▁winner , ▁determined ▁by ▁a ▁studio ▁audience ▁and ▁panel ists , ▁is ▁awarded ▁a ▁recording ▁contract ▁with ▁Republic ▁Records , ▁a ▁division ▁of ▁Universal ▁Music ▁Group , ▁and ▁named ▁i He art Radio ' s ▁" On ▁the ▁Ver ge " ▁artist . ▁The ▁w inners ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁seasons ▁are ▁Ev vie ▁McK in ney ▁and ▁James ▁Graham . ▁ ▁The ▁show ’ s ▁panel ists ▁originally ▁included ▁ra pper , ▁record ▁producer ▁and ▁music ▁manager ▁Se an ▁Com bs , ▁ra pper ▁and ▁music ▁producer ▁DJ ▁Kh aled , ▁singer - song writer ▁Meg han ▁Train or , ▁and ▁music ▁executive ▁Charlie ▁Walk . ▁However , ▁Walk ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁series ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁season ▁one ▁finale ▁following ▁sexual ▁assault ▁alleg ations ▁against ▁him . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁episodes ▁have ▁star red ▁the ▁other ▁three ▁panel ists . ▁ ▁Format ▁Based ▁on ▁an ▁Isra eli ▁format ▁called ▁The ▁Four , ▁The ▁Four ▁is ▁a ▁singing ▁competition ▁that ▁diff ers ▁among ▁similar ▁talent ▁compet itions , ▁in ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁stage ▁aud itions . ▁The ▁artists , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁challeng ers , ▁are ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁holding ▁room ▁before ▁singing ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁a ▁live ▁studio ▁audience ▁and ▁the ▁jud ges . ▁The ▁panel ▁of ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁music ▁industry ▁ultimately ▁dec ides ▁the ▁best ▁challeng ers ▁that ▁comp ete ▁against ▁" The ▁Four ". ▁Their ▁decision ▁must ▁be ▁un anim ous . ▁The ▁members ▁consist ▁of ▁vocal ists ▁of ▁varying ▁gen res , ▁and ▁they