National Talent Search Competition Launched
by Michael Ireland
March 1, 2007
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (ANS) -- More than 22 million Christian music fans each year attend live events in venues ranging from small church gatherings to huge arena-based shows. Now a partnership has been formed for a nationwide talent search for the new voices that will share the Gospel message in music for a new generation.
Word Label Group is partnering with the Christian Festival Association (CFA) and Artist Ovation to launch the talent search competition beginning this week, according to a media release obtained by ANS.
The media release states the winner of Artist Ovation competition will receive an artist development agreement with a Word Label Group imprint. Independent artists from across the U.S. are required to enter the contest online at www.artistovation.com.
Following submissions online, artists will perform before a panel of music professionals at one of 16 participating CFA summer festivals located throughout the country (full list provided below).
"At the conclusion of regional events, competition finalist will be chosen to perform at a national event to be held in Nashville where the winning band will be honored with an artist development agreement and a Word Label Group prize package, and named the 2007 Artist Ovation competition winner, the media release says.
"The sole purpose of this exciting new venture is to identify and elevate a new voice to help bring God's timeless message to the next generation," says CFA President, Bob Thompson. "The Christian Festival Association is delighted to partner with Word Label Group and Artist Ovation to provide a unique platform for aspiring Christian artists."
Ruthanne White, Word Label Group Manager of Touring & Events, continues, "We are thrilled to partner with the CFA and this initiative is an innovative and straightforward method of discovering and promoting talent. Word is continually striving to discover and magnify the most relevant and cutting-edge sounds in Christian music and we can't wait to hear and see the new music that the competition produces."
Ryan Chamberlin of Artist Ovation.com added, "With the addition of the participating CFA member festivals and the Word sponsorship, Artist Ovation will provide national exposure for thousands of upcoming Christian artists. "This partnership is about providing new talent with new opportunities for sharing the message of hope!"
Word Label Group, comprised of Word Records, Fervent Records, Myrrh Records and Word Music Publishing, is a division of Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb Company. The artist roster heralds some of today's top Christian music performers and songwriters including Amy Grant, Point Of Grace, Mark Schultz, BarlowGirl, Big Daddy Weave, Building 429, Nicole C. Mullen and Stellar Kart. The Word Label Group leads the industry with over 55 years of music-making history. For more information on Word Label Group and its artists, visit www.wordlabelgroup.com.
The Christian Festival Association is comprised of 25 of the nation's leading Christian music festivals from coast to coast. Its mission is to help member festivals grow both spiritually and fiscally, so that more lives can be changed for the glory of God.
Participating CFA member music festivals attract more than 1.4 million of these fans each summer to their multi-day Christian music festivals offered coast to coast. For more information on CFA, including a list of participating festivals, visit www.christianfestivals.org.
Artist Ovation is a free online web community providing artists the opportunity to interact with fans, enter festival competitions, and create exposure to the overall general music industry. Artist Ovation artists market themselves online by posting materials that are reviewed and rated by peers. Visit www.artistovation.com for more details.
