2015 Unsigned Only Music Competition Announces Winners

The Unsigned Only Music Competition, geared toward musical artists who are unsigned to a major record label or its affiliates, announced its 2015 winners today. The competition recognizes the best in up-and-coming artists worldwide and acts as a benchmark for excellence in contemporary music. Winners were selected from 7,000 entries from all over the world and represent musical genres in contemporary music. More than $100,000 in cash and prizes is awarded to a total of 26 winners.

The winning songs can be heard at http://www.unsignedonly.com/winners.

Judges include: Aimee Mann; Dustin Lynch; The Killers; David Crowder; RoBert Smith (The Cure); Ray Wylie Hubbard; Aaron Shust; Lucero; Kelly Price; Colt Ford; Frank Foster; Rapsody; Kool And The Gang; Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone); Kyle Anderson (Senior Writer, Entertainment weekly); Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Shirley Halperin (Music Editor, Billboard and Hollywood Reporter); Hardeep Phull (Music Critic, New York Post), and many more.

The 2015 Grand Prize goes to Australian (California-born) JarEd Porter and New Zealander KayLee Bell for their acclaimed duet and co-written song, "Pieces." In addition to winning $10,000 in cash and $20,000 in merchandise and services, Porter and Bell also receive the opportunity to be mentored by the top echelon of record company professionals, including Presidents and top-level executives from Atlantic, Warner Bros., Sony Music Nashville, RCA, Capitol, Big|Brave Machine, Roc Nation, Vanguard, Sugar Hill, and American Recordings

The 2015 Grand Prize winners, JarEd Porter and KayLee Bell, teamed up to write and perform the stunning duet, "Pieces." With this collaboration, they have crafted a song that showcases their beautiful vocals in an emotional, stellar performance. The artists have a lot in common, as both are Toyota Star Maker winners and have accumulated extensive accolades, including winning the APRA New Zealand Best Country Song award for "Pieces." The song also went to #1 on the Australia Country Music charts.

"As we entered the fourth year of this competition, the level of talent has grown exponentially," state Founders Candace Avery and Jim Morgan. "This year, the winners impressed the judges with their passion, creativity, energy, and artistry. The Grand Prize winners, JarEd Porter and KayLee Bell, embody the future of music, and we hope that the recognition they receive through Unsigned Only gives them the inspiration and ammunition to keep growing as artists and succeed in attaining their goals."

Unsigned Only is sponsored by: Sony Creative Software, Gretsch Drums, ADK Microphones, Guitar Center, D'Addario, Disc Makers, Ultimate Ears, Lurssen Mastering, Eventric, Bombplates, and The Music Business Registry.

Unsigned Only is now accepting entries for the 2016 competition. Information on submissions can be found at http://www.unsignedonly.com.

The complete list of 2015 winners is:
GRAND PRIZE
JarEd Porter (Brisbane, QLD, Australia) and KayLee Bell (Waimate, South Canterbury, New Zealand) - "Pieces"

AAA (ADULT ALBUM ALTERNATIVE)
First Place
Laney Jones & the Spirits (Orlando, FL, USA) - "Allston (Dance Around)"

Second Place
Allie & Ivy (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Cowboys And Indians"

Honorable Mention
Alexander Wildwood (Mount Maunganui, BOP, New Zealand) - "Bad Blood"
Tolan Shaw (San Diego, CA, USA) - "Eyes"
Justin Froese (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Finally Here"
Nihils (Waidring, Austria) - "Help Our Souls"
RIVVRS (Napa, CA, USA) - "I Will Follow You"
Alex Norwood (Rockville Centre, NY, USA) - "I'm On Fire"
Ships Have Sailed (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "If Only"
Nova & The Experience (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Jennifer Lawrence"
Enola Fall (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia) - "Lions"
The Moon Kids (Dunfermline, Scotland) - "Luna Park"
Broad Way Sleep (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "Now I Know"
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "Tea For Two"
Shayliff (Shreveport, LA, USA) - "Won't Go Away"

ADULT CONTEMPORARY (AC)
First Place
Patrick Lehman (Montreal, QC, Canada) - "Games"

Second Place
The Luck (London, England) - "Vertigo"

Honorable Mention
Mike Gladstone (Fairport, NY, USA) - "2AM"
Skyler (Boston, MA, USA) - "Break My Fall"
RIVVRS (Napa, CA, USA) - "Hold On"
NiCK Allen (Star, NC, USA) - "Home"
Danielle Deckard (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "I Lied"
Ships Have Sailed (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "If Only"
Chad Hollister (Burlington, VT, USA) - "My Best Friends Girl"
Liam Burrows (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Never Fallen In Love"
Alec Chambers (New York, NY, USA) - "Whole Again"
Liam Burrows (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "You Shook Me"

AMERICANA
First Place
Jordan Whitmore (Austin, TX, USA) - "My Own Worst Enemy"

Second Place
Brock Zeman (Carleton Place, ON, Canada) - "Pulling Your Sword Out Of The Devil's Back"

