We love to keep up with our past NewSong Music Contest finalists and winners, and, over the years, we have amassed a busy and hardworking group of musicians we admire.
NewSong songwriters live and perform across the continent and beyond, their work spans multiple genres, and these artists are always putting out new material. To keep track of all their news and upcoming shows, we will be highlighting NewSong artists in our weekly roundup.
We’ve put together a list of five shows, publications and recordings we think you should be paying attention to this week.
We also want to extend our thanks to all who submitted to the NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition. The submission period closed Sunday, Nov. 4, and we are very much looking forward to listening to your songs!
1. NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting competition to take place at isis music hall in asheville, NC, dec. 15
Thank you to all who submitted their songs to this year’s NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition this year. The submission period closed Sunday, Nov. 4, and we now start the exciting process of selecting a total of eight finalists to compete in the live performance finals, held on December 15 in beautiful Asheville, NC at Isis Music Hall.
2. Wilder adkins — ListeN: “Marietta” // artist to record grand prize record at echo Mountain Studios
Wilder Adkins, winner of the 2016 NewSong Music Competition, returns to Echo Mountain Studios later this week to record music for his grand prize album. The album is slated for release next spring. In the meantime, we encourage you to listen to “Marietta,” one of the Bruce Springsteen covers the Adkins released this fall.
From Popdust: “The idea to cover such an iconic tune popped into his mind when he was asked to pay tribute to Springsteen at an ATL Collective concert in 2017. Adkins tells Popdust, ‘Someone told me at the show that I was too melancholy and not angry enough to sing Springsteen’s version of ‘I’m Goin’ Down,’ so I rewrote the verses to make it all my own,’ he said.”
Listen to “Marietta” on Spotify.
3. Rachael Kilgour — “Game Changer” pre-order
Fans of 2015 NewSong Music grand prize winner can now pre-order the artist’s new album, “Game Changer,” on bandcamp. The aptly titled work examines the artist’s tentative first steps into a new world, post-heartbreak. With a clear head, Kilgour touches on the complicated nature of romance and relationship, sets up a stunning defense of queer love, and reassesses her priorities as a citizen of a changing wider world.
Recorded in Asheville, NC at Echo Mountain Studios and produced by Gar Ragland, the EP will be released on NewSong Recordings and features captivating string arrangements by violinist Sara Pajunen.
Pre-order your digital copy here.
4. kelly english — Listen: “Bite The hand” (boygenius cover)
Kelly English returned to Echo Mountain Recording Studios in October to record her sophomore album with NewSong Recordings. Just this week, she released a cover of the boygenius song, “Bite the Hand.”
English competed at the NewSong LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter Competition where she met producer Gar Ragland and toured Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC. English says her experience competing at LEAF was an “eye opener” that pushed her to keep pursuing her career as a musician.
Listen to her first album, City Limits, on Spotify.
5. Beth snapp — Performs 11/10 at White Birch
Beth Snapp continues to perform in support of her recent EP release, Don’t Apologize. The new EP, tellingly titled Don’t Apologize is a collection of soothing and supple melodies, underscored by a bracing backing band, it offers astute observations about the challenges, expectations and ability to overcome obstacles — either self-imposed or those that result from outside interference.
This week, you can catch her at White Birch in Abington, VA on Saturday, Nov. 10 and another show Friday, Nov. 16 at the Down Home in Johnson, TN.
For more information about this week’s show, visit the Facebook event page. Listen to Beth Snapp on Spotify.
