Thank you to all of the talented musicians who submitted, and to the music fans who follow along. And special thanks for your patience and understanding as we recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene here in Asheville. We’re sorry we needed to reschedule and postpone the finals until January, yet we’re very excited to celebrate these wonderful artists and their music as our community recovers.
This year’s NewSong Music Finalists are:
Eliza Edens
(Brooklyn, NY) — On Eliza Edens’ sophomore album We’ll Become the Flowers, she seeks to understand what happens after the end. Whether grappling with heartache or a loved one’s mortality, the Brooklyn-based songwriter re-imagines endings not as finite events but as devotional experiences that give way to new beginnings. Edens takes inspiration from folk luminaries such as Nick Drake, Karen Dalton and Elizabeth Cotten.
Paula Boggs
(Seattle, WA) — Paula Boggs has written and recorded four full-length albums fronting the Paula Boggs Band, and has also recorded two EPs. She is a voting member and a Governor of The Recording Academy, Pacific Northwest Chapter Board, and member of the Americana Music Association.
R.O. Shapiro*
(Los Altos, CA) — R.O. (Raphael Odell) Shapiro started performing at an early age, first with dance and then musical theater, before picking up guitar at the end of high school. R.O. is currently based in Northern California, and always on the lookout for new communities and stages where he can share his authentic warmth and wit.
* 2024 Early Bird Finalist
Rai Omri
(Carbondale, CO) — Rai Omri is a Western Colorado-based songwriter inspired by dreams, stories, old melodies, ambient sound, and the natural world. In 2023, she was named a Finalist in Kerrville Folk Festival’s Grassy Hill New Folk Competition. Her first EP, Astral Plains, explores the dream world, the cycle of death and rebirth, and life in a small town.
Admiral Radio**
(Columbia, SC) — Admiral Radio is the husband-and-wife duo of Becca and Coty. Together, they aim to leave listeners better than they found them. The duo recently won first place at the 2024 Tucson Folk and was a finalist in the legendary Kerrville New Folk Competition.
** 2024 LEAF Competition Winner
Erika Lewis
(Asheville, NC) — Known for her lengthy tenure touring and busking with beloved New Orleans jazz band Tuba Skinny, prolific songwriter and singer Erika Lewis has been churning out American originals all her own for the past several years. From classic country to cosmic Americana to dreamy indie folk, Lewis continues to dip her toes more deeply into an ever-expanding pool of roots music styles. Her new record A Walk Around the Sun is a testament to Lewis’ songwriting prowess and exceptional vocal ability.
Marcus Fetch
(Birmingham, AL) — Marcus Fetch’s songs are heartfelt and raw, with lyrics that paint unique life experiences. Red House is a coming-of-age album that squeezes every last drop of angst out of one’s late twenties. Breaking away from friends and the party scene, soul searching through late nights, house parties, and wild road trips. Fetch unleashes this powerful musical performance writing and recording almost the entire album himself.
Lindsay Foote
(Somerville, MA) — Lindsay Foote is a singer-songwriter and producer from Boston. Her heartfelt music has been featured on CBS and recognized in several national songwriting competitions. When she’s not songwriting, Lindsay spends her time rock climbing, hosting dinner parties, and trying to keep her house plants alive.
Tickets are on sale now for the NewSong Music Competition Finale at Citizen Vinyl: Join us for an evening of songs and connection on Saturday, January 11. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.
