A self-proclaimed “big a cappella nerd,” Sara Bareilles has signed on to become a judge on NBC’s singing competition “The Sing-Off,” and the singer-songwriter tells Billboard.com that she’s excited to have landed her first recurring television role.
“I’ve been a big fan of the show and I love the fact that it’s highlighting a cappella music,” says Bareilles, who performed in an a cappella group in college at UCLA. “I feel like it’s the one kind of show that I can hopefully add something to, in terms of having experience or some sort of expertise on it. I’m certainly not a total expert by any means, but I’m very passionate about it.”
Related
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Mashup Mondays: Sara Bareilles Switches Up ‘Single Ladies’
Bareilles, best known for her 2007 single “Love Song,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last year with third studio album “Kaleidoscope Heart,” which has sold 344,000 copies since its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. She will replace former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger, who served as a judge alongside Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman on the first two seasons of “The Sing-Off” before signing on as a judge on Fox’s upcoming U.S. version of “The X Factor.”
Sara Bareilles Puts Her ‘Heart’ Into New Album
Along with sharing the judges table, Folds and Bareilles will be teaming up in his Nashville studio this fall, where he will be producing a new EP for her. Bareilles will also be releasing a new single, “Gonna Get Over You,” in the coming weeks, and will film a video for the track, directed by comedian Jonah Hill, in August.
“There’s a lot on the board right now, but I’m feeling really fulfilled and inspired about where I’m at and I’m hoping I can just stay in that place for a while,” Bareilles says.
The third season of “The Sing-Off” premieres on Sept. 19, and Bareilles — who performed on the season two finale last year — says she can’t wait to see the caliber of the competition. “I was so blown away by the caliber of talent last season,” she says, “and so I’m just really excited to see, now that the show is even bigger than it’s been, what kind of groups they come up with.”
Sara Bareilles Taps Pharrell, Sugarland, Josh Groban for ‘Uncharted’ Video