Are you a new artist, in a band, a singer, a rapper… or know someone who is?
Fancy playing the Glastonbury Festival 2024?
The Glastonbury EMERGING TALENT COMPETITION is back for 2024, offering new UK and Ireland-based acts of any musical genre the chance to compete for a slot on one of the main stages at the Festival.
You can enter the 2024 competition FOR ONE WEEK ONLY using the form at glastonburyfestivals.co.uk from 9am Monday 29th January until 5pm Monday 5th February 2024.
Last year, as one of the thirty initial judges, I was thrilled that one of my choices – Guinea-born, Cardiff-based balafon master N’famady Kouyate – not only made it to the final eight but won the entire competition!
Last February N’famady was one of thousands of entries, a selection of which I agonised over to pick my own three nominations, before judges including Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis whitled down the longlist to a final eight.
Those eight then headed to Pilton for an always hotly contested live finals. As the winner, N’famady then picked up a cheque for £5,000 from the PRS Foundation and could be found on countless stages across the Glastonbury weekend, as well as appearing live on the BBC’s coverage.
N’famady Kouyate : “Winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent Competition was amazing and has opened loads of doors for me. It gave me and the band a chance to perform on an amazing stage at an incredible festival. Winning also meant that I could take the next steps to further my career. If you think you’re ready to take the next steps too, I highly suggest you enter this year’s contest!”
This year the winner of the free-to-enter competition will again be awarded a £5,000 Talent Development prize from PRS Foundation. Two runners-up will also each be awarded a £2,500 PRS Foundation Talent Development prize.
Acts from any musical genre can enter the 2024 competition FOR ONE WEEK ONLY using the form at glastonburyfestivals.co.uk from 9am Monday 29th January until 5pm Monday 5th February 2024.
Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis said: “At a time when it’s not always easy for acts to get their foot on the ladder, we’re really happy to be able to offer this opportunity for rising artists. So many amazing acts have been showcased by the Emerging Talent Competition over the years – and, as with the Festival, we welcome artists from all musical genres. I’m really excited to hear what 2024’s entries bring. It’s free to enter, so it definitely can’t hurt to give it a go!”
Michelle Escoffery, President of the PRS Members’ Council, said: “Our continued partnership with Glastonbury Festival and our charity arm PRS Foundation aims to discover and champion the trailblazing homegrown talent we have in the UK and Ireland. The Emerging Talent Competition provides an exciting and unique platform for artists and bands to gain major exposure with new audiences and industry leaders, as well as the opportunity to win talent development prize money to elevate their music careers. If you’ve ever dreamed of performing at this iconic festival, now is the time. Submit your song and good luck!”
Joe Frankland, CEO, PRS Foundation said: “We’re delighted to be continuing to partner with our friends at Glastonbury Festival and PRS for Music on this fantastic opportunity for music creators to perform at the legendary Glastonbury Festival, as well as receiving vital funding support to develop their careers. The huge amount of talent this competition unearths each year is incredible – demonstrating the wealth of exciting artists coming through across the UK. We are very much looking forward to seeing which talented artists apply this year.”
Recent Emerging Talent Competition finalists include Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis McLaughlin in 2022, 2020 lockdown winner R.A.E; 2019 winner Marie White, who later signed with Decca Records and Universal Publishing; rapper Flohio who won the prestigious Music Moves Europe Talent Award in 2020; R&B singer Izzy Bizu (a 2016 BRITs Critics’ Choice nominee and winner of the 2016 BBC Music Introducing Award); and singer-songwriter Declan McKenna, who won ETC 2015 and subsequently signed with Columbia and has released two successful albums.
