Salute Music Makers has announced a new partnership with the Unsigned Music Awards, which will see the winner of the former’s unsigned songwriter competition secure a place on the shortlist for the UMA Best Songwriter category, in addition to the standard first prize of £50,000.
Fronted by The Undertones’ Feargal Sharkey, Salute claims that the partnership will give a wider platform to unsigned musicians looking to break into the music industry.
Sharkey said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce our new partnership with the UMA. Yet again, Salute Music Makers has proved the power and significance of the songwriter. Once again we have proved that songwriters are poised to take a centre stage. They deserve all of our support and all of the applause we can muster to ensure they make the most of that opportunity.”
Competitors can submit song entries to the Salute website, with the entries then narrowed down through a number of stages. A panel of curators will select the top 100 and from there, the public chooses six finalists.
The winner of the live shows will receive a prize of £50,000 and a place on the shortlist for UMA’s Best Songwriter Category, whilst the other five finalists will receive a cash prize of £10,000 each.
CEO of the UMA, Simon O’Kelly, said: “The Unsigned Music Awards exist to champion the biggest artists of tomorrow who are either unsigned, self-signed or otherwise-emerging and who are on the verge of breaking.”
By Ella Sperni-Clark
