New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Unsigned Only Music Competition) The Unsigned Only
Music Competition is pleased to announce its 2019 winners. Unsigned Only is open to artists who are unsigned to a major record label, and over the years has become an important source for discovering new talent. Since Unsigned Only's inception in 2012, five Grand Prize winners have been signed to record label deals.
A total of $150,000 in cash and prizes is awarded to 38 winners, including an overall Grand Prize winner and a First and Second Place winner in each category. A group of Honorable Mentions were also selected. Winners were selected by a panel of judges comprised of celebrity artists and industry excutives, including: Garth Hudson (The Band), Taj Mahal, Bow Wow, Robert Smith (The Cure), Aimee Mann, O.A.R.,
Aaron Shust, Boney James, The Secret Sisters, Ruthie Foster, and many more. For a complete list of judges, go to: https://www.unsignedonly.com/judges.
For the first time in Unsigned Only's history, the 2019 Grand Prize is awarded to a South African artist, Anna Wolf, for the song "Believer." The song is a powerful track, inspired by Wolf's desire to break the silence about domestic violence and serves as a personal refusal to become the victim of her circumstance. Wolf beat out almost 6,000 entries from more than 100 countries worldwide to be named the Grand Prize winner. In addition to winning $20,000 in cash (US) and $40,000 (US) in merchandise and services, Wolf also receives one-on-one mentoring from a group of upper-echelon music industry executives.
"Anna Wolf is such a phenomenal artist," said UO founders, Candace Avery and Jim Morgan. "She has so much passion and authenticity, and she needs to be heard. She is an artist who is not afraid to tackle difficult issues and make you feel emotion, and she is one of the most magnetic and inspiring artists we have ever come across."
Born in Pretoria, South Africa, Wolf (formerly known as Tailor) has had a celebrated career, amassing hit singles, sold-out shows, South African
Music Awards nominations, and a legion of dedicated fans. In 2018, she moved to London, where one night she took her guitar to the bathtub and recorded herself performing "
Believer" on her cell phone by stomping her feet against the tub. She sent the demo to producer Pete Boxta Martin, (Missy Elliot,
Jessie J, Sugababes), who ended up recording the song. You can still hear some of the noise from the bathtub in the final mix. Apple
Music selected the song for four playlists, (including Best of the Week,
Future Hits, Jump Start and The A-list Alternative) and gave the music video a worldwide release as an exclusive premiere on their platform. More recently, Wolf has released her follow-up single, "Silence," to acclaimed reviews, dedicating the song to her fans she calls "wolves."
Unsigned Only is sponsored by Celebrity Access; Eventric; Hybrid Studios; Lurssen Mastering; Merch Cat; Musicians Institute; Musician Wellness; Pro Tour Nutrition;
Radio Airplay; Shubb Capos;
Symphonic Distribution; The
Music Business Registry; and Vocal Eze.
Unsigned Only is now accepting entries for the 2020 competition. More information can be found at: https://www.unsignedonly.com.
To hear the winning songs, download low-res photos, and view the complete list of all winners, go to: https://www.unsignedonly.com/winners
