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Previous winners include Birdy!

Music Contests in South Yorkshire, such as Open Mic UK, have discovered the best singers from South Yorkshire as singers took to the stage last weekend. The music contest has provided industry feedback for the best unsigned musicians in the region.

Successful auditionees in South Yorkshire performed at Dewsbury Town Hall in front of a large crowd and the Open Mic UK industry experts. Judges included vocal coaches, music journalists and A&R managers. The singing competition feedback on selected acts can be seen below.

Judging the South Yorkshire music competition were Kate Walker from Pro Voice Studios, Jenny Eells from BBC York Introducing, James Grover from Peak Studio, Andy Kostek from Artist development institute, Luke Cottingham from Basement Recording Studios, and Chris Grayston head of Future Music.

Find industry feedback below Please be aware views expressed by judges are opinions and subjective to that particular judging panel. These views in no way reflect the views of Open Mic UK, and are published with a view to being beneficial to the performing acts. Please take the feedback on board with a view to helping in the future.

Music Contests South Yorkshire – Feedback for 17-22 category singers

Melissa Steel – Very nervous looking in the eyes, learn to act confident even if a bag of nerves behind the face. Good tone but watch the tuning.

Trevaugn Terrelonge – Use the stage fella and a nervy performance which affected the vocal. More performance will help shape the stage craft.

Michaela Bromley – Intro was too long, backing track was strong but the song wasn’t delivered as well as it should have, flow could have been stronger and a harder hitting hook. Adlibbing before the song started were weak and obvious. Lots to work on but much potential also think dancers for area final where you have the chance to raise your game.

Luke Budd – Loose the bottled water who wants to see you drinking that it’s not long on stage? Image needs to be in synch with the music. Flow was good just need to think of all aspects of being an act.

Emma Fearnley – What Emma does is great, super vocal and projection but not so sure too much theatre is classified as contemporary in the look for a recording artist which this competition is looking for?

Nero – isn’t there already a Nero who is an urban act, need to change the name. Cover was hard not to see passed it being anything other than an impression.

Lucy Arnold – Lovely vocal but wrong song choice to old, look at your audience more and use the stage.

Rachel-Leah Stock – Lovely tone to the voice, can’t play piano apart from a dodger moment or two on the cover was perfect! Very accomplished performance, original was soulful and warming. Enjoyed her creative cover.

Music Contests South Yorkshire – Further Feedback

Georgette Hill – Like a reggae folk version of Sinead cover interesting! Guitarist was strong, but needs to show connection with the singer, engage as much as you do with the music. Lovely tone to her voice.

Letitia Dyer – Conveyed the song well with a nice tone to the voice but need to work on developing the power in the vocal. Needed more dynamic as a bit dull.

Arun – Thought about image but song choice and image do they synch who is Arun as an artist?

Ashwin Thomas – Another good twist with the cover, played well with a difficult thing to pull off with the choice of playing guitar over a backing track normally something that doesn’t work but Ashwin pulled it off!

Izzy Thomas – Needed to convey the song better tried to over push the vocal and as a result it was very difficult to hear what was being sung.

Smeasley Brown - Cover needed to stand out more from the massive acoustic crowd, dynamics were a little one dimensional.

Laura Prescott – This girl is special made the hairs down on everyone’s neck stand up!! From the whole audience you couldn’t hear a pin drop, tells you everything.

Daniel Welsh – Good vocal but performance was a bit inept could have really climbed into the performance which was in large part from the back of the stage. Song choice was good for his vocal but not that strong a song.

Sophie Greig – Performance was a little static but keys and vocal were pleasant but not engaging enough.

Tres Belle- So difficult for vocal groups to get there harmonies right, at times it worked well but could have worked out some choreography as the routine was predictable and boring so much potential but much to work on.

The guest act for the day was Lucy Spraggan who gave the crowds great performances of her original music.  

Music Contests South Yorkshire, Enter Now!

All successful acts at the Dewsbury Regional Finals will now be performing in the live Area Final Showcase on 11^th December at Dewsbury Town Hall. Come along to see the best unsigned talent!

All acts are competing to make it to the Grand Final on January 21^st at The O2

Don’t miss your chance to perform in front of industry professionals! You can enter Open Mic UK now!