2023 Jim Beam^® National Talent Search

Anyone who is a legal resident of Canada can apply. The National Finalist showcase will take place on June 6, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. The pre-selected five (5) National Finalists will need to arrive to Toronto on June 5, 2023.

Yes! CMW will cover the costs of a Standard economy airfare (where required) for our pre-selected five (5) National Finalists only. These travel arrangements will be allowable for up to five (5) people only, and must be actual members of the band/group. Managers, agents or any other third-party affiliates cannot be considered as part of the band/group and will be responsible for their own travel arrangements/expenses.

Hotel accommodations will be paid for by CMW for June 5 and 6, 2023, with check-out on June 7, 2023. If you are selected as 2023 National Finalist and but not determined as the Grand Prize winner at the CMW/Jim Beam® National Talent Search showcase (June 6, 2023) then you will be responsible for covering the expense of hotel/accommodations beginning June 7, 2023.

Only one (1) Grand Prize Winner will be determined at the CMW/Jim Beam® National Talent Search showcase June 6, 2023. This sole winner determined will have their additional hotel/accommodations paid for June 7, 8 and 9, 2023 (check-out June 10, 2023).

*All Finalists/Grand Prize winners will be responsible for any incidentals at the hotel, as CMW will only be responsible for the cost of the hotel room nights.

**Hotel rooms will be booked based on double/triple occupancy. These shared hotel accommodation arrangements will be allowable for up to five (5) people only, and must be actual members of the band/group. Managers, agents or any other third-party affiliates cannot be considered as part of the band/group and will be responsible for their own accommodation arrangements/expenses. 

No. All genres of music are eligible, with preference given to English and French languages.

No. All material submitted as an Applicant, or recorded as a National Finalist, must be original. You must own the rights to the publishing, and ensure all clearances are in place prior to submitting your material.

No.

No. But each member of the selected five (5) National Finalists will automatically receive a complimentary Music Summit Conference delegation registration and CMW Festival wristband for the 2023 Canadian Music Week (June 8-10, 2023) and Festival (June 5-10, 2023).

For the determined Grand Prize winner: June 7, 2023. Times will be provided to the Grand Prize winner.

The songwriting session will not be starting a brand new original song from scratch since we know these can take many days, weeks and even months to develop/complete, and you have a day of recording to do on June 9, 2023!

You will pre-select one (1) of your own original songs that you are currently developing/writing or that you would like re-worked. Shaun Frank will work with you to complete this one (1) original song which you will then record on June 9, 2023.  Shaun Frank will also produce this one (1) original song for/with you.

For the determined Grand Prize winner: June 9, 2023. Times will be provided to the Grand Prize winner.

Yes. All National Finalists are welcome to hire/arrange for their own team of session musicians at their own expense.  Solo Artists do not need to provide us with session musician names until you are notified and accept your position as a National Finalist.

NOTE: CMW, nor Jim Beam® will source session musicians for any Finalist.

All Artist submissions are reviewed by an industry jury and narrowed down to the Artists who have kick ass music. Having great social media profiles won’t hurt either!

Sometime after April 7, 2023, and no later than April 30, 2023. You will have 48 hours to confirm your acceptance from the time of notification. You will receive an email.

Someone from the CMW team will use the Email and Telephone details that are submitted under the Main Contact for the Artist/Band Submission.

1. Be 19 years of age or older.
2. Be available to travel/arrive to Toronto, Ontario on June 5, 2023.
3. Be available to perform one, 20-minute set of original songs live at the CMW/Jim Beam® National Talent Search showcase June 6, 2023.
4. Promote the heck out of yourselves as finalists on all social media platforms to your fans, friends, family, etc.
5. Be flexible and prepared to remain in Toronto, Ontario if you are determined as the Grand Prize Winner at the CMW/Jim Beam® National Talent Search showcase June 6, 2023.   You must be available for all required dates/times CMW schedules for you as the Grand Prize Winner.  There will be no exceptions to re-arrange the schedule we provide you, which is as follows (and may be subject to change):
   1. Grand Prize Winner ONLY: Songwriting Session Wednesday, June 7, 2023 (up to 10 hours)
   2. Grand Prize Winner ONLY: (If applicable to you/your band/group) pre-arrangede meetings with buyers in our International Marketplace at the CMW Conference venue (Westin Harbour Castle Toronto), as well as any meetings with our Mentors in the Mentor’s Cafe (also at at the CMW Conference venue) – Thursday, June 8, 2023 (will arrange these between conference hours of 9:00am to 5:00pm, but you will not be needed all day)
   3. Grand Prize Winner ONLY: Perform at the Jim Beam INDIES on the evening of Thursday, June 8, 2023 (sound check time and showtime will be provided)
   4. Grand Prize Winner ONLY: Recording session Friday, June 9, 2023 (up to 10 hours)

1. CMW/Jim Beam® have the right to use them in any related promotional materials.
2. All final produced audio and video files will be given to the Grand Prize winner post-event to use as they wish.

The rights remain with the composers and publishers of song. Each Artist Finalist will agree that CMW/Jim Beam can use the referenced audio/video sound recording for promotional and brand advertising purposes on radio, television, Internet, or other accessible media for public use. There will be no royalties or other payments provided to the artists/composers by CMW/Jim Beam associated with the use of this Song for the term.  

There will be ONE (1) Artist selected out of the 5 National Finalists as the Grand Prize Winner.

A live panel of Judges at the June 6, 2023 showcase will judge all National Finalists based on the following criteria:

– Originality / Creativity

– Artist / Band Performance (Overall musicianship of artist or band)

– Charisma / Audience Appeal

– Song Writing

CMW/Jim Beam reserve the rights to have the audio and video files edited to their preference for the purposes of the final online event. If you have differential preferences to tweak in either the audio or video content, CMW will connect you with the correct people to do so at your own expense.

• One (1) Grand Prize winner will perform live at the Indies Awards during Canadian Music Week 2023, in Toronto.
• One (1) Grand Prize winner package also includes:
  • return travel (for up to 5 people who are actual members of the band/group);
  • accommodation based on double/triple occupancy;
  • complimentary Music Summit Conference passes to Canadian Music Week & Festival 2021;
  • complimentary wristbands to Canadian Music Week Festival 2023;
  • Gift Card from Long & McQuade;
  • One (1) Canadian Musician Success Kit; and
  • one (1) single professionally produced, recorded, mixed and mastered courtesy of Noble Street Studios

Kristen will be happy to provide further clarification or answer questions you may have regarding the Jim Beam® National Talent Search. Shoot her an e-mail: kristen@cmw.net