By Fred Topel
HollywoodNews.com: Pop music sensation Sara Bareilles is joining the singing competition show The Sing-Off as a judge. The “Love Song/King of Anything” singer said taking the time to appear on a TV show, which will go from weekly to nightly, was a no brainer.
“I’ve been a fan of the show from the beginning and then got to join up last year in the finale,” Bareilles said at the Television Critics Association panel for The Sing-Off. “I’m such an a cappella nerd and such a fan, it seemed like a wonderful way to join up with a killer cast of characters and get closer to the show. Of course it’s nice to get people to see who I am in terms of my personality and what I have to offer as a judge.”
Bareilles has a background in a cappella singing with Awaken at UCLA. When she’s evaluating an a capella singing on The Sing-Off, she wants to be gentle. “We try to be honest but really fair,” she said. “We try to be kind as well. We’ve all received criticism over the years. You get the most out of someone who takes into consideration that you’re really vulnerable up there.”
Other competition shows thrive on mean judges leveling with contestants who fail their performance. Bareilles thinks there’s more value in constructive criticism. “I think I have a different perspective on whether or not I believe that’s really leveling with contestants,” she said. “I’ve also been the recipient of constructive criticism and had people come in work with my band. We have an artistic director. We’re working on something that’s our creative brainchild and it’s only going to get better if you don’t feel defensive. For me personally, that’s not going to come if I receive criticism that feels unfounded or personal. I try to be technical about my perspective and communicate it in a way that seems fair.”
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