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3 The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, April 10, 2020 By Rachel Jones TV Media The sounds of love: Mu- sic is making connections in this new series from the makers of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette." "The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart," premieres Monday, April 13, on ABC. A few of the promised contestants include Bekah, a musical theater performer from D.C., Brandon, a coun- try singer straight out of Nashville, and Bri, a pop singer from Provo. Then there are Cheyenne and Chris from California, who are bringing some R&B and soul vibes to the set. And, of course, this wouldn't be a "Bachelor" spinoff without the series' handsome host, Chris Harrison. Honestly, this new series couldn't have come at a bet- ter time. The most recent season of "The Bachelor," Season 24, ended March 10 and gave us no shortage of drama. It even included Har- rison making a few love con- nections himself. The next season of "The Bachelor- ette" has been postponed due to global health con- cerns. But don't toss out that rose just yet. The producers are back at it again to help beautiful people find love. The contestants of this fledgling series live together and go on dates, very similar to the format of "The Bache- lor" and "The Bachelorette." The twist, though, is that these dates are all music- themed in a way that en- courages the contestants to find romantic harmony — and love — through their music. As couples come together, they get a chance to express their feelings for each other through their musical perfor- mances, both solos and du- ets with their prospective partners. Couples are voted off for a lack of connection, which should leave one magic duo at the end to blow us away with their mu- sic. Yes, there's a chance this could turn into a band- campesque drama-fest. The concept for the series does give off some "High School Musical" vibes. But, hopeful- ly, the show will focus on the spark and heat that an in- credible musical connection can bring. After all, music has the power to touch your heart in a way that a hot tub date just can't. This new direction might seem like an odd choice for the match-making franchise, but it's not as disconnected as you'd think. Rumor has it that they're using this show to make connections and feed into the seventh season of "Bachelor in Paradise," which is supposed to pre- miere later this summer. Watching now could help you pick out your favorite couples from that series nice and early — provided that series still goes forward as planned. So make sure you tune in to the series pre- miere of "The Bachelor: Lis- ten to Your Heart," when it airs Monday, April 13, on ABC. Songwriters center stage: When it comes to chart-topping hits, we al- ways hear about the singers and performers. But what about the songwriters? This freshman series shines a lit- eral spotlight on these un- derappreciated artists. Sea- son 2 of "Songland" pre- mieres Monday, April 13, on NBC. The show gives up-and- coming performers with songwriting talent the chance to share their work with industry experts. The judges set out to choose the songwriter they feel can pro- vide them with the next big hit. The show certainly shares some similarities with the hit series "The Voice," and they're both produced by Emmy winner Audrey Mor- rissey. In fact, Maroon 5's Adam Levine, who was a judge on "The Voice" for 16 seasons, is also a producer on this series. Still, the shows have some definite and important differences. Each episode features a guest singer or musical group. They sit with a small panel of regular judges, all of whom are well-known music produc- ers. These include Ryan Tedder, who is the lead singer for On- eRepulic, and Grammy winner Shane McAnally, who has written songs for Sam Hunt and Kelly Clarkson. The panel also includes Ester Dean ("Pitch Perfect," 2012). And the guest judges are no joke, either. The show has featured big names such as the Jonas Brothers, OneRe- public, Charlie Puth and Macklemore. Together, the guest per- formers and judging panel lis- ten to four different lyricists in every episode, each of whom play or sing original songs. Af- ter an elimination round, three contestants get to move on to the studio round. There, they couple up with a produc- er to improve their work, and those pairings are chosen by the guest judge. The show has a unique edge in that it focuses more on the process behind shap- ing the music and transform- ing it into something the world will love. It highlights the artist's creativity away from the mic, and they have a lot more to work on than just the words. They need to con- sider the melody, the harmony and arrangement of the song and (of course) the story they are sharing with the audience. All of these things are weighed out as the judges make a final decision on whose song deserves to be shared with the world. One thing that makes this show especially unique is that it fo- cuses on a lot more than just opinion or vocal ability. You'll find the judges hashing out between technical difficulty, songwriting talent and style choices to fit the guest judge. This show is definitely for viewers with a song in their heart. If you're ready to feel the beat, make sure you tune in to the season premiere of "Songland," airing Monday, April 13, on NBC. SOCCER SUNDAY 12:30 p.m. (53) Soccer MLS Live (HD) WRESTLING MONDAY 8:00 p.m. (17) WWE Raw Live (HD) FRIDAY 8:00 p.m. (6) (3) WWE SmackDown Live (HD) Oneonta Daily Star, NY: Sports Apr 11, 2020 to Apr 17, 2020 BASKETBALL FRIDAY 8:00 p.m. (63) Draft WNBA Live FOOTBALL TUESDAY 1:30 p.m. (14) NFL Live Live WEDNESDAY 1:30 p.m. (14) NFL Live Live THURSDAY 1:30 p.m. (14) NFL Live Live FRIDAY 1:30 p.m. (14) NFL Live Live sportszone Butler Auto 2 x 4 Conan Republicans are now referring to Mitt Romney as Judas. If Romney is Judas, that makes President Trump a Jesus that was married three times and caught with a porn star. Bernie Sanders is now refusing to release his full medical record. The senator defended himself. He said, "It's not my fault no one took records during the bubonic plague! They didn't have much record-keeping at the time." A Little Late With Lilly Singh Now, I don't agree with this, but traditionally you go on a first date with a guy, and he picks up the tab. With two girls, you're both just sitting there forever waiting for the other person to pay. Eventually, it's just two skeletons in nice dresses sitting at the Olive Garden. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon A guy in California who went to jail for pretending to be a doctor got his medical license in the Caribbean and is now an actual doctor here in the U.S. His patient was like, "Not the best story to tell during my prostate exam, but good for you!" President Trump promised that, if he's re-elected, he'll build 500 miles of border wall. And if he's not re-elected, he'll just draw a wall with a Sharpie. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert I would say the president is starting to unravel, but that would imply he was "raveled" in the first place. The fact that he's a bad criminal doesn't make it not a crime. If being bad at something makes you not that thing, then Trump is not a business owner or a husband. late laughs realtalk

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