The first series of , known contemporaneously simply as or OT, and later known retrospectively as or OT 1 to differentiate it from the rest of the series, was aired live on of from 22 October 2001 to 11 February 2002, and was presented by . The regular series was followed by a Disney Gala on 18 February 2002, three Eurovision Galas between 25 February and 11 March, a joint concert tour throughout Spain between 4 April and 4 June, a documentary film tilted released on theaters on 20 September, and a three-episode reunion special and a concert to celebrate its 15th anniversary titled in 2016.
The initial objective of this first series was to launch three musical careers and, in turn, choose the for the Eurovision Song Contest 2002. Eventually, due to the enormous impact of the show, all the contestants received a car and secured a contract with a major record label for the release of their first album. Rosa López was the winner of the regular series, and she also won the Eurovision selection with the song "Europe's Living a Celebration".
The regular series had a total average audience of 6.947 million viewers (43.3% share), achieving an average of 12.873 million in the final gala (68.0% share). The CDs with the studio versions of each of the galas and the compilation albums were sales successes, with sales of between three and four million total, and contributed to improving the recorded music market in Spain. In addition to the cover versions, the contestants recorded together the original group songs "" and "".
The format, which began as a weekly live gala on , and daily and weekly summaries of the contestants' activities at the academy on , expanded as the audience grew, eventually including since Gala 2 a live chat on where the contestants, at the academy right after the gala, read the messages they had received, and starting on 27 December 2001, its own 24-hour thematic channel named on Canal Satélite Digital, following live the contestants' daily activities at the academy. The contestants who were evicted each week continued their training off-camera, in separate facilities and without contact with those who remained in the competition. Once the regular series and the Eurovision galas were over, three monographic galas dedicated to each of the top-3 finalists were broadcast on , and between 15 April and 4 June 2002, eight weekly galas under the title .
Staff Academy headmaster: Nina Academy teachers: Helen Rowson (voice techniques and English pronunciation), Manu Guix (singing), Lawrence de Maeyer (body technique and dance), Javier Castillo (gala choreographer), Mayte Marcos (dance), Néstor Serra (physical trainer), and Àngel Llàcer (acting). Judges: Pilar Tabares, Alejandro Abad, and Narcís Rebollo Presenter:
Contestants
Contestant Age Residence Episode of eviction Place finishedRosa20GranadaFinal GalaWinnerDavid Bisbal22AlmeríaRunner-upDavid Bustamante19San Vicente de la Barquera 3rdChenoa26Palma 4th26Seville 5thVerónica23Elche 6thNuria Fergó22Nerja Gala 13 7thGisela22Barcelona Gala 12 8thNaím Thomas21Premià de Mar Gala 11 9thÀlex Casademunt20Vilassar de Mar Gala 5 / Gala 10 10th23Valencia Gala 8 11th28Madrid Gala 7 12thNatalia18Sanlúcar de Barrameda Gala 6 13thJavián27Dos Hermanas Gala 4 14th19Vila-seca Gala 3 15th19Gran Canaria Gala 2 16th
Galas Results summary Colour key The contestant was the weekly public's favourite The contestant was one of the most voted as the public's favourite The contestant was nominated to leave the academy, but was saved by the teachers The contestant was nominated to leave the academy, but was saved by the other contestants The contestant was nominated to leave the academy, but the nominations were suspended The contestant was nominated to leave the academy The contestant was candidate to return to the academy The contestant was evicted Chosen as finalist 3rd finalist 2nd finalist Winner
