The premiere will be highlighted with a special appearance by Taylor Swift, performing her current hit, “Picture to Burn.” Several new, exciting elements have been added to this year’s Nashville Star competition, which searches for the next big country music star. The show moves from cable’s USA Network to NBC-TV and features a new host, Billy Ray Cyrus. The competition has also opened up to include singing duos and trios. Judges for the new season are Jewel, John Rich and top songwriter Jeffrey Steele. The premiere episode starts with 12 finalists, with one eliminated by the judges at show’s end. Each week, fans can vote for their favorites through special phone numbers. This year’s winning act will receive a recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville and a performance at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.