Honorable Mention
Cole Washburn (Franklin, TN, USA) ¬- "Anastasia"
Sim Ross (Brooklyn, NY, USA) ¬- "City Of Dreamers"
Smooth Hound Smith (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Crazy Over You"
Chris Beall (Austin, TX, USA) - "Dug Down Deep"
Lyal Strickland (Buffalo, MO, USA) - "Every Time It Starts To Rain"
The Banner Days (Snohomish, WA, USA) - "From Dust To Dust"
Nomadic Attic (Brooklyn, NY, USA) - "Mutiny"
Sons of Daughters (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "Penny"
The Hardin Draw (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Southern Queen"
The King's Horses (San Jose, CA, USA ) - "Superman"
Dale Boyle (Dorval, QC, Canada) - "You Might Come Around"

CHRISTIAN
First Place
Shaylee Simeone (Nashville, TN, USA) - "You Don't Remember"

Second Place
Day (Kirrawee, NSW, Australia) - "How Great Is The Love"

Honorable Mention
Undone (Winters, CA, USA) - "A Thousand Melodies"
Coia (Greensboro, NC, USA) - "Burn"
Nicole Sheahan (Hamilton, MT, USA) - "Chapters Of My Heart"
Alabaster Box (Gold Coast, QLD, Australia) - "Give Me The Rain"
Cities Under Fire (North Battleford, SK, Canada) - "Love In Motion"
Jon Henninger (Mount Vernon, IL, USA) - "New Day"
Alan Satchwell (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Reign in Glory"
Sorensen (Eldersburg, MD, USA) - "Rise"
Ashlee Williss (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "The Bottom"
Mitch Langley (Topeka, KS, USA) - "When I First Believed"

COUNTRY
First Place
Nicole Unser (Spokane, WA, USA) - "Smokin'"

Second Place
Holley McCreary (Birmingham, AL, USA) - "Drowning"

Honorable Mention
Brittany Marie (Chester, VA, USA) - "Changed"
Casey Weston (Naples, FL, USA) - "Fallin' For A Lie"
Farewell Angelina (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Hillbilly 401K"
Haven Drive (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Hopeful Heart"
Bruce Greaves (Auckland, New Zealand) - "I Can't Help The Way I Feel"
Raquel Cole (Nashville, TN, USA) - "It's For Real This Time"
Adam Searan (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Last"
Rachel Lipsky (Denver, CO, USA) - "Ready Set Whiskey"
Runaway Angel (Whitby, ON, Canada) - "Run Angel Run"
Laughlin (Athens, GA, USA) - "Summer Song"
Jesse Slack (Peterborough, ON, Canada) - "Where This Is Going"

FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER
First Place
NickNervous (Twin Falls, ID, USA) - "A Ghost"

Second Place
RIVVRS (Napa, CA, USA) - "I Will Follow You"

Honorable Mention
Ryan Tennis (Philadelphia, PA, USA) - "Did My Best"
Paul Otten (Cincinnati, OH, USA) - "Girl You're Alright"
Quinell (Lacombe, AB, Canada) - "Hooked On A Feeling"
David Myles (Fredericton, NB, Canada) - "I Wouldn't Dance"
Caitlin Rushing (Orlando, FL, USA) - "Led Me Down"
The Blackbird Collective (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Maybe, Maybe"
Megan Slankard (San Francisco, CA, USA) - "Part-Time Philosopher"
Laura Saggers (Chesham, England) - "Summer Fling"
Big Little Lions (Royston, BC, Canada) - "They Know My Name"
Dylan Holton (Pictou County, NS, Canada) - "Weight Of The World"
Anthony Mossburg (Columbus, OH, USA) - "Whiskey & Wine"

POP/TOP 40
First Place
Rita Satch (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) - "Not Ready For Love"

Second Place
Liz Labelle (Montreal, QC, Canada) - "Bombs Away"

Honorable Mention
Jeremy Drakeford (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) - "Anyone But You Ft. Daniel Kelaart"
Fly By Midnight (Staten Island, NY, USA) - "Brooklyn"
Zimri (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Climbing Trees"
The Scheme (London, England) - "Dust"
Soul Fam (New York, NY, USA) - "H.E.A.R.T"
Jordan Richman (Elk Grove, CA, USA) - "In Love With The Moment Ft. Josephina"
The New Electric (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "Inside Out"
Kyle Mischiek (Florence, NS, Canada) - "Mine For The Summertime"
Stephanie K (Detroit, MI, USA) - "Out Of Control"
Abby Lane (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Over You"
Victoria Celestine (Blanco, TX, USA) - "Something More"
Iliana (Glenview, IL, USA) - "The Right Kind Of Love"
Bayla (Montreal, QC, Canada) - "Turn It Around"
Bechy (Prague, Czech Republic) - "Who Are You"

R&B/HIP-HOP
First Place
Atlanta Prin (Atlanta, GA, USA) - "Bad Chick"