Gala 1 Gala 2 Gala 3 Gala 4 Gala 5 Gala 6 Gala 7 Gala 8 Christmas Gala 9 Gala 10 Gala 11 Gala 12 Gala 13 FinalRosaFavouriteFavouriteFavouriteFavouriteFavouriteFavourite SavedFavouriteExempt SavedFavourite SavedFavouriteFinalist WinnerBisbalSavedSaved Saved SavedSaved SavedFavourite SavedExemptFavourite SavedFavouriteSavedFinalist Runner-upBustamanteSavedSaved SavedSaved Saved Saved Saved NominatedExempt SavedNominated SavedNominatedFinalist 3rd PlaceChenoaSavedSavedSaved Saved SavedSaved SavedSavedExemptSavedSavedSavedSavedFinalist 4th placeManuSavedSavedSavedSaved SavedSavedSaved NominatedExemptSavedSaved Saved SavedFinalist 5th placeVerónicaSavedSavedSavedSaved SavedNominated Saved NominatedExemptSavedSavedNominated SavedFinalist 6th placeNuriaNominatedSavedSavedSavedSaved SavedSavedSavedExempt Saved SavedSavedNominatedEvictedGiselaSaved SavedSavedSavedSavedSavedSaved NominatedExemptSaved SavedNominatedEvictedNaímSavedSavedSaved SavedSavedSavedNominatedSavedExemptNominatedNominatedEvictedÀlex SavedSavedSavedNominatedEvicted Candidate FinalCandidateNominatedEvictedJuanSavedNominatedNominatedNominatedSavedNominatedEvicted Candidate FinalCandidateEvictedAlejandroSaved Saved SavedSavedNominated SavedNominated CandidateEvictedNataliaSavedSaved Saved SavedNominatedEvicted CandidateEvictedJavián SavedSavedNominatedEvicted CandidateEvictedMireiaSavedNominatedEvicted CandidateEvictedGenoNominatedEvicted CandidateEvicted Up fornominationÀlexGenoJaviánNuriaAlejandroGiselaJuanMireiaAlejandroJaviánJuanNataliaÀlexJuanNaímNataliaAlejandroManuNataliaVerónicaAlejandroJuanNuriaVerónicaAlejandroBustamanteNaímVerónicaBustamanteManuVerónicaGisela NoneÀlexBustamanteNaímNuriaBustamanteGiselaNaímNuriaBustamanteGiselaRosaVerónicaBustamanteManuNuriaVerónica NoneRosa26.6%to win Saved bythe teachers ÀlexGiselaNataliaNaímManuNuriaVerónicaNoneNoneBustamanteGiselaRosaManuNone Saved bythe contestantsJavián5* of 13 votesto save Alejandro6 of 12 votesto save Alejandro5 of 11 votesto save Natalia5 of 10 votesto save Verónica3* of 9 votesto saveAlejandro6 of 8 votesto save Bustamante3 of 7 votesto save NoneNoneNuria5 of 7 votesto save Nuria4 of 6 votesto saveBustamante2* of 5 votesto save Verónica2 of 4 votesto save NoneBisbal20.9%to win Saved bypublic voteNoneNuria76.0%to saveJuan60.1%to saveJuan54.5%to saveJuan50.3%to saveAlejandro52.7%to saveVerónica70.5%to saveNaím70.0%to saveÀlex41%to returnÀlex64.0%to returnNaím66.7%to saveBustamante65.0%to saveVerónica53.8%to saveBustamante54.2%to saveJuan16%to return EvictedNoneGeno24.0%to saveMireia39.9%to saveJavián45.5%to saveÀlex49.7%to saveNatalia47.3%to saveJuan29.5%to saveAlejandro30.0%to saveAlejandro15%to returnJuan36.0%to returnÀlex33.3%to saveNaím35.0%to saveGisela46.2%to saveNuria45.8%to saveBustamante18.8%to winNatalia11%to returnJavián8%to returnChenoa17.6%to winMireia5%to returnManu14.7%to winGeno4%to returnVerónica1.4%to win
Gala 0 + Gala 0 – 22 October 2001 Song Contestant 1 "No importa la distancia"by Ricky Martin Bustamante 2 "De dónde soy"by Thalía Mireia 3 "El amor que soñé"by Mariah Carey Natalia 4 "Over My Shoulderby Mike and the Mechanics Juan 5 "Pero me acuerdo de ti"by Christina Aguilera Geno 6 "A puro dolor"by Son By Four Álex 7 "Killing Me Softly with His Song"by Roberta Flack Rosa 8 "La casa de Inés"by Bisbal 9 "She Bangs"by Ricky Martin Javián 10 ""by Ana Belén Chenoa 11 ""by Tamara Nuria 12 "Isn't She Lovely"by Stevie Wonder Naím 13 "One Moment In Time"by Whitney Houston Verónica 14 "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"by Shania Twain Gisela 15 ""by M-Clan Alejandro 16 "O tú o ninguna"by Luis Miguel Manu 17 "Oh, Happy Day"by Edwin Hawkins Singers Group performancewith the teachers
