Past Searchlight contests have seen over 3,000 original song submissions, which are narrowed down through a combination of public votes, a Canadian music industry panel, and celebrity judges.
New for 2018, the Searchlight winner will earn a place in the Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class artist development program. This includes a performance spot at the 2018 JUNO Master Class music industry showcase in Toronto, a trip to the 2019 JUNO Awards, and a performance during JUNO Week. The grand prize winner will also take part in a one week residency at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary with access to recording studios, professionals, and a historic instrument collection that spans over 450 years of technology and innovation, as well as a performance slot at this year’s CBC Music Festival at Toronto’s Echo Beach.
Key dates for this year’s contest are included below. For more information on Searchlight, go to cbcmusic.ca/searchlight.
Searchlight 2018 Key Dates:
Submission period: Tuesday Jan. 23, 12:01am ET to Tuesday February 6, 2:59pm ET
1st round of voting opens: Tuesday February 13, 3:00pm ET to Wednesday, February 28 2:59pm ET
2nd round of voting opens: Thursday, March 1, 3:00pm ET to Wednesday, March 7, 2:59pm ET
Top 10 revealed: Wednesday, March 14
Grand prize winner announced: Monday, March 19 at 11am ET with a performance on CBC q