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Counting backwards for 2021’s Unsigned Only Music Competition, so the time is more than right for a Q&A with the competition’s Director of Marketing Shane Whalen.

Would you like to give our readers a brief intro of what Unsigned Only is about?

Unsigned Only Music Competition is designed to help indie artists get heard by industry professionals who can make a difference in their careers. Solo artists, bands, and singers who are are not signed to a major record label are eligible to enter (indie label artists are eligible).

Unsigned Only awards over $150,000 in cash and prizes, including $20,000 USD in cash to the Grand Prize winner (plus additional prizes) and one-on-one mentoring by an elite group of record company executives. Prizes are also awarded to First and Second Place winners in each category. All styles and genres of music are accepted.

Focusing on 2021’s Unsigned Only, what should we expect from this year’s contest?

Considering the challenges artists face in these turbulent times, we hope Unsigned Only can be an opportunity for artists to be heard. There is no physical event to attend, so anyone in the world can enter online from the safety and comfort of their own home. Like any year, our goal is to help discover really talented artists and make a difference in their musical journey. Previous winners include Ingrid Andress (Warner Nashville) who is currently nominated for three Grammys including Best New Artist and Faouzia (Atlantic Records) who recently released the single ‘Minefields‘, a duet with the iconic artist John Legend. Other notable winners include BélO, Goodbye June, Anna Wolf, Wes Mack, Eric Ethridge, and more. Many more winners have secured licensing deals, publishing deals, better gigs, and more recognition after winning the competition.

Regarding the judges, which are the main characteristics of an Unsigned Only judge?

Judges include high-profile recording artists, journalists, talent buyers, music licensing execs, artist managers, and more. These are exactly the kind of people who can make a big impact on your music career. Judges this year include Robert Smith (The Cure), Linda Perry, Aimee Mann, NLE Choppa, Black Francis (The Pixies), MNEK, and many more.

What do you think that in this on-going, and never ending, pandemic era, Unsigned Only has to offer to the artists?

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Thank you for this one. Last, but not least, what should we and mainly artists expect from U.O. in the future years?

Our goal is to make Unsigned Only the premier competition in the world for unsigned artists. In addition to the unique opportunity to be heard and the opportunity to get more recognition for your music, our plans are to make Unsigned Only synonymous with indie talent discovery.

Christos Doukakis