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Audible is taking music contests and audio storytelling to a whole new level with Breakthrough, the first audio-only singing competition series developed and launched exclusively as a podcast.
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The company revealed exclusively to Billboard on Wednesday (March 1) that Grammy-winning superstars Kelly Rowland and Sara Bareilles have joined Breakthrough as judges. On the show, the duo will guide the contestants’ performances, as well as mentor the artistic development of five artists through a season of musical challenges. As expected with the “audio only” format, the physical appearance of the performers is concealed, so their music is the only thing to connect them to listeners (and the judges too).
Over the course of nine episodes, the artists will be challenged with covering tracks that mean the most to them, stretching to genres outside their comfort zones, and writing and recording hooks and full original songs — with one artist ultimately crowned the winner. Throughout the series, Daveed Diggs will guide listeners through the contestants’ journeys as the host.
“I am so thrilled to be joining this group of wildly talented people for Breakthrough,” Bareilles said in a press statement. “I love that the creative team are on the same journey as our audience – getting to know these artists without seeing them – developing a sense of their artistry through only their music and storytelling. These five incredible souls showed up to each challenge with courage and vulnerability that invited us all into a remarkably intimate space, and I learned so much from them. No matter where you are in your career it is always inspiring to witness someone reach for the deepest parts of themselves and be willing to share that tender space.”
Rowland added, “I am so happy to be a part of this series that highlights and gives a voice to emerging artists. Audible is an ideal space for this and Breakthrough is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to up-and-coming musicians. I’m rooting for them all!”
Breakthrough premieres June 1 on Audible. Before then, check out an exclusive audio teaser below.
Doja Cat oozes confidence in her music videos, but things aren’t always as they seem.
In a Billboard exclusive clip from the new Audible original series Origins, the singer opened up about feeling self-conscious while filming her visuals.
“I actually had a problem at one point where I was doing all these music videos, I wouldn’t ask to see the screen,” she says in the clip (listen below). “I didn’t want to see what I looked like in that shot. I had a really hard time seeing myself in the music video after not being able to see the monitor, and I’d see myself and be like, ‘Oh my God, I approved that? Why did I let myself look like that?’”
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She says things changed when she started shooting music videos with more veteran artists like Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion and Bebe Rexha. “I saw them be like, ‘Let me see, let me see.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s the smartest thing to do!’ Because how the f— would you know what you look like?” she explains of finding her confidence on set.
Produced by Fresh Produce Media, Origins is an eight-part audio series featuring some of today’s top musicians in their most intimate form as they interpret the question, “Where are you from?” Each episode blends spoken narrative, immersive sound design and original music performances to help shape each story. Besides Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Camilo, Koffee, Tobe Nwigwe, Flying Lotus, King Princess and Mickey Guyton are also among the stars telling their origin stories.
“Audible has been fortunate to work with some of the most beloved and iconic musicians of our time through our ‘Words + Music’ series – one that focuses on the work of immensely talented artists and their incredible and varied impacts musically and personally, and has struck a chord with Audible listeners,” said Rachel Ghiazza, executive vice president, head of US content at Audible, in a press statement. “As we continue to dive head first into our expanding music vertical, we are thrilled to introduce Origins, a transcendent audio experience. This series breaks down the barrier between artist and human, as we get up close and personal with these remarkable contemporary musicians and find the source of each of their creative drives.”
Doja added, “I’ve always tried to bring my fans into my world. I am more interested in being myself than what others want me to be. I want people to get a real understanding of who I am, and I think Origins will help them do that.”
All eight installments of Origins will be available November 17 on Audible here. See the cover art below.
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