by Gina Scarpa

 

Tonight, the third installment of The Sing Off premieres and will run for the first time in the fall season. In a conference call with judges Ben Folds and Sara Bareilles, they called it "the season of innovation" and promised that the a capella groups would deliver. Read on for more about the new season of The Sing Off.

Q. When it was first brought up to you that you could be part of the show, what turned you on to it?

A. Sara: For me, I have an a capella background and I was a fan of the show. I performed on the season 2 finale. When my management brought this up as a possibility, it was kind of a no brainer for me. It's a really special show with a lot of heart. I love the other judges and it seemed like a really good thing to be a part of.

A. Ben: When they first asked me, I think I told my manager no. It hadn't run yet so I didn't know much about it. I thought, "I don't know if I want to be a judge." What convinced me to do it was that it's a capella. I have never been in an a capella group myself but I thought that this is something I regularly do. I listen to music, I have an opinion about it, and I know the inside of music and can talk about it. It turned out to be a really good decision, in my opinion.

 

Q. Sara, how have you found connecting with the judges? They've already been together. Have you found your footing with them?

A. Sara: I can't say enough good things about Ben and Shawn. At the heart of all things, they're really kind people. They have made it really comfortable for me to join up with them on the panel. We had kind of a natural chemistry that started from day one. Ben and I have known each other for a while now and have been friends. We make each other laugh and really respect each other's opinions. I'm not interested in conflict between the judges because it takes away from what the show is supposed to be about.

 

Q. What is it about the show that continues to make it such a success?

A. Ben: I think the show is successful because a lot of talent on it. The singers, even the ones that go home early in the seasons... they're really, really talented and really dedicated. They all sing together really well. I think it makes people feel really good to see people working together. That's been my main theory about the show. You can tune into television anywhere else and see people not getting along or see things not artfully put together. For a couple hours, it's nice to see some harmony.

 

Q. How difficult is it to compare groups, apples to oranges?

A. Ben: It is more of a range this year than the last two years and it does make it hard. What might make one work more than the other? You really have to put personal preferences aside, which I think we've done, and hone in on what they're attempting to do and how effective it is. Can this make a record? I don't like all records but a record is a record. It's really hard. You try not to make it personal.

A. Sara: You do keep in the back of your mind who is going to be able to make a great record and connect to an audience. It makes it a little easier when you see it groups that do it really, really well. I agree with Ben. The most important thing is to keep your personal preference out of it.

 

Q. What do you think is the biggest challenge for an a capella group when choosing songs?

A. Ben: I think it's different for every group. I think that's what's interesting about it is the story behind every group. In an all female group, you don't have a bass so you've got to find ways of making it work. There's plenty of ways but you've got to find it. If you're a group of 18 guys, it might be difficult to find a star or one person to connect to.

A. Sara: I think that was perfectly said, Ben. I agree.

 

Q. What makes this season different?

A. Ben: I think this is the season of innovation. As it evolves, I think everyone will see the innovation be second nature. These groups watched the television show and thought, "What can I do to stand out?" And so we have a lot of standout groups. The first season was much more conventional a capella and it was very good. The second season was more of that and now, all of a sudden, it's more about how they can stand out and be different.

 

The Sing Off premieres Monday, September 19, at 8/7c on NBC.

 

(Image courtesy of NBC)