick - I Was Made For Lovin' You (#20)

The pairs were announced on January 30, 2009, with full-time promotion beginning on February 2, 2009.

Trivia
•Tango Challenge 3 will mark 2gether's first single release since 2004.

•Danelle Becker, Amy Cooper, and The Infinite will be the first acts to release their debut singles in the Tango Challenge. For Amy, as she was dropped after the single charted, her Tango single was the only singles she'd chart with.

•Like Alesha and Ben Parker in the first Tango Challenge, Alex Washington and Paulo Araujo are famously enemies due to their previous relationship. Araujo is also the only contestant from thte original Tango Challenge to take part on this one. The Tango releases have provided the singer's lowest and highest first week single sales.

•Miss Drips caused a controversy by allowing Danelle Becker to provide only the backing vocals. Becker then claimed she wouldn't promote the single. The Two were forced to work their differences and reach a decision. The deal was both would release the single with a "VS." and each one would single their own song on a Double-A Side single.

•Violetta DiNozzo was left partnerless after her chosen duet partner Kaci Trent failed to show after the pairings had been announced. The teen controversially decried Miss Drips for her treatment of her partnership with Danelle, claiming that Danelle would be much better appreciated working with Violetta instead. (Ironically, Danelle and Violetta would eventually duet themselves!) Newcomer group The Infinite stepped in to take Kaci's place. This pairing has been perhaps the most controversial, with relations between both parties rapidly degenerating to the point where they almost could not work together.

2010
The pairs for the fourth Tango Challenge (officially titled Tango Challenge 4: Blind Date) were announced March 15, 2010. The acts were divided into two groups, performign in "heats" reminiscent of URAPS Idol. Each act wrote an original song which they performed live on television. The top ranking acts from each group were assigned to each other, while the three acts with the least votes failed to make the cut. The duets will be released on April 12, 2010.

Competitors
•Adam Carsen & Vinyl Dolls - The Panther (#19)

•April Stenson & Syd Wolfe - Give Me The Night (#8) •Ben Johnston & Ryan Dawson - Chemical Warfare (#6) •Cassie Fox & Mark Charlie Wilson - The Story of Benjamin & Daisy (#1)

•Elle & Hailey Klass - X Marks The Spot (#17)

•Kazimiera & Tiffany Amber - Worlds Collide (#5)

•Kirby L. Avalon & Moodring - Hey Lady (Why Don't You?) (#8)

•Paige White & Tiger Tiger - Cage Fight (#6)

Trivia
•Three acts fails to make the cut: L.E.X, Rebound and Nathan King.

•A number of artists dropped out when the show was in its earlier stages: Benita Kunt, Crystal Barker, Josh Hurts, Kandice Kawaii, and Miss Retro.

•Ben Johnston and Kazimiera are the only acts from the initial Tango Challenge in this edition.

•This is the first Tango Challenge with all releases going Top 20

•Adam Carsen released his one and only single in this Tango Challenge. Similarly, this was April Stenson's only chart appearance outside of her group, Missfit.

2011
The pairs for the fifth Tango Challenge (officially titled Tango Challenge 5) were announced on February 21, 2011. Partners were literally drawn from a hat. The duets were released on April 4, 2011.

Competitors
•2gether & The Infinite - Dance If You Dare

•Abby Albaquerque & Beryl Casserolé - Bulldozer

•Brett Clarkson & KENYA - Better Than Midnight EP

•Cassie Diamond & Tamika - Hai Maintenance Woman

•Ellen Fitzpatrick & Penny Slots - E.S.P.

•James Moss & Bad Chicas - No Second Chances/Chica Boom

•LaTreasa & Suzie and the Outcasts - TBA

•One Zero & Paris - How To Build A Perfect Beast

Trivia
•2gether, The Infinite, Kenya & LaTreasa (as members of Tiger Tiger), and Suzie and the Outcasts are the only acts to have participated in earlier Tango Challenge competitions.

•Kenya and LaTreasa were both members of Tiger Tiger, who participated in 2010's Tango Challenge.

•Beryl Casserolé, Penny Slots, Bad Chicas (outside of collaborations with Ximena), LaTreasa (as a soloist), and One Zero had never released prior to the Tango Challenge.

2012
The sixth Tango Challenge occurred on March 19, 2012.

Competitors

 * Aimee Lyons & Sienna - Filthy Player (#1)
 * No Little Thing & Kazimiera - Not My Scene (#5)
 * Afrika Rose & Lucas Brandt - Down My Throat (#6)
 * Honey & Ashley! - Scaredy Cat (#7)
 * Tayla White & Leighann Martin - All Growed Up (#14)
 * Kym Richardson & Babycakes - You Can't Help Yourself (Babycakes, Kymmy-Poo) (#15)

Trivia

 * This marked Kym Richardson's first chart appearance on the charts in nearly eight years.
 * Kazimiera and Leighann Martin (who participated as part of Tropical Storm) are the only acts who have participated in a past Tango Challenge.
 * Several of the collaborators have teamed up since, most notably Ashley! and No Little Thing, who reached #1 together with their single Privacy.
 * The popularity of the duo of Aimee Lyons and Sienna was so popular that they eventually continued to release songs together, achieving the informal nickname "GhettoGinge".

2013
The seventh Tango Challenge will occur on March 4, 2013.

Competitors

 * Aimee Lyons & Angelié (#1)
 * Moodring & Dr. C and the Predicates (#3)
 * Aimee Stevens & Ashley! (#4)
 * Eva Laughlin & Selan (#10)
 * Rory Jacobs & Benjamin McAllister (#11)
 * Vixen & Nicholas X (#21)

Trivia

 * Moodring, Aimee Lyons, Ashley! and Dr. C and the Predicates have all entered previous Tango Challenges.
 * This marks Benjamin McAllister's first single outside of Phoenix Rising.
 * Venus Vegas & James Frost, 8-Bit & Beastette were also originally in this year's Tango, however they later dropped out.
 * Aimee Lyons became the first artist to win two Tango Challenges; she also won 2012's as part of the famous "GhettoGinge" pairing.