First 'Rising Star' contestants announced

The first set of singers from across the country will perform on this Sunday's premiere of ABC's hotly anticipated new series, "Rising Star," Sunday, June 22, (9 p.m.) on ABC. They are:

• Lisa Punch, 21, of Brooklyn
• Joshua Peavy, 28, of Soperton, Georgia
• Jesse Kinch, 20, of Seaford, New York
• Maneepat Myra Molloy, 16, ​of Los Angeles
• Sarah Darling, 31, of Nashville, Tennessee​
• Summer Collins, 18, of Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Daniel & Olivia, (Daniel Wolfe, 24; Olivia Thai, 25) of San Gabriel Valley, California
• Colin Huntley, 16, of Georgetown, Texas
• Beyond 5, (Zac Love, 19; Tanner Myler, 19; TJ Ryan, 16; Patch Crowe, 19; Ammon Soloasa Tuimaualuga, 17) of Nashville.

Internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter Josh Groban will host. 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. The show follows a group of aspiring singers as they perform live. During the performances, 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, the performer can see how the voting is going throughout the performance, so the feedback is immediate and dramatic.

To vote for your favorite contestants, 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, and it's totally free and easy to use. 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 contestant moves on or goes home, or if you're on the West Coast, whether a lucky contestant gets a second chance.

 "Rising Star" opened the gate to a new era in reality competition when the executive producers, Ken Warwick ("American Idol") and Nicolle Yaron ("The Voice"), kicked off a nationwide search for talent earlier this year. The show accepted submissions online, via Instagram, and production members traveled to Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Los Angeles, New York and Boston for in-person auditions. Beginning June 22, the contestants winnowed down by that search will have their moment on stage in "Rising Star" with viewers deciding who wins.

The series airs over 10 weeks. The first three weeks - "Qualifiers" - showcase approximately 30 acts. These episodes will be two hours each. Beginning July 13, the series is one hour weekly. The next phase of competition is the duels, where acts compete one-on-one. Those who survive return for the quarterfinal and perhaps semifinal rounds, as the field continues to narrow until the night of the finals, when just one of the remaining acts will be named the "Rising Star" winner.