How to Fail as a Popstar is a Canadian comedy web series, which premiered on CBC Gem in 2023.
[1] Adapted from Vivek Shraya's stage play and subsequent book of the same name, the series dramatizes Shraya's early attempt at becoming a pop music star in the 2000s before finding greater success as a writer.
[2] The supporting cast includes Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves, Nadine Bhabha, Arwen Humphreys, Eric Johnson, Vanessa Matsui and Aayushma Sapkota.
[3] According to Shraya, the idea behind the play, book and series adaptation was to normalize talking about failure, an experience that many people share but which is rarely depicted in scripted entertainment.
[5] The series had a theatrical preview screening at the 2023 Calgary International Film Festival,[6] in advance of its CBC Gem premiere in October 2023.