PRS for Music has partnered with Girls I Rate (GIR), a movement focused on equality for young women in the creative industries, for the sixth year to launch its 2022 GETHEARD Future Hitmaker competition.
Applications are now open for women aged 16-30 to submit their tracks via Girls I Rate, with entries closing on 21 November 2022. Contestants will have the opportunity to receive feedback on their tracks from a panel of A&R experts, and could also be broadcast on BBC Music Introducing and considered for funding to help take their career to the next level.
The GETHEARD Future Hitmaker competition culminates in an in-person event on Sunday 4 December hosted by KISS DJ Ellie Prohan and MOBO Award winner Nadia Rose at a venue still to be announced. Ten shortlisted tracks will be heard by some of the most influential A&Rs in the music industry, who will then select the three recipients of the Future Hitmaker Awards of £1,000, £2,000 and £3,000. Future Hitmaker Award winners will also receive PIRATE.COM studio time to hone their craft, audio equipment from Girls I Rate partner Audio-Technica and apparel from ellesse.
To encourage submissions across the UK, GIR has partnered for the first time with BBC Music Introducing. Beginning in October, GIR will host takeovers across BBC Music Introducing’s network of shows, with shortlisted GETHEARD undiscovered and under-the-radar entries broadcast to BBC’s audiences.
The GETHEARD Future Hitmaker competition was created by Girls I Rate founder Carla Marie Williams, and is supported by PRS Foundation’s Hitmaker Fund and Spotify. Last year's award recipient, British-Ghanaian rapper ShaSimone, went on to feature on Mercury Prize-winning rapper Dave’s album, We’re All Alone in This Together.
The judges for Girls I Rate 2022 are: Jessie Bull, A&R, Atlantic Records, Shauni Caballero, Senior A&R Manager, Sony Music Publishing, Jodeci Chin, Vevo’s Music & Talent Manager, Lloyd Murray, A&R Manager, Warner Records and Jacqueline Pelham-Leigh, Relationship Manager - Black Music, PRS for Music.
Girls I Rate founder and GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, Carla Marie Williams, says 'Over the six years of running GIR, my team and I have discovered and championed so many gems prior to their public-facing success. Tiana Major, Shae Universe, Rachel Chinouriri, Amaria B - we’ve worked with them all, and I personally take pride in leading our A&R team and discovering Future Hitmakers.'
Jacqueline Pelham-Leigh, relationship manager – Black music, PRS for Music, says, 'Opening doors for creators and focusing on empowerment, ownership and longevity is extremely important to me. Whether through creating opportunities, breaking down barriers, improving education, or mentoring, GETHEARD helps tomorrow’s songwriters and producers who are entering the industry have visible role models to aspire to, and a community that supports them along the way.'
Joe Frankland, CEO of PRS Foundation, says, 'We’re incredibly proud to continue our partnership with GIRLS I RATE and our Hitmaker fund for this important opportunity supporting emerging women music creators. We were impressed with the huge number of excellent applications for last year’s GETHEARD Future Hitmaker Competition and the very talented winners and look forward to seeing the entrants for this year’s competition.'
For more information and to apply, click here.
