Ben Folds Discusses Role as 'Sing Off' Judge

Posted on Dec 17th 2009 9:34AM by Dan Reilly
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Ben Folds has a new gig, and it's not where many music fans might expect. The singer-songwriter is currently a judge on NBC's 'The Sing Off,' an a cappella competition in the style of 'American Idol.' Folds is one of four celebrity singers on the show, along with host Nick Lachey and fellow judges the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger and Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman.

Folds' involvement stems directly from his recent 'University A Cappella' album, which featured college singing groups performing his music. Much like his role on the show, Folds had to judge the groups' audition tapes, which were submitted via YouTube. "[The producers] had come up with the idea around time the 'University A Cappella' record was out," Folds told the Wall Street Journal. "They were scouting out groups. So I felt more in the position that the producers were asking me for advice and help. Then I went in and talked to them about judging."

The 43-year-old says that his intentions are pure when it comes to being on the show. "The reason I did it was because of my interest in advancing a cappella music," he said. "Not just in popularity but in moving it along creatively. It's a relatively untapped genre."

Folds also admits that he didn't know who Scherzinger was before the show. "I didn't know what a Pussycat Doll was. I just met Nicole," he said. "We get along great ... She's singing the whole time and she sings her ass off. Had I previously seen the Pussycat Dolls, she and her girlfriends on YouTube gyrating on top of cars, I'm not sure what I would have thought."

Seeing himself on the show, which may or may not be picked up for a full run, has been a nerve-wracking experience for Folds. "I have to dress up a little bit and I don't really feel that comfortable," he said. "I think I look really weird, but everyone thinks that when they see themselves on TV. Then the camera moves over to Nicole and she looks perfect. I'm glad I'm not a girl. At least my excuse can be that I'm a weird old dude."

The finale airs live on Monday on NBC at 8PM ET. The winning group will receive $100,000 and a contract from Epic Records.