You could be supporting Sam Smith at one of their London Coliseum shows
Could this be the start of a fairytale career?
Sometimes breaking into the arts scene in general feels insurmountable without a famous parents or a TikTok following, but luckily Sam Smith is trying to change that. As part of their bid to champion emerging artists the singer-songwriter has opened up the chance for 10 burgeoning musicians to open for their upcoming residency shows in London and Manchester.
The scheme was announced earlier this week on Radio 1’s New Music Show, confirming that Sam Smith in partnership with BBC Introducing is setting up 10 slots to up and coming local artists to open for them on their UK residency shows, including several in London in September. The performance also comes with the chance to be featured on Radio 1 as part of the ongoing BBC Introducing slot.
So, if you’re wondering how you actually enter, it’s pretty simple. Budding artists need to head to the BBC Introducing Uploader, and upload a clip of their music, using the tag labelled ‘Sam Smith’ so they know which opportunity you’re trying to enter. Applications open on Wednesday 29th and will stay open for a week, closing the following Wednesday (5th August). There are no upward age restrictions on entering, although you have to be at least 16 in order to create a profile for BBC Introducing.
If Sam and the BBC Introducing panel like what they hear, the artists will make a shortlist before Sam chooses the final ten artists who will open for their shows.
The London residencies are taking place from 8th until the 19th of September, and form part of Sam Smith’s live shows for their new album Hazel Eyes which releases in August. All eight of the London shows will be taking place at the historic London Coliseum, whilst the two Manchester dates will take place at the Manchester Albert Hall.
Speaking about the initiative, Sam Smith said it was "exciting” to be a part of it and “the discovery process for artists and audiences is so important and being able to play a part in that is fantastic.”
Lorna Clarke, Director of BBC Music, said that the partnership "reflects the full breadth of BBC Music’s work" and "championing new talent and showcasing established artists is at the heart of what [they] do."
You can check out how to enter here and find out details about the residency shows here.
Skip the search — follow Shortlist on Google News to get our best lists, news, features and reviews at the top of your feeds!
