ABC announced a spinoff to the Bachelor franchise called The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, where musicians attempt to make romantic connections through songs. The Bachelor is undeniably one of reality TV’s most successful dating show franchises, and spinoffs are nothing new.
The Bachelor is currently on season 24 with no signs of stopping soon. Celebrities like Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis make no secret of their love of the series, and the latest Bachelor, pilot Pete Weber, seems to have a fan in Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron. Its first spinoff was the Bachelorette series, which followed the same basic premise of one person choosing between a large group of contestants, complete with rose ceremonies and group dates like the original. Since then, however, there has been no shortage of spinoffs, including Bachelor Pad, Bachelor in Paradise, Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise, and The Bachelor Winter Games. All have had varying degrees of success with different formats, but none will venture as far from the original show premise as The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart.
The new format will feature 20 single men and women, musicians, or individuals involved in music in some way, who will live together and try to make connections through music. They will cover well-known songs both individually and as couples. Contestants will go on Bachelor-style dates that will, of course, be very music-centric. As reported by Us Weekly, ABC entertainment president Karey Burke revealed that there will be musical challenges and “live performances judged by some of the biggest names in the music business.”
In regard to how a winner will ultimately be decided, the press release went on to say that “the couples whose performances reveal their love and devotion to one another will continue to be given a chance to further their relationships until only one couple is left standing.” While no information has been made as to the identity of the musical participants vying for love, Burke was coy with her response to questions as to whether or not singer Jed Wyatt from Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette might be participating. She responded, saying, “Anything can happen,” and went on to imply that fans might be able to expect some familiar faces.
In an already crowded field of reality TV dating shows, The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart is a refreshing new premise. With many of today’s hit scripted shows utilizing musical numbers, it seems likely that this twist will resonate with some people who might not have been previous Bachelor fans. One thing the spinoffs have proven so far is that, no matter the format, there is still never a shortage of drama when it comes to the franchise.
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The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart will premiere Monday, April 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Source: Us Weekly
