Nick Lachey Returns to THE SING-OFF on NBC

Multi-platinum recording artist Nick Lachey is set to return as host of NBC's upcoming a cappella singing competition series, "The Sing-Off," a five-night holiday event premiering Monday, December 6 (8-10 p.m. ET). The one-of-a-kind battle of voices will continue on December 8, 13 and 15, culminating in a live finale on December 20 (8-10 p.m. ET each night).

The 10 a capella groups competing for the $100,000 prize and a Sony Music recording contract are:

Committed from Huntsville, Alabama - Committed is dedicated to creating unique harmonies with powerful lead vocals and a booming bass line.

Eleventh Hour from Kettering, Ohio - Recognized as one of the nation's top high school a cappella groups, their studio recordings have been featured on Best of High School A Cappella and have won two Contemporary A Cappella Recording Academy awards.

Pitch Slapped from Boston, Massachusetts - Hailing from the Berklee College of Music, Pitch Slapped offers a distinctive sound and infectious energy, with a unique grasp on a cappella that is apparent in their arrangements, solos, and overall sound.

Groove For Thought from Seattle, Washington - Their infectious grooves, stunning arrangements and electrifying solos are just some of the phrases used to described this group.

Jerry Lawson & Talk Of The Town from Oakland, California - Eager to show America where a cappella started, these music veterans bring the true soul of music to the stage.

Men Of Note from Cherry Hill, New Jersey - This all-male group of eight is comprised of Cherry Hill High School West alumni, where the group was first founded.

The Backbeats from Los Angeles, California - Comprised of a cappella singers from USC and UCLA, this group of twenty-something's incorporates their disparate styles and tastes into one synthesized sound fused together by their love of Pop, R&B and Soul .

On The Rocks from Eugene, Oregon - From the University of Oregon, On The Rocks has had great viral success with videos featured on various websites, with more than 6.5 million views of their popular rendition of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."

Street Corner Symphony from Nashville, Tennessee - They offer a diverse repertoire, while maintaining their rich heritage in gospel music.

Yale University, The Whiffenpoofs from New Haven, Connecticut - From Yale University and founded in 1909, the "Whiffs" are comprised of 14 senior year men and are the world's oldest collegiate a cappella group.

"The Sing-Off" will feature a cappella groups performing popular songs from various genres, arranged and sung like you've never heard before. There is no lip-synching, back-up band or safety net. Ultimately, America will decide the winning group.

During last season, the four December telecasts of "The Sing-Off" averaged a 2.5 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 7.3 million viewers overall. The December 21 finale attracted NBC's biggest overall viewership in the time period in more than three months.

Returning celebrity judges Ben Folds who recently released the CD "Lonely Avenue," a collaboration with novelist Nick Hornby, Shawn Stockman and Nicole Scherzinger will critique each performance, narrowing down the finalists to the top three groups competing for America's vote.

Returning for a special performance will be Nota, the winner of the show's freshman season in 2009.

In conjunction with the second season of "The Sing-Off," Epic Records will be releasing digital tracks of each group's performance immediately following the airing of each episode. All 10 competing groups from the upcoming season will also be featured on "The Sing-Off: Harmonies for the Holidays" being released by Epic Records on November 30.

Nota has distinguished itself among a cappella groups with its fusion of various musical styles evident in its self-titled debut album, to be released in November 2, 2010. They are currently wrapping up Shakira's Sale el Sol U.S. tour where they performed as the opening act to rave reviews and incredible reactions. Their album includes R&B and pop influences blended with Latin rhythms like mereingue, bachata, and samba, which create a sound that is unique and original. The sextet takes a new approach to familiar songs, covering "I Gotta Feeling," "Down," "I Need to Know" and "My Girl," as well as original songs written by the group."

"The Sing-Off" is produced by Tenth Planet Productions, Outlaw Productions and Sony Pictures Television. Joel Gallen, Deb Newmyer and Sam Weisman are executive producers. Josh Greenberg serves as co-executive producer.

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