We will begin at 6pm. Please arrive no later than 5pm to meet our sound tech and take part in a brief soundcheck - this will be on a first come, first served basis.
YOUR PERFORMANCE:
● Entrant must sing one (1) original song not to exceed five (5) minutes which Entrant
owns/retains the rights to perform and either wrote or co-wrote. Entrant may sing
acapella or have live accompaniment. Light percussion is allowed if there is no set-up
time necessary. Entrant may bring up to two (2) performers to play an instrument. Back
up tracks are permitted if it is original work
● The original song must not disparage any group of persons, religion, be considered
inflammatory or inappropriate
● The original song will be performed at every stage of the competition, at the qualifying
round, showcase and finale
● Entrant must provide lyrics to song ahead of the qualifying round
JUDGING:
● Song Quality scored on a scale of 1-10: Considering lyrical originality, lack of cliches
and clarity of the narrative;
● Performance score on a scale of 1-6: Considering instrumental sound (voice or musical
instrument), ability of the audience to audibly understand the lyrics and the Entrants
connection with the audience
ORDER OF PERFORMANCE & STAGING: Order of performance will be determined by a random drawing of all participants and provided a week in advance of the events. Participating songwriters are welcome to watch the other performances. Tell your friends and family to turn out and support you!
WHAT’S PROVIDED: The small, intimate stage in our replica of Studio A will be set with a small PA with two microphones and stands and direct input(s) for keyboard or acoustic guitar. If you plan on playing an electric guitar, please bring your own amplifier. If you choose to perform with a backing track, let us know ASAP so we can make the proper arrangements with our sound tech.
WHO WINS & WHAT: The judges will be selecting one winner and one alternate. The winner will participate in the West Tennessee finals to be held at Lafayette’s Music Room on February 18, 2024. Each alternate will replace the winner at the West Tennessee finals at Lafayette’s should they be unable to participate for any reason.
The top performer from the Lafayette’s event will perform at the 2024 Tennessee Songwriters Week finale at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on March 23-24, 2024.
HOLLER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!
