NPR’s 2018 Tiny Desk Contest is here

NPR Music has just announced the 2018 Tiny Desk Contest. Over the years, the contest has racked up thousands of submissions, and introduced the world to artists like Tank and the Bangas, Gaelynn Lea and Fantastic Negrito.

The contest is open to unsigned artists of any genre. Submissions will be open from February 20th to March 25th at 11:59 PM ET. You’ll need to create a video of you performing one original song at a desk, and upload that to YouTube along with your submission form. You can read all of the official rules here.

The judges panel for this year features Sylvan Esso, Gaby Moreno, and Tarriona “Tank” Ball of 2017 Tiny Desk Contest winner Tank and the Bangas, as well as NPR Member station hosts from around the country, including World Cafe host Talia Schlanger.

A new element this year is master classes, which will start late this summer. The master classes will be taught by various music industry experts on different topics with the aim of helping people succeed in the music industry.

And if you’re intimidated by the odds, it’s important to note that submitting is beneficial even if you don’t win. Your submission could lead to being featured on NPR Music’s All Songs Considered blog, a Tiny Desk supercut video, a Tiny Desk Contest On The Road live event stop, or even a Tiny Desk concert down the line.

Find out more about the rules, eligibility, and requirements here, and good luck to everyone!