Tiny Desk Contest entrants united at our Petaluma tour stop. Image credit: Talia Herman
You’ve been writing. You’ve been rehearsing. You’ve been watching Tiny Desk concerts. You could be the next great talent to play here. Now is the time: Show us what you’ve got.
Since we launched this year’s contest with a silly video back in December, we received over 6,000 video entries from every state in our nation. The contest is about discovery — not just for us, but for everyone who watches Tiny Desk concerts, eager to find unknown artists to fall in love with. This year, our winner was Gaelynn Lea, a powerful fiddle player from Duluth, Minn., who sent in a simple video of her heart-wrenching song, “Someday We’ll Linger In The Sun.” The Contest’s judges — Holly Laessig & Jess Wolfe from Lucius, Son Little, Dan Auerbach, Robin Hilton and I — were immediately captivated. Her performance at the Tiny Desk in March was equally stunning and beautiful. Gaelynn joined us on some of the tour, and I have to say she’s one of the loveliest people I’ve met.
The Contest isn’t just about finding that one special musician, though. Every single day we discovered an act we loved. We saw you perform on our 10-date tour across the country. We wrote about you on our Tumblr and in this newsletter; we hosted your videos on our site; we featured you in all sorts of Tiny Desk Contest mash-ups. You’ve given us more new music to listen to, and more great undiscovered bands to cheer for. And in return, I hope you gained confidence to pursue your craft.
When I think about the Tiny Desk Contest, the most important thing I think of is our community. I’ve been in music for a long time, and I know it’s not easy to devote yourself to your art. No matter how you arrange your life, it takes true dedication and perseverance to make music. Often you feel alone. Sometimes you feel like nobody’s listening. But when we all come together like this and amplify each other’s voices, there’s no ignoring the wonderful music hiding out in this country, just beneath the surface. It’s a joyful noise. Thank you for making it with us.
From the Tiny Desk,
Bob Boilen
P.S. You’ll be hearing from us less in the months to come, but follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with NPR Music.
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Sign up to be the first to know when the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest is open for submissions.
You’ll get contest updates and inspiration to help with your entry.
When you enter the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest, you join a nationwide community of music-makers and creators. Get started on your video now!
Here’s what you do:
● Create a new video that shows you playing one song you’ve written.
● Do it the way you’d perform a Tiny Desk concert: at a desk. (Any desk!)
● Upload your video to YouTube.
● Fill out our entry form after it opens on Jan. 13 and before 11:59 p.m. ET on Jan. 29, 2017.
The winner will:
● Play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR in Washington, D.C.
● Appear at a taping of NPR’s Ask Me Another.
● Tour the United States with NPR and Lagunitas.
Keep these things in mind:
● We’re looking for undiscovered talent; you can’t have a current recording contract.
● You must be at least 21 years old and live in the U.S. to enter.
● Check our Official Rules for all the requirements. Take this quiz to see if you’re eligible.
Questions? Contact us.
http://help.npr.org/customer/portal/emails/new?i=5&s=Tiny_Desk_Contest