Gala 1 + Gala 1 – 29 October 2001 Song Contestant Result 1 "Mira ven, ven"by Chayanne Álex Proposed by the jurySaved by the teachers Bisbal Saved by the jury Javián Proposed by the jurySaved by the contestants 2 "Gracias por la música"by ABBA Rosa Public's favourite Nuria Proposed by the juryNominated 3 "Tu verdad"by Mike and the Mechanics Juan Saved by the jury Bustamante Saved by the jury 4 "Déjame soñar"by Ramsey Ferrero Gisela Saved by the jury Natalia Saved by the jury Mireia Saved by the jury 5 "I Finally Found Someone"by Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams Naím Saved by the jury Verónica Saved by the jury 6 "Otro amor vendrá"by Lara Fabian Geno Proposed by the juryNominated Chenoa Saved by the jury 7 "Cuando el amor se va"by Chayanne and Rubén Blades Manu Saved by the jury Alejandro Saved by the jury
Gala 2 + Gala 2 – 5 November 2001 Song Contestant Result Up for eviction 1 "Una noche más"by Jennifer Lopez Geno Evicted by the public (24.0%) 2 "Esperaré"by Presuntos Implicados Nuria Saved by the public (76.0%)Saved by the jury Regular performances 3 "Corazón espinado"by Carlos Santana and Maná Álex Saved by the jury Bustamante Saved by the jury 4 "Lady Marmalade"by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink Verónica Saved by the jury Chenoa Saved by the jury Gisela Proposed by the jurySaved by the teachers 5 "Adoro"by Armando Manzanero and Alejandro Sanz Naím Saved by the jury Bisbal Saved by the jury 6 "Nadie como tú"by Chayanne Natalia Saved by the jury Mireia Proposed by the juryNominated 7 "Santo Santo"by Gloria Estefan and So Pra Contrariar Manu Saved by the jury Rosa Public's favourite 8 "It's Gonna Be Me"by 'N Sync Juan Proposed by the juryNominated Alejandro Proposed by the jurySaved by the contestants Javián Saved by the jury 9 "" Group performance 10 "Dile que la quiero"by David Civera Group performancewith David Civera
Gala 3 + Gala 3 – 12 November 2001 Song Contestant Result Up for eviction 1 "Por amor"by Thalía Mireia Evicted by the public (39.9%) 2 "Imagíname sin ti"by Luis Fonsi Juan Saved by the public (60.1%)Proposed by the juryNominated Regular performances 3 "El día que me quieras"by Luis Miguel Bisbal Saved by the jury Nuria Saved by the jury 4 "Mariana mambo"by Chayanne Bustamante Saved by the jury Javián Proposed by the juryNominated Álex Saved by the jury 5 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"by Elton John and George Michael Naím Saved by the jury Alejandro Proposed by the jurySaved by the contestants 6 "No me ames"by Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez Manu Saved by the jury Gisela Saved by the jury 7 "Walking on Sunshine"by Katrina and the Waves Verónica Saved by the jury Natalia Proposed by the jurySaved by the teachers 8 "Sueña"by Luis Miguel Chenoa Saved by the jury Rosa Public's favourite
Gala 4 + Gala 4 – 19 November 2001 Song Contestant Result Up for eviction 1 "Your Song"by Elton John Juan Saved by the public (54.5%)Proposed by the juryNominated 2 "La última noche"by Diego Torres Javián Evicted by the public (45.5%) Regular performances 3 "Quiero vivir la vida amándote"by Jon Secada and Ana Gabriel Bustamante Saved by the jury Verónica Saved by the jury 4 "Suave"by Luis Miguel Naím Proposed by the jurySaved by the teachers Alejandro Saved by the jury Bisbal Saved by the jury 5 "Te extraño, te olvido, te amo"by Ricky Martin Álex Proposed by the juryNominated Natalia Proposed by the jurySaved by the contestants 6 "It's Raining Men"by Geri Halliwell Rosa Public's favourite Chenoa Saved by the jury Gisela Saved by the jury 7 "Noches de Bohemia"by Manu Saved by the jury Nuria Saved by the jury 8 ""by Rosana Group performancewith Rosana
Gala 5