A Rome worship leader is expected to appear on tonight’s premiere of the new ABC show “Duets.”

Mark Hilliard, worship/associate pastor at Rome’s Journey Church at 15 Redmond Court.

Hilliard was selected to audition in New York in April and will appear in the show’s premiere episode tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.

“The premise is that celebrities themselves look for talent to do a duet with,” Hilliard said.

He was selected by Jennifer Nettles of the country group Sugarland.

“After submitting a photo and file of me singing, I was selected to audition live in New York in April. But I wasn’t chosen as one of the final 2,” he said.

“It was just (Jennifer Nettles) and a room full of cameras and I got the opportunity to audition for her personally. She is very kind and very down-to-earth,” Hilliard said of Nettles, lead vocalist of the country duo Sugarland. “We had to prepare three songs from a list they provided to us.”

Hilliard said he was very nervous during his audition but he did his best and had a great time.

He isn’t sure how much of his audition will be featured in tonight’s episode but part of it already is airing on television commercials for the show.

“It was an awesome experience,” Hilliard said. “I got to meet Jennifer Nettles and sing for her. I just really enjoyed it. And I definitely will be watching the show on Thursday.”