Have you ever wondered what it's like for a musician to play on a Bachelor date? I know that every time I see a couple making out in front of a singer, I feel secondhand awkwardness. But, for a lot of the performers involved, it can actually be a really cool experience — even if the experience includes watching two people swap spit in front of you. Adam Friedman played for Raven and Nick during their date in Bimini on The Bachelor, and he tells Bustle he was "overwhelmingly grateful to just be there."
The up-and-coming performer sang his new song "What If" for The Bachelor duo, introducing a slew of new fans to his music — certainly a perk of the gig. Friedman claims that he was "the highest Shazamed artist yet to date on The Bachelor" and that his song soared to number six on the iTunes pop chart following the performance. It's easy to see why an artist would want to appear on the show — and it doesn't hurt when the gig location also happens to be on a beautiful island. "It was a fun for everybody," Friedman says. "A lot of the islanders came out, so it was like a private show for this little island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a Bachelor couple making out in the crowd."
But Friedman was relieved that he didn't have to play a private show for just the pair, which seems like something that could get pretty awkward. He says the show invited many of the locals to attend the set, making it more of a concert atmosphere. "I was a little worried," he says of when he first booked the gig. "I was like, 'I think it’s going to be awkward singing directly to them.' But when they told us that more people were coming it relieved the pressure, because I got to play for everybody instead of me staring at [Nick and Raven] in their faces while they made out with each other."
And, make out they did. It was a pretty romantic date for the duo, as they continued to solidify the relationship that would carry Raven to the final two. Friedman says he met the pair for a bit and that they were both very sweet and kind, and that they loved to kiss. During the filming, Friedman had to play the song four to five times for the cameramen to get all the angles they wanted, and Nick and Raven were hot and heavy throughout. "They were just making out the whole time," he says with a laugh.
But, as awkward as that may sound, Friedman took it all in stride, and was just happy to be there in the first place. The bump in publicity gave him a slew of new fans, and he got to travel to a pretty cool place. Now, Friedman is working on booking a tour and creating an album, and says he'll always be "grateful" that The Bachelor took a chance on his song.