Second Place
LIMI (Novi Sad, Serbia) - "Boss"

Honorable Mention
The I.S.A (Hartford, CT, USA) - "Ayoo"
Nhlakanipho Manqele (Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) - "Body Bag"
Swurvey (East Orange, NJ, USA) - "C4"
Keba Williams (Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA) - "Crush"
Immaculate (Okanagan, BC, Canada) - "Just Breathe"
Soul Fam (New York, NY, USA) - "Live In The Light"
Kai'Son (Brooklyn, NY, USA) - "Make The Change"
Cataly$t (New York, NY, USA) - "Nah"
Cem (Springfield, OH, USA) - "On The Floor"
Broad Way Sleep (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "Shy & Out of Season"
Martin Kember (Eltham, England) - "U Deserve It Girl"
RookieBaby (Norfolk, VA, USA) - "What You Got"

ROCK
First Place
Willa (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "Swan""

Second Place
Lady Moscow (Oslo, Norway) - "Heroes Of The Sum"

Honorable Mention
Jarek Hardy (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "I'm Fine"
The Modern Hearts (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "Into The Wild"
Step Rockets (Minneapolis, MN, USA) - "Kisser"
Them Clones (New Delhi, India) - "Mediocre"
Isaiah Dominguez (Olympia, WA, USA) - "No Matter Where"
Kink Ador (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Personal Judas"
Ventura Lights (Macon, GA, USA) - "Set It Off"
The Future Laureates (Chicago, IL, USA) - "Sinners And Saints"
Messages (Austin, TX, USA) - "Sunshine"
Dikta (Reykjavik, CR, Iceland - "Thank You"
Where Fires Are (Leeds, England) - "Vultures"
Sate (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "Warrior"

SCREENSHOT
First Place
Lucy Lowe (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Red Car, Cold Heart""

Second Place
IAMWE (Phoenix, AZ, USA) - "Everything About You"

Honorable Mention
Stone Parade (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Be Someone"
Ships Have Sailed (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Drive"
The Ineloquent (Boulder, CO, USA) - "Emergency"
Kai'Son (Brooklyn, NY, USA) - "I Know You Like Me (Sex-Party-Sex)"
Alex Norwood (Rockville Centre, NY, USA) - "I'm On Fire"
Devaine (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "IDLH"
Adam Searan (Nashville, TN, USA) - "Last"
Jeff Nelson (Rendondo Beach, CA, USA) - "Little Bird"
Hudson Henry (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Love Story"
Kai'Son (Brooklyn, NY, USA) - "Make The Change"
Wren (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Raw"
Victoria Celestine (Blanco, TX, USA) - "Something More"
Jesse Slack (Peterborough, ON, Canada) - "Where This Is Going"
Shayliff (Shreveport, LA, USA) - "Won't Go Away"

TEEN
First Place
Koda Corvette (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Bring It On"

Second Place
Jules Collarile (Oakville, ON, Canada) - "City Lights"

Honorable Mention
Brooke Allan (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) - "Act Like This"
Colin Huntley (Georgetown, TX, USA) - "Best I Never Had"
Kyra Nicole (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - "Final Mistake"
Nina Lee (Westport, CT, USA) - "Give Me A Reason"
Lorraine Nash (Listowel, Kerry, Ireland) - "I Can't Make You Love Me"
Trinity Rose (Malibu, CA, USA) - "In The Pines"
Grace London (Austin, TX, USA) - "Mary Anne"
Adrianna Noone (Rochester, NY, USA) - "No Light No Light"
Fionn (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "Second Hand Love"
Emma Klein (Huntsville, AL, USA) - "Six Feet In The Dirt"
Anna Mannering (Albury, NSW, Australia) - "Son Of Korah"
Ahmari Lia (Bradenton, FL, USA) - "Summer Nites"

VOCAL PERFORMANCE
First Place
Jasmine Kara (Stockholm, Sweden) - "I Love You"

Second Place
Liam Burrows (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "You Shook Me"

Honorable Mention
Alessandra Paonessa (Toronto, ON, Canada) - "Dolce Vento"
Tiyah (Clinton, MD, USA) - "Don't Know Why"
Anca Boieru and Valentin Borsu (Calgary, AB, Canada) - "L'Ultima Notte"
Tiffany Desrosiers (Langley, BC, Canada) - "Love's A Losing Game"
Rita Satch (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) - "Not Ready For Love"
Lucy Lowe (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - "Red Car, Cold Heart"
Shane Harvey (North Vancouver, BC, Canada) - "This Masquerade"
Kathryn Dean (San Diego, CA, USA) - "Tired Eyes Tired Lies"
Violette Tzivra (Athens, Greece) - "Titanium"
Shari Pine (New York, NY, USA) - "To Love Somebody"
Emilie (Kvinesdal, Vest-Agder, Norway) - "Who's Loving You"

FANDEMONIUM
Trinity Rose (Malibu, CA, USA) - "In The Pines"