Thanks so much to everyone who submitted songs to this year’s NewSong Music Competition! Entries to the 24th annual NewSong Music Performance and Songwriting Competition closed at 11:59 PM on Sunday, Sept 14. We are thrilled with the talent of the singer-songwriters who entered their original work to this year’s program: This is exactly why we do what we do!

This year’s eight finalists will travel to Asheville, N.C. on Thursday, December 11, to network, celebrate, showcase and compete in a special 24th annual live event, hosted by our presenting sponsor Citizen Vinyl and held at The Grey Eagle. 

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Announcing the finalists for the 2025 NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition:

• Volena (Brooklyn, NY) — Indie folk and rock from Brooklyn, fronted by songwriter Maddie Grandusky-Howe. “There’s a raw, radiant power to Volena – one that doesn’t shout, but steadily burns.” ~ Atwood Magazine.

• Alex Sheh (Santa Clara, CA) — Singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Alex Sheh  is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His music blends elements of jazz, blues, folk, and pop. His soulful vocals and evocative guitar playing, create a warm and intimate environment for the listener.  

• Dominique Bianco* (Washington, DC) — Dominique is a DC-based renowned Italian-American jazz vocalist who adds her own distinctive touch to jazz standards, with awe-inspiring improvisational skills, and unique melodic original compositions. Her her debut record, “I’m All Smiles,” features Benny Benack III & Elijah Jamal Balbed. * 2025 Early Bird Finalist

• Annie Stokes (Leesburg, VA) — The pandemic coincided with new motherhood, and Annie and her husband (and bandmate and co-writer) Will Berger found themselves hunkered down with a newborn baby and a half-finished album. “When you have a child, you have to squeeze an hour out of 20 minutes, and when the world is locked down, you have to pause. So we just cracked open some moments.”

• Jackson Grimm** (Swannanoa, NC) — Jackson is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and teacher in the Asheville music community. His songs marry folk pop melodies with the lonesome sound of traditional Appalachian music. Jackson’s songwriting is representative of his musical birthplace, Western North Carolina, where he studied Traditional Music at Warren Wilson College. ** 2025 LEAF Competition Winner

• Emily Johnson-Erday (Brooklyn, NY) — “With roots in traditional folk, and a voice that carries both tenderness and grit, Emily crafts songs that echo the natural world and the quiet revolutions of everyday life.Her music feels like a well-worn quilt: honest, handmade, and deeply comforting, infused  with poetic lyricism and a deep sense of place.”  ~ Lu’kas Porter

• Dustin Dale Gaspard (Abbeville, LA) — Singer songwriter Dustin Dale Gaspard extends the boundaries of Louisiana music. His blend of Americana, Soul, Folk and Roots gained Grammy consideration for Best American Roots Performance, Grammy American Roots Song and Best Americana Album. Written for his grandparents, the record is a “prayer to his home.”

• Katie Boeck (Nashville, TN) — Katie Boeck is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and storyteller crafting emotionally resonant music that sits at the intersection of contemporary folk, Americana, and soul. Her latest single, “Dust,” was recorded live-to-tape with Eau Claire, Wisconsin–based producer Shane Leonard (Anna Tivel, Humbird) and marks a confident next step in Boeck’s evolution.