NBC To Search For "The Voice" In Music City

NBC is holding Nashville auditions for its new singing competition The Voice (working title). Based on the Dutch show, Voice of Holland, the American version is from reality TV gurus/ executive producers John de Mol and Mark Burnett.
Internet rumors abound that Carson Daly is in negotiations to host the show.
Interested contestants can try their luck on January 22, 2011 at Nashville’s S.I.R. Studios (1101 Cherry Ave., Nashville, TN 37203). Details here.
One difference between this new outing and other reality singing competitions is the initial “blind audition.” According to the show’s official web site:

The singers will perform with a live band and in front of an audience. During these Auditions the coaches can not see the singers; they can only be heard. The coaches will therefore only be able to select talent based on voice quality and technique, without being distracted or influenced by their appearance. If selected by one of the coaches during The Blind Auditions, singers will be mentored by these coaches who are music industry professionals, compete weekly in front of that panel of coaches and America will decide which singer will be worthy of the grand prize.

>>In other reality singing show news, no date has been announced for the airing of the Nashville auditions of American Idol. More than 16,000 hopefuls turned out for the July 2010 auditions at the Bridgestone Arena.
Judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were in town for a second round of try-outs at the Ryman Auditorium in October.
America’s most-watched show in 2010 premieres on its new nights, Wednesday and Thursday, this week.