Competitions · Humanities and writing · We Sing Pop!
We Sing Pop!, the international pop song contest.
The only place in this family where pop is allowed - the six classical competitions refuse it outright and send you here. Four minutes, any age from four upwards, and you can sing a Billboard hit or something you wrote.
What it is
A separate contest, from the same people.
We Sing Pop! was created by the committee behind American Protege and debuted in 2016. It runs alongside the classical series but on its own terms - and it is where the other six competitions send pop singers.
Signed and unsigned artists
Open to singers from anywhere, whether or not they have a record deal. That is a wider field than a school competition.
And no age bands at all
The requirement is simply to be over four years old. The classical competitions sort entrants into five bands; this one does not.
Four minutes for everybody
One time limit across every age and every song category. Elsewhere in the family the limits vary by band from four to seven minutes.
Winners perform in New York
Selected entrants perform at a New York concert in front of a large audience and a panel of judges, and may appear in a US television feature.
The two routes
Your own song, or a Billboard hit.
Entrants choose a category. The second is unusual, and the organisers explain why they include it.
| Route | What it means |
|---|---|
| Song one - a modern song of your choice | Either an existing song, or an original composition by the applicant. The widest possible brief within pop |
| Song two - a Billboard Top 100 hit | A hit drawn from any year’s Billboard Top 100 list. The organisers say submitting a well-known hit helps the judging process and makes for a more entertaining programme of potential performance repertoire |
The Billboard route is a real strategic choice. A song the judges and the audience already know is harder to hide inside and easier to compare - which cuts both ways for a young singer. The category limits above still apply either way.
At a glance
The essentials.
The parent organisation has run more than 300 concerts at Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and at Kaufman Music Center. This contest debuted in 2016.
- Who can enter
- Singers aged four and over, signed or unsigned, from anywhere
- Second requirement
- A general statement and release form, submitted by email
- Time limit
- Four minutes, for every age and every category
- Two categories
- A modern song of your choice - existing or original - or a hit from any year’s Billboard Top 100
- How you submit
- A link to a video-sharing site such as Dailymotion or Vimeo, or a file transfer through a service such as WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive
- Video quality
- It must accurately represent the performer’s skill. Professional recording is not required, but the video must be good enough to judge the singing
- Also required
- A short biography in Microsoft Word under 150 words, listing past competitions, academic activities, festivals and public performances, plus a good-quality portrait photograph
- Changing your song
- Not permitted after the submission deadline. Notify the organiser of any repertoire change before resubmitting materials
- Application deadline
- Mid-November
- Results
- Early January
- Fee
- $200 for an individual, $150 for a group entrant, by cheque, money order or PayPal
How it differs from the classical series
Five things that are not the same.
If you have read one of the American Protege pages, do not assume the rules carry over. Several do not.
A different email address
Applications and materials go to the We Sing Pop address, not the American Protege one. Sending them to the wrong place delays the entry.
File transfer is accepted
The classical competitions require a link on a video-sharing site. Here you may send the file itself through WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive instead.
No age bands, and a lower floor
From age four upwards, with no bands. The classical competitions start at five and sort into five groups.
And submission date does not affect the result
The organisers state explicitly that judging begins only after the deadline passes, so an early entry carries no advantage and no disadvantage.
The submission rules
Four rules on the recording.
Short and specific, and one of them is about honesty rather than quality.
Under four minutes
The sung song must not run longer. This applies to every age and every category, with no exceptions.
It must accurately represent you
The organisers ask for a recording that is an accurate representation of the performer’s skill - not the best take of thirty, and not something enhanced.
Professional recording is not needed
But the video must be good enough quality that the singing can actually be judged. Clear audio matters more than the camera.
And no changes after the deadline
The submitted song cannot be changed once the deadline passes. If you change repertoire before then, notify the organiser before resubmitting.
What winners do
One song, chosen by the judges.
The performance is not entirely your choice, which is worth knowing before you decide what to submit.
The judges pick the song
Selected winners perform one song on stage, chosen by the judges from the applicant’s audition repertoire. Submit nothing you would not want to perform live.
Four minutes on stage as well
The same limit applies to the performance, across all ages and categories.
And no repertoire change for the performance
Changes to the performed song are not accepted, unlike the classical competitions where a change is possible for a fee.
A New York concert, and possibly television
Winners perform in New York in front of a large audience and a panel of judges, with the possibility of a US television feature.
Preparation
How Hanlin prepares a We Sing Pop entry.
Four minutes, no bands, and a field that includes signed artists. That is a different proposition from a school competition.
Choosing between the two routes
An original song shows writing as well as singing. A Billboard hit invites direct comparison with a recording everybody knows. Neither is safer - they test different things.
Understanding the field
No age bands means a fourteen-year-old and a signed adult artist are in the same competition. That is worth knowing before setting expectations.
Recording honestly
The rule asks for an accurate representation of the singer. A heavily produced track works against that, and the video only needs to be good enough to hear.
And submitting anything you can perform live
The judges choose which submitted song a winner performs on stage. Submitting something the student cannot reliably deliver in a hall is a risk taken for no reason.
Talk to an advisor
Hanlin does not coach We Sing Pop!. Ask what it does coach.
The services below are real, but not for this competition. An advisor will say plainly whether there is a route here and what is worth entering instead.
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We Sing Pop!, briefly answered.
What students and families ask before entering.
Who can enter?
Singers aged four and over, from anywhere, signed or unsigned. There are no age bands. Entrants must also submit a general statement and release form by email.
What can I sing?
Two routes: a modern song of your choice, either existing or written by you; or a hit from any year’s Billboard Top 100 list.
How long can the song be?
Four minutes, for every age and every category, both in the audition and on stage.
How do I submit?
A link to a video-sharing site such as Dailymotion or Vimeo, or the file itself through a transfer service such as WeTransfer, Dropbox or Google Drive - along with a biography under 150 words in Microsoft Word and a good-quality portrait photograph.
Does the video need to be professionally recorded?
No, but it must accurately represent the performer’s skill and be of high enough quality that the singing can be judged.
Does submitting early help?
No. The organisers state that judging begins only after the deadline passes, so the submission date does not affect the result as long as everything arrives on time.
Can I change my song?
Not after the deadline. If you change repertoire before it, notify the organiser before resubmitting your materials. Changes to the performed song are not accepted.
What does it cost?
$200 for an individual and $150 for a group entrant, paid by cheque, money order or PayPal.
What happens if I win?
You perform one song on stage in New York, in front of a large audience and a panel of judges - and the judges choose which of your submitted songs it will be. There is also the possibility of a US television feature.
Why can I not enter pop in the other competitions?
The six classical American Protege competitions exclude pop repertoire and direct pop singers here instead.
When does it run?
Applications close in mid-November and results follow in early January.
Related
The American Protege competitions.
Six classical competitions run alongside this one.
We Sing Pop enquiries
Four minutes, no age bands, and a real field.
This is the only route for a pop singer in this family, and it puts school-age entrants in the same competition as signed artists. Tell us what the student sings and an advisor will help choose between an original song and a Billboard hit.