Academy Fantasia, Season 8 is the eighth season of Academy Fantasia which premiered on True Visions in June 2011.
Changes from Season 7
Instead of the normal two audition channels, Live and Online, the 8th season introduced the third channel dubbed the Academic Institutions, where schools or universities could send their student in the name of the institute to participated the audition. 12 contestants who were selected by the judging panel will be eligible to compete in the house immediately without having to audition again with the participants from live and Online channels, and will receive their own V number to use in the competition. As a results, the number of contestants participated season 8 increase from the normal 12 finalists into 24 finalists, when combined with 12 contestants selected from the Live and Online Audition participants, made season 8 having the highest number of contestants with the V number for the competition in the show's history. The number of 24 contestants with the V number was after repeated on season 10 (2013). However, the judging panel judged that only 9 Academic-Institutions audition participants were qualified to attend the competition as a finalist, resulting in the number of the finalists from the Live and Online audition increased from 12 to 15 contestants.
However, after the season was premiered, it was announced that the main finalists of season 8 would still consists of 12 contestants, similar to season 4 (2007) and season 5 (2008) where the starting number of the seasons' finalists had more than twelve as well. Which means the 24 finalists had to compete for the final 12 spot in the first three weeks of the season. In which, each weeks of the first three weeks, four contestants who received the fewest popular votes, two from male side and two from female side, will be eliminated until there will be only 12 contestants left in the competition, after that, the main competition of the final 12 will begin.
Auditions
There were three channel for auditions, Live, Online and Academic institutions audition. The contestants were required to between the ages of 15 and 25 years old who are not embedded with music recording contracts.
The Live Auditions were held in the following cities: The South district, Surat Thani The Northeast district, Nakhon Ratchasima The North district, Chiangmai The Center district, Bangkok
Semi-finalists
Concert summaries
Top 24 - Semi-finals (Week 1) Mentor: N/A
Group Performances
Males - "อยู่บำรุง" (ว่าน ธนกฤต) Females - "ห้ามทิ้ง" (อะตอม ไมค์ไอดอล) Various Artists - "Too Much, So Much, Very Much" (Thongchai McIntyre)
Top 20 - Semi-finals (Week 2) Mentor: สุนิตา ลีติกุล
Group Performances
Tide, Ton, Ann, Earng & Wei Wei - "ไม่ต้องมีคำบรรยาย" (Mr.Team) Praewa, Pik, James, Team & Joy - "รักไม่ต้องการเวลา" (Klear) Kacha, Potay, Praew, Aon & Dew - "หัวใจผูกกัน" (Boyd Kosiyabong) Yuki, Lynn, Beer, Frame & Tao - "ทุ้มอยู่ในใจ" (Big Ass)
Top 16 - Semi-finals (Week 3) Mentor: ปาน ธนพร
Group Performances
Males - "หยุด" (Groove Riders) Females - "ลมหายใจ" (Mr.Z) Various Artists - "ขอบคุณ" (ป๊อด Moderndog & บุรินทร์ Feat. Palmy) Various Artists - "เกมเกียรติยศ" (จักรพรรณ์ อาบครบุรี)
Top 12 - Tata Young / Jirasak Parnpum
Mentor: Tata Young & Jirasak Parnpum
Group Performances
Praewa, Lynn & Ann - "โอ๊ะ โอ๊ย" (Tata Young) Praew, Dew & Joy - "รบกวนมารักกัน" (Tata Young) Tide, Kacha & Tao - "เพลงลูกกรุง" (Jirasak Parnpum) Ton, Jame & Frame - "ราตรีสวัสดิ์" (Jirasak Parnpum)
Top 11 - Heartbroken
Mentor: Boy Peacemaker
Group Performances
Tide, Ton & James - "ผู้ชายคนนี้กำลังหมดแรง" (อ๊อฟ) Kacha, Frame & Tao - "เงียบๆ คนเดียว" (เบิร์ด ธงไชย) Praewa, Ann & Joy - "มารักทำไมตอนนี้" (Am Fine) Lynn & Praew - "ผิดไหม" (Fahrenheit)
Top 10 - In Love
Mentor: TBA
Group Performances
Tide & Lynn - "วนาสวาท" (เบิร์ด ธงไชย / หนูนา) Praewa & Frame - "หนุ่มบาว สาวปาน" (คาราบาว / ปาน) Kacha & Tao - "อยากรู้แต่ไม่อยากถาม" (Calories Blah Blah) Ton & Joy - "Always" (Atlantic Starr) James & Praew - "เล็กๆ น้อยๆ" (มาลีวัลย์ / ปั่น)
Top 9 (First week) - Variety Dance
Mentor: Jennifer Kim / Raptor
Group Performances
Praewa, Lynn, Praew & Joy - "Nobody" (Wonder Girls) Kacha, Ton & Tao - "La Bamba" (Los Lobos) James & Frame - "เกรงใจ" (Raptor) Various Artists - "Summer Nights" (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John)