Singing in the shower: Universal Music Group, Aloft Hotels, launch artist discovery Project: Aloft Star in Europe

Universal Music Group and Aloft Hotels have launched their artist discovery competition Project: Aloft Star in Europe for 2018.

The prize offers a budding artist the chance to record and release a single.

The competition is through Universal Music Group’s group and brands division.

Aloft Hotels is Marriott International’s brand for music lovers and music makers.

Aloft Hotels is setting up state-of-the-art shower audio recording booths in its properties in London, Brussels, Munich and Kiev Europe for guests to step into and show off their vocal talents while staying there.

The waterproof studio equipment can be used to sing a song, record it, listen back or share.

The Project: Aloft Star Europe 2018 contest invites aspiring artists to submit an original song for consideration.

Those who get through the initial selection process and public voting will go on to perform in front of headline judge and artist ambassador JP Cooper (September Song, Perfect Strangers through Island UK) and a panel of judges in November at the Aloft Hotel in Munich, Germany.

The prize includes the release of a single through a UMG label, the production of a video to accompany the single, and dedicated A&R mentoring from UMG executives.

Said John Licence, VP of premium and select brands at Marriott International Europe: “Each year we see incredible, undiscovered talent emerge through Project: Aloft Star.

“This year we’re going a step further with a new partnership with Universal Music Group to nurture and support more emerging musicians.

“Showers are synonymous with singing, so we put a fun spin on this by launching these voice recording booths using innovative technology to encourage even more superstars-in-the-making to bring their vocal talent out of the showers and into the spotlight.”

“Having been on this journey myself, I’m really excited to be able to help shine a light on the next generation of musical talent,” added Island Records UK-signed artist JP Cooper.

“As Project: Aloft Star’s artist ambassador and head judge for Europe, I can’t wait to discover the emerging artists who will get the chance to be noticed throughout the competition and get that all important chance to record and digitally release their single, a deal that will change that person’s life.”

As a truly global hotel brand, concurrent Project: Aloft Star competitions are running with Aloft Hotels and UMG&B in the Americas, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific to find the next big music stars in these regions.

The winners will all have the opportunity to record a single with UMG and gain access to mentoring opportunities with UMG representatives. For more information about the global competition, visit alofthotels.com.

Project: Aloft Star Europe 2018 Competition Details

Starting August 13 and running until August 27, unsigned bands and artists from European countries where Aloft Hotels are present (United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Turkey and Ukraine), are invited to upload an original song (in video format) along with a photo through Projectaloftstareu.dja.com for consideration by a panel of judges from UMG and Aloft Hotels.

After entries have closed, the panel will shortlist 20 bands/artists from each of the five countries.

From August 31 until September 11 voting will open to the public in the five participating countries to vote for their favourite act from their region. Each individual will be given a chance to vote once per day for the duration of the public vote.

Following the public vote, the top three acts per region with the highest number of votes will progress to the semi-final stage. Each region will then have a panel of local music experts choose the winner to go onto represent their country in the grand finale on November 15.

All five finalists will perform at the Project: Aloft Star Europe Finale at Aloft Munich on November 15. The winner will then be chosen by the panel of judges, including Artist Ambassador JP Cooper, and last year’s winner Kris Evans.

For full details about the competition in all four regions and to enter the competition, please click here. 

Terms & Conditions

• Entrants must be aged 18 years or over.
• Submissions must be uploaded to the platform by 23:59 on 27/08/2018 to be considered.
• No purchase necessary.
• Full Terms and Conditions can be viewed at Projectaloftstareu.dja.com.
• Aloft – the Hotel For Music Makers and Music Lovers.
• Aloft Hotels has been an incubator for emerging musical talent for a decade. All Aloft Hotels around the world host regular live music evenings in their W XYZ® bars with local up-and-coming talent as part of the brand’s Live At Aloft Hotels music program.
• Aloft Hotels are in thriving music destinations, welcoming touring musicians with special discounted artist rates, the opportunity to use the W XYZ® bar as a performance space for free, and a musicians’ guide featuring everything from where to dine late-night after a gig, the best nearby affordable recording studio, where to purchase guitar strings, and more to hit the right note for each stay.