Brad Paisley Reportedly Signed to Judge ABC’s ‘Rising Star’
Blake Shelton and Keith Urban, judges on 'The Voice' and 'American Idol' respectively, will no longer be the only country music stars sitting in judge's seats. Fellow country star Brad Paisley is said to be joining a new ABC reality series called 'Rising Star' as one of their judges.
'Rising Star' is reinventing the traditional singing competition. Of course, there are aspiring singers and lots of auditions, but there's also a significant twist: the audience, not the judges have the final say on whether or not the singer will advance.
Deadline reports that during the performance, viewers vote via an app, ultimately determining if the contestant's hopes will be fulfilled ... or dashed. If the tallied votes reach a certain threshold, the performer will move on. And, just for fun, the performer can actually see the votes that tick in, making it extremely nerve-wracking, but also incredibly entertaining; they are separated from the studio audience and judges by a translucent LED screen that portrays the votes. If the screen goes up, they've made it onto the next round.
Paisley, along with Carrie Underwood, has been a six-time co-host for the CMAs, and has certainly proved his ability to entertain, not only onstage, but also in front of cameras. The other two judges are expected to be announced soon. 'Rising Star' did well in Israel and just premiered in Portugal to a positive response.
There's been no official statement from ABC or Paisley regarding the new gig. According to the ABC website, 'Rising Star' will premiere on Sunday, June 22 at 9PM ET on ABC.
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