An Iowa native is a contestant in 'Love is Blind' on Netflix

An Iowa native is on a public journey for love with a twist.

Mackenzie Tenold is giving viewers a peek into her personal dating life as the 25-year-old stars in the sixth season of the hit Netflix reality show "Love is Blind."

The new season premieres on Valentine's Day with six episodes, while the remaining six episodes will be revealed in the three weeks to follow.

Tenfold, who attended Belmond-Klemme High School in northern Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, now lives in Charlotte and works as a makeup artist.

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How 'Love is Blind' works

“Love is Blind” first premiered on Netflix in 2020 and quickly gained attention for its unique concept, becoming a popular binge-watch choice for audiences worldwide.

The “Love is Blind” concept revolves around a group of singles looking for love and willing to get engaged without meeting or seeing the person they propose to. The show aims to explore whether emotional connections can develop without physical attraction. The newest season is focused on 30 singles from Charlotte.

Female and male contestants interact with each other in pods, isolated rooms where they foster emotional connections without being distracted by physical appearances. The setup tests whether emotional connections can form purely based on personality and compatibility rather than physical attraction. The pods play a significant role in the show's premise, as they serve as the primary mode of communication for the contestants as they navigate their relationships

Season 6 will be co-hosted by former 98 Degrees boy band member Nick Lachey and his wife, Vanessa.

"You can’t see anything but a very vague silhouette of what’s happening on the other side," Nick Lachey said in a Netflix-produced video. "You’re truly flying blind.”

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Who is Mackenzie Tenold?

Tenold announced her role in "Love is Blind" in a social media post on Jan. 17.

“SURPRISE!!! So excited to finally share that I’m part of the Love Is Blind Season 6 cast. Premiering on Valentine’s Day!! Follow along to see if I found what I was looking for,” Tenold posted on Instagram with a season six promotion picture.

Tenold graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in communication studies. She now works as a freelance makeup artist, operating her own company called MakeupxMackJo.

"For as long as I can remember, I’ve been OBSESSED with makeup," Tenold said on her website. "In all seriousness, I love what makeup can do for a woman. Nobody needs to wear makeup but I take great pleasure in having the opportunity to help women feel more confident by enhancing their natural beauty."

Tenold is the first Iowan to appear on “Love is Blind.”

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What is Mackenzie looking for on "Love is Blind"?

Tenold joined "Love is Blind" after trying many dating apps without much luck. She is focused on what is on the inside and her future goals. For Tenold, that means an "'extremely caring and empathetic'" man who believes in God and wants to have children.

"Whether I'm blessed enough to have them myself or adopt, I was born to be a mom, and it would be a deal-breaker if they didn't want to have children," she said in her "Love is Blind" bio.

Tenold played basketball in high school, which has made it difficult to find someone to match her height.

"I've been very picky, [being] such a tall female," Tenold told Netflix. "This experiment is going to be so good for me because I'm going to genuinely fall in love with somebody for who they are and not what they look like."

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How to watch 'Love is Blind'

The first six episodes premiere on Feb. 14 on Netflix.

The ensuing episodes of season 6 will be released each Wednesday. Episodes 7-9 were revealed on Feb. 21, episodes 10 and 11 on Feb. 28, and the season finale slated for March 6.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: How to watch an Iowa native on the Netflix show 'Love is Blind'