'Rising Star': Next group of performers announced

Whose performance will raise the wall? Find out Sunday on ABC

The next set of 12 phenomenal singers from across the country will perform on this Sunday's episode of ABC's new groundbreaking reality series "Rising Star
 (9 p.m. on the ABC Television Network). They are:

• Egypt Dixon, age 18, of Texarkana, Texas
• Megan Tibbits, 26, Caro, Michigan
• Rye Davis, 25, of Pig, Kentucky
• Shameia Crawford, 30, of Lithonia, Georgia
• Austin French, 20, of Tifton, Georgia
• Deedra Ervin, 20, of Belle Haven, Virginia
• April Lockhart, 18, of Warren, New Jersey
• Trinitii (group ages 19-30) of Sacramento
• Will Roth of Watauga, Texas
• Alice J. Lee, 25, of Chicago
• Adam Jaymes, 24, of Palmdale, California
• Sonnet Simmons, 34, of Los Angeles

Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Josh Groban is host, and country music superstar Brad Paisley, music sensation Kesha and hip-hop artist and actor Ludacris comprise the expert panel on ABC's "Rising Star," the next evolution of live television.

"Rising Star" completely reinvents the traditional singing competition as - for the first time ever - the audience has the final say in real time. Each episode of the show follows a group of aspiring singers as they perform live. 

During each performance, viewers vote in real time via an app to determine if the singer will advance in the competition. If the voting reaches a certain threshold, the performer moves on. In addition, based on the number of viewer photos appearing on the wall, the performer can see the level of response to his or her performance, so the feedback is immediate and dramatic.

To vote for your favorite performers, home judges (viewers) can download the "Rising Star" ABC app through the Apple App Store, Windows Market Place, or the Google Play Store. The app is essential to participate in the voting process; it's totally free and easy to use. Just register with your Facebook or Twitter account, and you're ready to go. 

Before each performance, you'll be asked to check-in, and then when it's time to vote, swipe "Blue" (to the right) to vote "yes," or "Red" (to the left) to vote "no." You'll see the results of the vote in real time on television - even if you are on the West Coast. 

In just seconds, your votes determine whether the wall rises, whether a performer moves on or goes home, or if you're on the West Coast, whether a lucky performer gets a second chance.

"Rising Star" is produced by Ken Warwick ("American Idol") and Nicolle Yaron ("The Voice"). Fans can follow the show on:           

• Instagram: RisingStarABC
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RisingStarABC
• Twitter: @RisingStarABC, #RisingStar @ABC_Publicity