Watch Rising Star

Rising Star was a singing competition reality show that premiered on ABC in 2014. Hosted by Josh Groban, the show had a unique twist compared to other singing competitions- the performers had to impress not only the judges, but also the audience at home who voted in real-time using an app.

The panel of judges was comprised of Ludacris, Brad Paisley, and Kesha, who each brought their unique perspectives to the show. The three judges sat behind a wall of lights, which represented the percentage of votes each performer received from the audience. If the performer reached 70% of the vote, the wall would lift and they would move on to the next round. If not, the wall would remain closed and the performer was eliminated.

The show began with auditions, where each contestant had 90 seconds to impress the judges and audience with their talent. If they received 70% of the audience vote, they moved on to the duels. The duels were a head-to-head battle between two performers, with the winner moving on to the next round. The judges also had a "star factor" save, which they could use to save one performer who did not receive enough votes to move on.

The quarterfinals had the remaining eight performers battling it out for a chance to move on to the semifinals. At this point in the competition, the judges had the ability to use a "raise the wall" vote, which counted as 7% of the vote. The semifinals saw the remaining four performers competing for a spot in the finale.

The finale was the ultimate showdown between the top two performers, with the winner being crowned the Rising Star and receiving a recording contract with Capitol Records. The finale also featured performances from Josh Groban, Ludacris, and Brad Paisley.

In addition to the competition itself, the show also featured heartwarming backstories of the performers, showcasing their struggles and triumphs on their journey to becoming a Rising Star. The show also had a social media component, with viewers able to interact with the performers and judges using the show's official app.

Overall, Rising Star was an innovative take on the singing competition genre, with its real-time audience voting and interactive app. The talented panel of judges and inspiring performers made for an entertaining and emotional viewing experience.