Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Adam Rose/ NetflixGet ready for another season of pod dating. Love Is Blind is returning to Netflix for Season 9 on Oct. 1, and this time, 32 singles from the Denver area will attempt to find their best match - without laying eyes on the people they're dating.
As with every season of Love Is Blind, the show will follow singles as they date for 10 days in the pods - sight unseen - before agreeing to get engaged. The big question, of course, is whether love can spark without initial physical attraction. And while plenty of romances have fizzled out over the years, Love Is Blind couples like Lauren Speed and Cameron Hamilton from Season 1, and Tiffany Pennywell and Brett Brown from Season 4, have shown that the answer is yes.
But this season, Vanessa Lachey - who hosts the dating competition with her husband, Nick Lachey - teased to E! News that there is a major surprise to come. "Something happens in Denver that has never happened on any of the Love Is Blinds," she told the outlet at a Netflix event in May.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAlready there's one contestant who is making headlines: Madison, who is battling a blinding eye condition that could one day lead to vision loss. "This experiment is so much more to me because it simulates what my life could be like when I do lose my vision," she said in a clip Netflix released from the show and posted on Instagram. "I know what I need in a partner with my diagnosis. So it's so important that I find that correct person and that somebody is so empathetic and understanding."Here's who else is headed to the pods for Season 9 of Love Is Blind.
AliAdam Rose/NetflixThis 29-year-old nurse is a first-generation immigrant from Brazil, according to Tudum. She's looking for a grown-up who can understand her busy schedule as she pursues another degree.
AnastasiaAdam Rose/NetflixAnastasia is also a 29-year-old nurse who loves dancing and hot dogs. In the past, she told Tudum that she's "lost" herself in relationships - and she's not looking to make that mistake again.
AnnaAdam Rose/NetflixAdvertisementAdvertisementAnna, 28, is a hairstylist, but music is a big part of her life, she told Tudum. Her big ick? People who are disrespectful to their parents.
AnnieAdam Rose/NetflixThis 31-year-old owns her own hair salon and is looking to create a relationship that can live up to her parents' "fantastic marriage."AshleyAdam Rose/NetflixAshley, 35, describes herself as an "alpha," but she told Tudum she's more than happy to follow the right partner - but he must "have direction."AzaAdam Rose/NetflixAza, 32, is an events manager who loves music. "I'm very independent and love the life I built for myself, so I have high standards and won't settle for just anyone," she told Tudum.
ChynaAdam Rose/NetflixAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 39-year-old marketing manager has found the Denver dating scene disappointing, but she's "not settling until I find someone who's serious about me," she told Tudum. She's a woman of strong faith and sarcasm.
HilaryAdam Rose/NetflixThe medical device salesperson, 39, still plays hockey and typically goes for an athletic man. Her only nonnegotiable requirement, however, is that her future husband is obsessed with her dog, Eeyore.
KacieAdam Rose/NetflixThe 34-year-old hairstylist and makeup artist is searching for a funny guy who can communicate through movie quotes, she told Tudum.
KaitAdam Rose/NetflixThe 33-year-old registered dietitian is coming out of an eight-year-long relationship that didn't end in marriage, she told Tudum. She's looking for a "soul-shaking" connection with someone who knows how to take care of himself.
KalybriahAdam Rose/NetflixAdvertisementAdvertisementKalybriah, 29, is a social worker who told Tudum she's previously fallen in love with "potential" and stayed too long in bad relationships despite "seeing red flags." Now she's looking for a sporty guy she can meal prep with.
KaylenAdam Rose/NetflixThe 29-year-old account executive is looking for an animal lover after a year of being single.
MadisonAdam Rose/NetflixMadison, 28, went on 40 dates last year, she told Tudum - now she's hoping the pods can bring her better luck in love. Madison lives with an eye disease, which may one day lead to vision loss. "Love is blind, and I might be too, so I need to find someone that can stimulate my brain outside of physicality," Madison told Tudum.
Megan HAdam Rose/NetflixThe property manager, 36, is a gamer with a Zelda tattoo who hopes to share a passion for spirituality with her future partner.
Megan WAdam Rose/NetflixAdvertisementAdvertisementMegan, 35, is an entrepreneur who told Tudum that some men have been "intimidated" by her "level of success." She's hoping to find a tall guy with muscles who is respectful toward everyone.
ShelbyAdam Rose/NetflixThe 35-year-old real estate agent told Tudum she's not into the super outdoorsy guys she typically finds around Denver. "Men need to be chivalrous, learn how to court properly