A special offer from Echo Mountain Recording Studios to ALL 2016 NewSong entrants… Enter and receive FREE studio lodging and discounted studio rates with our exclusive NewSong recording packages!
We’re very excited to once again offer ALL of this year’s NewSong Contest entrants a fantastic opportunity to record at one of the world’s finest destination recording facilities, located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC.
* Includes studio engineer and complimentary housing at the nearby studio house. 8-hour days. Longer days and analog recording are an additional fee. You must be an entrant to the 2016 NewSong Competition in order to receive these discounted packages. The final deadline to submit is Monday, October 17, 2016 at 11:59 PM PST. Click here to learn more and enter.
Need a producer? No problem. We’re happy to help connect you with the right team to make your project sound amazing.
NewSong alum and past finalist Queen Esther recently gave us a BTS view in the day of the life of this talented singer/songwriter during a recent performance at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
2016 NewSong Music Finalist Ethan Crump Returns to LEAF on October 22
Ethan Crump is a Hartwell, Georgia-based musician who pens country-folk songs with a world weariness and wisdom beyond his nineteen years. The singer-songwriter’s straightforward yet poignant tunes caught the attention of judges at last year’s NewSong Music competition at the Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF) in Black Mountain, North Carolina. He won first place that day, which means festival-goers will have another chance to watch this promising young musician perform at LEAF on Saturday, October 22, 2016.
Crump released his debut EP, Hellfire and Amazing Grace, this summer. He counts John Prine and Guy Clark among his influences, but says his rural country upbringing — including afternoons spent with his grandmother — had more impact on his songwriting than anything else. The EP’s impressive title track is inspired by his grandparents, who were born into the Great Depression.
Crump says that he isn’t “competitively inclined,” but he submitted his songs to NewSong Music anyway, at the urging of a friend who had participated in past years. “Despite my preconceived notion that competitions are always intense and combative — I grew up in a football town — the overall atmosphere was relaxed,” says Crump. “The other finalists were very amiable and supportive.”
Not only did Crump secure himself slot in the 2016 LEAF lineup, but he also says the competition opened up other doors for him. “Aside from it being an excellent experience as a performer, [NewSong] introduces you to a network of great people involved in the music scene around Asheville,” he says. Crump will open for folk musician Jeff Black at Isis Music Hall in Asheville on Wednesday, October 5th.
LEAF-goers will not want to miss Crump’s Saturday, October 22nd performance at 12:15 pm at the barn stage. For more information on LEAF, visit theleaf.org. For more information on Ethan Crump, including his tour schedule, visit ethancrump.com.
Today is your last chance to save 20% on your song entries to the 2016 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition. Use promo code – NSM2016 – at checkout to get an instant discount. Submit Today #WhereGreatArtistsAreDiscovered
2015 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition grand prize winner Rachael Kilgour returned to Lincoln Center on September 8th along with 2015 finalist Blair Bodine. Photo credit: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Lincoln Center’s Jordana Phokompe | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
NewSong Music Director Gar Ragland introducing the artists| David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Rachael Kilgour | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair Bodine | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Darial Sneed
Blair, Gar & Rachael in the green room | David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center | Photo: Meera Dugal
Congratulations to this year’s ‘Early Bird’ finalists Middle Child and Market Junction.
We’re excited to announce the two ‘Early Bird’ finalists in this year’s 15th annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition, awarded to the bands Middle Child (Roxbury, MA) and Market Junction (Houston, TX). Learn more about each group below!
Middle Child was conceived by musicians and songwriters Austin Max (Nashville) and Danny Silberstein (Los Angeles), who met at Berklee College of Music in 2013 and were soon joined by fellow musician/songwriter Terrell Hines (Dublin, Georgia).
Market Junction is an Americana group founded in 2011 by singer-songwriters Matt Parrish and Justin Lofton.
