NPR Music and Lagunitas Brewing Company have announced the 2017 Tiny Desk Concert Contest! The winner of the Contest will play a Tiny Desk concert behind the desk at NPR. Then, they'll go on a fully-funded tour of the United States with NPR Music and sponsor, Lagunitas Brewing Company.
Here's how you enter:
- Make a video of yourself performing an original song behind a desk of your choosing. Gather your friends and grab a smartphone (if you think like last year's winner, Gaelynn Lea) or an iPad (if you're like the inaugural winner, the now-Grammy-nominated Fantastic Negrito) or a full-on camera rig (if you're, oh, say, Cactus Tractor ). Shoot it however you like. What matters is the music, and that you have as much fun as possible bringing this together.
- They will take submissions between Jan. 13 and Jan. 29, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. ET! You have a whole month to get started on your entry video. You can use the time however you like — make an elaborate set for your video, write a new song, start a new band, learn a new instrument or learn how to play several instruments all at once.
There's only one winner in the Contest, but they have discovered that so much happens to the artists making these videos. They post the thrilling ones and the interesting ones on their Tumblr; call them out in their weekly newsletter; feature some of them on All Songs Considered; have them play at local shows on tour . Several Tiny Desk Contest entrants have even played their own Tiny Desk concerts even though they didn't win. This is a chance for the national music community to come together and lift one another up.
Get started on your submissions! Check out these previous entries by local musicians:
Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound
