With over eighty entries to the 2019 edition of our Kickstart competition, it was always going to be very difficult to narrow them down to a shortlist of twenty. Our team of contributors spent hours last week listening to a wide variety of genres and styles from all the bands and musicians that entered.
There were some real surprises from old favourites and of course great new discoveries that reiterates our opinion that the Northern Irish music scene is in good health with lots of wonderful talent coming through.
Rambling aside, we are thrilled to announce the ten shortlisted artists for Kickstart 2019 are:-
►Cloakroom Q
►Sasha Samara
►All The Few
►Second Nature
►Lucy Bell
►Blue Loser Fanclub
►Skeletho
►Conor Maley
►I Am Muir
►Problem Patterns
►Eilis
►Gin Palace
►Omonoko
►PascalWillNotSurviveThis
►The Fugues
►Willoware Jackson
►Owen Daniel
►Newt
►Charity Shop Vinyl
►Riley Holland
Kickstart 2019 Shortlist Playlist►
While our panel of esteemed judges is narrowing down these artists down to finalists, we thought you might like the opportunity to sample the shortlisted artists for yourselves. Enjoy this specially put together Soundcloud playlist.
Shortlist Judging Panel►
A massive congratulations to those who have made it through to the next stage. Rather than using a public vote like in previous years, the four finalists will be decided by an independent panel of judges.
– Stevie Lennox – The Thin Air
– Paul Brown – Fictive Kin
– Charlene Hegarty – Zero Myth
– Nikki MacRae – Help Musicians NI / First Column Management
– Charlotte Dryden – Oh Yeah Music Centre
– Christopher McBride – The Metaphorical Boat
– Chris Lowry – Music Nation NI
– Chris McCann – Music Paths NI
– Daniel Lynch – Tin Man Heart
– Robert Brown – Chordblossom
– Aaron Cunningham – Chordblossom
Timeline For The Competition ►
– Monday 20th May 2019 – Competition announced and entry opens
– Saturday 1st June 2019 – Entries Close at 8PM
– Monday 10th June 2019 – Initial Shortlist Announced
– Monday 17th June 2019 – 4 Finalists Announced
– Monday 1st July 2019 – Chordblossom’s Kickstart 2019 Winner Announced