They’ll be joining us on Saturday, December 10 to showcase and compete in the live performance finals at New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
NewSong Music alum Kelly English records debut album at Echo Mountain Recording Studios
When Kelly English travelled the Lake Eden Arts Festival in Black Mountain, North Carolina to compete in the NewSong Presents: LEAF Festival Singer-Songwriter competition last year, she was a relative newcomer to the songwriting scene. Before her submission caught the attention of NewSong judges, she had only performed at coffee shops and talent shows in her Connecticut hometown.
Fast forward to a year later, and English is just wrapping up recording her first full-length album with NewSong founder and music producer, Gar Ragland, at Echo Mountain Recording Studios in Asheville, NC. Further proof that finalists don’t have to win the NewSong competition for the experience to have a major impact.
“Day one of recording was awesome,” says English on her second day of recording. “I was nervous coming in because I’ve never recorded on this scale before, but Gar was so helpful. Yesterday was such a good day, so I was excited coming in today.”
English toured Echo Mountain when she was in the area for LEAF last fall, but the idea of recording an album at the award-winning studio was just a dream at that point. “I didn’t think that [making an album here] was going to happen, but after the contest, I stayed in touch with Gar, and we decided to record together,” she says. “Gar understands my music and likes my writing, and after visiting the studio last year, I knew I wanted to record here.”
As an entrant to last year’s NewSong Competition, she was able to take advantage of the exclusive, discounted recording package that Echo Mountain offers to NewSong entrants.
English says her experience competing at LEAF was an “eye opener” that pushed her to keep pursuing her career as a musician. “It was so cool,” says the artist of her LEAF performance. “It was the biggest crowd I’ve played to. People were so kind and so into it. You could tell that people were rooting you on as you were competing.”
While English has songs recorded on her YouTube channels and bandcamp page, this is her first album. Putting out a full-length record feels like a natural next step in her career as a musician. “I just hope to play out more and get more people to listen,” she says.
NewSong finalist Blair Bodine will return to New York’s Lincoln Center on Thursday, September 8, opening for Rachael Kilgour
Blair Bodine is a New York City-based folk musician with an infectious energy and a true gift for storytelling through song. NewSong Music is excited to welcome this 2015 competition finalist back to the Lincoln Center stage as the opening act for Rachael Kilgour at Kilgour’s album release show on September 8th.
Bodine has a never-ending passion for songwriting that shows up in all areas of her life. In addition to writing and performing her original soul-stirring melodies, Bodine is passionate about music education. A Columbia University graduate, she wrote her thesis on Chinese Ethnomusicology. She currently works for Steven Van Zandt’s Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, writing curriculum for middle and high school teachers about the history of American popular music. In other words, Bodine isn’t your cookie cutter singer-songwriter — a fact that has earned the songwriter some much-deserved recognition in competitions and festivals across the country.
While Bodine didn’t take home the first place prize in last year’s competition, she’s still reaping the benefits of her experience with NewSong. She says the chance to perform at Lincoln Center (twice!) is the biggest perk. “Being a NewSong finalist can really help boost your confidence as a performer,” says Bodine. “You are given a great opportunity to play at an epic venue. As an artist, it is a true gift, and it helped propel me forward.”
The opportunity to make friends with fellow finalists and connect with other touring musicians is icing on the cake. “I am so excited to see Rachael Kilgour in September and hear songs from her new album,” says Bodine, who says she has stayed in touch with many of her fellow NewSong finalists. “They’re a great group of humans,” she adds.
To learn more about Blair Bodine, visit blairbodine.com. To learn more about her September 8th performance with Rachael Kilgour, visit lincolncenter.org.
2015 NewSong grand prize winner Rachel Kilgour returns to Lincoln Center
Rachael Kilgour stunned NewSong judges in 2015 with her passionate delivery of provocative songs that effortlessly blend artistry and activism. Her performance earned her the winning spot in last year’s competition, and that means Kilgour will return to Lincoln Center, along with fellow 2015 NewSong finalist Blair Bodine, on Thursday, September 8th.
Kilgour says that above all else, the NewSong Music competition was a way for her to reach new listeners and grow as a writer and performer. “We try to get better and better at communicating our human experience, and we try to find the right people to share it with,” says Kilgour. “That is our job as artists.”
