If you like trash reality television AND live music, this is the perfect show for you.
If you’re a long-time Bachelor Nation fan as bored as I am in quarantine, a) we should be friends, and b) you watched Listen to Your Heart over these past six weeks. This show was a quite something — the first two episodes were boring, but then it picked up when they began couple eliminations through performances. I have to admit (a bit ashamedly), after episode three, I got super invested.
Overall, I liked the show, but my main critique is that in the competition, each couple’s chemistry was valued over their talent. In my opinion, the remaining couples should’ve been Natascha and Ryan and Rudi and Matt. Natascha and Rudi are both wicked talented, and as a singer myself, I have mad respect for both of them, especially with the drama they had to endure.
I’m gonna review each relevant couple, focusing on just the drama we actually cared about. Let’s get to it!
Savannah, Brandon, Julia, Sheridan
The whole Savannah-Brandon-Julia love triangle situation was just weird to me. I always liked Savannah, but Brandon really seemed like a jerk from the beginning. Julia and Sheridan also seemed like a strong couple at first, but it was pretty clear that they wouldn’t last. Brandon was playing Julia and Savannah the entire time, telling them both he wanted only them and would break up with the other girl. The WORST part was when he could not stop calling Savannah “Sweetie” — so condescending, I couldn’t believe it. I obviously was not a fan of this behavior, but I gotta say, Julia and him seemed perfect for one another.
Inevitably, it all blew up, ending with Savannah deciding to dump Brandon because she refused to be someone’s “second choice” (you go girl!), leaving Julia to dump Sheridan in maybe one of the most cringe-worthy break up scenes in the history of The Bachelor franchise. Anyway, Julia and Brandon received their karma when they got absolutely roasted by the judges, Toni Braxton, Andy Grammer, Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo, and were sent home within the same episode. Julia blamed their loss on Brandon and, needless to say, they did NOT stay together.
Rudi & Matt
From start to finish, their relationship was exhausting and they were never on the same page. Matt never really seemed to know what he wanted. I’m guessing he’s got some deeper issues he hasn’t dived into yet, but they seemed to directly affect their relationship. My heart broke when Rudi told Matt she was falling for him in the penultimate episode and he replied with “you’re very courageous.”
I respect him for being honest, but I wish he had handled the situation ~slightly~ more delicately. Unsurprisingly, he broke up with her during the finale, saying he couldn’t get to the same place of love that some of the other couples had reached. Matt handled it well and totally has a right to feel that way, but the level of resilience Rudi had was what blew me away. I wanted Rudi to continue and win the show solo, because are you kidding me?? That performance of “Shallow”?? She can do whatever she wants. She will be successful. I stan.
Natascha & Ryan
These two were definitely the most unexpected couple on the show, and I was totally here for it. At first, it seemed like Natascha was just cornering Ryan in the search for a duet partner after he called it quits with Jamie, but I was so glad that it ended up working out. In my opinion, they were the most talented couple, musically. Rudi and Matt (mostly Rudi though) were a close second, but I’m obsessed with Natascha’s voice, and if she isn’t a huge star after this, I’m gonna be heartbroken. I love that she’s into the nerdy type of guy, and it makes me so happy that they’re still together.
Jamie & Trevor
Honestly, not a lot to say about these guys — definitely my least favorite couple. I really believed Trevor was a f*ckboy the whole time and was waiting for his true colors to reveal themselves after Brandon left, but it never really happened. Major disappointment. Neither of them was really talented, but I have to respect the way their performances improved from the pilot to the finale episode. Their final performance was clearly amplified coming off of that fantasy suite date, but expectedly, they broke up around mid-April, according to Reality Steve. Ironically, the pilot aired April 13th, so I’m dying to know what happened there…
Chris & Bri
I feel like people either loved Chris and Bri or hated them. They bothered me in the beginning, but they grew on me, especially after Rudi and Matt left. I thought they were fine musically, but they must have had some sort of soulmate connection that was deeper than we could’ve seen on our screens. Although there was nothing particularly interesting about any of their performances (except when they sang “Lover” and Bri confessed she loved him, I kinda died), I admire the love they have for one another. I’m not sure whether they’ll make it far in the music industry, but I hope they stay together.
All in all, while this wasn’t my favorite Bachelor spinoff and it wasn’t particularly compelling, I still enjoyed a lot of it and would probably watch another season. I’m looking forward the new Bachelor rewind show coming up soon, where they recap a whole season in one night, which will be premiering in June. That’s all for now!