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This year’s Early Bird Finalist is The Singer and The Songwriter

August 23rd, 2022

CONGRATULATIONS to stand-out duo The Singer and The Songwriter aka Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran on being the first finalist named in this year’s NewSong Performance and Songwriting Competition!



After a marathon of listening sessions this summer, carefully reviewing each entry submitted, we could have filled the entire slate of finalists with all of the excellence that’s come in so far.



Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far, for being part of this project & community. We couldn’t do this without you.



All ‘Early Bird’ entrants are still being considered for the remaining finalist spots, and we are accepting submissions through September 18.

Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far, for being part of this project & community. We couldn’t do this without you.



All ‘Early Bird’ entrants are still being considered for the remaining finalist spots, and we are accepting submissions through September 18.

The identities of Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran — a queer mixed-race-Mexican-American and first-generation-Vietnamese-American, respectively — inform their music. Together they create eclectic and heartfelt songs that tell emotionally honest and compelling stories. Their unique and vibrant style is sophisticated but playful.

The California-based duo met and began writing and performing music together in 2006. Together Rachel and Thu won the West Coast Songwriters International Song Contest, were nominated for Best Adult Contemporary Song at the 16th Annual Independent Music Awards and, this year, were named as a finalist in the prestigious Grassy Hill New Folk Song Competition for Emerging Folk Artists at the Kerrville Folk Festival. This year they also plan to release their fourth album, Dreams! The Dead! Ghost! Future.

It’s not too late! Submit YOUR original songs to this year’s NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition. Submissions are being accepted through Sunday, September 18, with a finale performance scheduled for Saturday, December 3, at Citizen Vinyl.

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