Guitar Center Singer/Songwriter 6 Opens For Submissions

ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

– One of Guitar Center’s many programs designed to support emerging musicians, the Singer-Songwriter 6 opens for submissions on Sept. 1.

– GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter and producer RedOne has partnered with Guitar Center to select the winning artist and produce their EP

The winner will receive $25,000 cash, an EP produced by RedOne, mentorship from Australian Singer-Songwriter Cody Simpson, a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, new gear and more.

Westlake Village, CA (September 1, 2016)

Guitar Center, the world’s largest instrument retailer, launches its 6th annual singer-songwriter program today. Open for submissions now through November 2. Guitar Center’s Singer-Songwriter gives aspiring artists a chance to share their music with the world and land a potentially career-altering opportunity with GRAMMY® Award-winning hitmaker RedOne and Australian singer-songwriter Cody Simpson.

Developed to seek out and support undiscovered talent, Guitar Center’s Singer-Songwriter program shines a light on the best and brightest singer-songwriters in the country. Unsigned artists can submit original music for a chance to win an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, including time in studio with legendary producer and songwriter RedOne. Having worked with icons like Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias and more, RedOne brings his expertise and golden ear to the program, assisting Guitar Center in hand-selecting the worthy finalists along the way. Australian singer-songwriter Cody Simpson will also participate in the program, providing a one-on-one mentorship session with the winner.

“I am very excited to be working with Guitar Center on a search to discover the next great singer-songwriter. Looking forward to hearing the very best new talents and hopefully we will work together to bring some fresh new songs and stories to the world” –RedOne

Guitar Center’s Singer-Songwriter Grand Prize Includes:

– $25,000 Cash

– 4-song EP produced by RedOne

– Mentoring session with Cody Simpson

– Performance slot on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

– Showcase performance at the 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim

– New gear from top instrument retailers

– A feature in American Songwriter Magazine

– Global distribution through AWAL

“I’m stoked to be joining forces with two top players to give aspiring talent a larger platform to showcase their craft. Both Guitar Center and RedOne are staples in the modern music space and it’s incredible to see them giving back to the independent artist community. Having been in the music industry from a young age I am excited to share what I can to help better the budding careers of young musicians.” – Cody Simpson

How the Program Works:

Starting September 1 through November 2, undiscovered singer-songwriters 16 years and older from all over the country can submit up to five videos of their original songs to guitarcenter.com/songwriter.

The top 100 ranked artists will be evaluated by a panel of judges and RedOne. The judges will evaluate the artists’ skills, style, vocal ability, presence, creativity, originality and more. Five finalists will be chosen and announced in mid-December. These five finalists will all receive gear from the top brands and will be flown out to Los Angeles, CA, to perform live at the Grand Finals in 2017. RedOne will hand-select the winner at the grand finals event. For more information on rules and regulations, please visit guitarcenter.com/songwriter.

“Every year, we look forward to giving the most talented singer-songwriters out there a platform to showcase their music,” said Jake Cheung, manager of music marketing and artist relations for Guitar Center. “We’ve had artists from all over the country push their creativity and fearlessly lay their whole hearts on the line after years of working on their craft. These artists deserve to be heard and celebrated. All of us at Guitar Center are thrilled to be able to support undiscovered artists while partnering with artists as respected and renowned as RedOne and Cody Simpson.”

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About RedOne:

Known primarily as a producer, musician and songwriter, RedOne signed as a solo artist with Warner Bros. Records earlier this year. Over the course of his career, he has become one of the most successful and sought-after record producers and songwriters in the world, racking more than 80 hit songs and 40 #1 singles. He has worked with artists ranging from U2 to One Direction, crafted game-changing hits for Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Nicki Minaj, Usher, and Jennifer Lopez along with charity projects like “We Are The World 25 for Haiti.”

Watch RedOne discuss the program: https://youtu.be/VS399bOB_uU

About Cody Simpson:

Cody Simpson has progressed both as a musician and a celebrity at an astounding pace; from uploading YouTube videos from his home in Australia to selling out world tours multiple times over, Cody is one of the most marketable youth brands in music. Cody is a 19-year old guitar phenom who is bringing an authentic and organic sound well beyond his years to the modern music landscape. In addition to his musical success Cody boasts upwards of 19 million combined followers on his social platforms and has appeared on Billboards 21 under 21 list 4 years in a row. The release of his single “Home To Mama” with Justin Bieber garnered over 1 million mentions on twitter in just 24 hours and also reached #1 on the Billboard Social 50 and Trending 140 Charts. During the same time frame Cody partnered with Twitter to become the first ever artist to release a hashtag-generated, customized emoji of himself. In 2015 Cody left Atlantic Records to form his own record label entitled “Coast House Records”, an unprecedented move at just 18 years old and released his album Free. Over the past two years Cody has graced the cover of GQ Magazine Australia, served as an official torch bearer for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, was the face of Ralph Lauren’s Denim and Supply Campaign and acts as an ambassador on environmental issues for the United Nations. Cody continues to grow as he takes charge of his future as an independent artist. He is constantly working to enhance his sound, improve himself musically and spiritually, and is passionate about sharing this journey with his fans.

About Guitar Center:

Guitar Center is the world’s largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, recording, live sound, DJ, and lighting equipment. With more than 270 stores across the U.S. and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 50 years. In addition, Guitar Center’s sister brands include Music & Arts, which operates more than 120 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students, and Musician’s Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the United States. With an unrivalled in-store experience, an industry-leading online presence and passionate commitment to making gear easy-to-buy, Guitar Center is all about enabling musicians and non-musicians alike to experience the almost indescribable joy that comes from playing an instrument. For more information about Guitar Center, please visit http://www.guitarcenter.com.