Kilgour has also been hard at work recording over the past year and is eager to share her latest album, Rabbit in the Road (NewSong Recordings). We took some time to talk to the Minnesota-based songwriter to learn more about her life since last year’s win and her upcoming album release.
What about you upcoming show at Lincoln Center are you most excited about? I am looking forward to returning to the Lincoln Center on September 8th and so happy that Blair will be joining me! I am feeling pretty fortunate for the opportunity and so glad that I will be able to share my new album with the audience. There is quite a lot of nuance that goes into an artist’s performance, and there is something kind of jarring about picking your top three songs to share for a contest. It will be good to have the chance to move from song to song in an organic way — to tell a story.
It’s great to see you sharing the bill with last year’s NewSong finalist Blair Bodine. Are there any other relationships you have made through NewSong that have stayed with you? I think one of the most beneficial relationships I have gained through this experience is the one I have formed with Gar Ragland, the President of NewSong. Since January, Gar has put so much time and energy into helping me complete this album and plan for its release, and he has also introduced me to a number of influential people in the industry. I am so grateful to know him. I’ve also stayed in touch with a number of the other finalists since the contest, and I think we have all benefitted from those connections.
Part of your prize was performing at the ASCAP Music Cafe at the Sundance Film Festival. What was that like for you? Attending Sundance and performing at the ASCAP Music Cafe was an incredible experience. First off, I was so grateful for the opportunity to experience the festival itself. There was such respect for filmmaking as an art form in that setting — it was very encouraging. Having the chance to share my work with a brand new audience is always a gift, but performing on that particular stage was quite an honor. The listeners were engaged and seemed to really understand my performance, and that is all I care about at the end of the day.
Did anything about the NewSong competition surprise you? I was surprised to win, certainly! But I was also surprised by the amount of support NewSong offered each of the finalists and how well they maintained relationships with previous winners and finalists after all of these years. I think NewSong is doing a lot of important work to connect emerging artists with resources and with each other.
To learn more about Rachael Kilgour, visit rachaelkilgour.com. For more information about her upcoming performance at Lincoln Center, visit lincolncenter.org.
DISCOUNTED ‘EARLY BIRD’ PRICING ENDS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 15
You have until this Monday night at midnight (EDT) to submit your music during the discounted ‘Early Bird’ stage of the 15th Annual NewSong Music Competition. Enter this weekend – before submission prices increase – for your chance to showcase and compete at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City this December!
Recent NewSong Music alums Rachael Kilgour and Blair Bodine to perform co-bill at New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
With vulnerability, wit, and passion, Minnesota-based singer-songwriter Rachael Kilgour (pictured) effortlessly merges the personal and political. The 2015 NewSong Music grand prize winner releases her third full-length album, Rabbit in the Road, on September 30 on NewSong Recordings. The collection takes a vulnerable and intimate look at divorce, and the complexities of grief, resiliency, and transformation.
“Kilgour is the real deal—a modern troubadour confronting raw truths with a powerful voice and passionate, socially conscious songs that will move anyone who still believes that music can—and should—change the world.” —ASCAP Playback
To celebrate the release, Kilgour will be returning to Lincoln Center to perform on Thursday, September 8. Opening the performance is Blair Bodine, a Philadelphia native who has been racking up recent accolades for her lyrical mastery and soul-stirring melodies. Along with Kilgour, she was a finalist in 2015 NewSong Music Competition Finals.
Congratulations to Hartwell, GA’s Ethan Crump, the winner of this spring’s third annual NewSong Presents: LEAF Singer-Songwriter Competition. As the LEAF winner, Ethan will advance to join us at Lincoln Center in New York City on Saturday, December 10 to showcase and compete in this year’s international NewSong Music finals there.
* Includes studio engineer and complimentary housing at the nearby studio house. 8-hour days. Longer days and analog recording are an additional fee. You must be an entrant to the 2016 NewSong Competition in order to receive these discounted packages. The final deadline to submit is Monday, October 17, 2016 at 11:59 PM PST. Click here to learn more and enter.
