Glastonbury launches 2024 Emerging Talent Competition
Entries open from next Monday for a week.
By Nick Reilly
Glastonbury Festival has announced details of its 2024 Emerging Talent Competition, which gives new acts the opportunity to compete for a slot on one of the main stages at this year’s Festival.
The competition, which was previously won by Declan McKenna, is supported by PRS for Music and PRS Foundation. Winners of the free-to-enter competition will also receive a £5,000 Talent Development prize from PRS Foundation to help their career, while two runners-up will also each be awarded a £2,500 PRS Foundation Talent Development prize.
But all potential entrants will have to be quick. 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.
Once the entries are in, a panel of 30 music writers will help compile a longlist of 90 acts. The longlist will then be narrowed down to a shortlist of eight artists by judges including Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, before the live finals in Pilton – the Somerset home of Glastonbury – decide the winning act.
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!”
The winner of the 2023 competition was Guinea-born, Cardiff-based musician N’famady Kouyaté, who said: “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!”
Other recent Emerging Talent Competition finalists include Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis McLaughlin in 2022, 2020 lockdown winner R.A.E; 2019 winner Marie White, as well as rapper Flohio and R&B singer Izzy Bizu.