Organisers of Record Store Day have launched the 2023 edition of the RSD Unsigned competition, which provides an up and coming independent artist with a pressing of 500 vinyl records of one of their tracks. This year the initiative is presented in partnership with Breed Media, part of the Key Production Group.
Emerging artists are invited to enter by posting a two minute snippet of an original song onto TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #RSDUnsigned by 16 Oct.
A winner will then be selected by a panel including Bastille's Dan Smith, Women In CTRL founder Nadia Khan, Eva Davies from Come Play With Me, Martin Black from record store Spinning Discs, and Key Production Group CEO Karen Emanuel.
The winning act will be invited to a mastering session at Abbey Road Studios and will get a pressing of their track on bio-vinyl, which uses a new more sustainable vinyl compound to standard records.
Confirming this year's competition, RSD board member Alan Jordan, from Reflex Records in Newcastle, says: "This collaboration between Record Store Day and Breed Media is a testament to our commitment to supporting independent artists and recognising the important role they play in their communities”.
“RSD Unsigned aims to celebrate the diversity and innovation in new music”, he goes on, “and to shine a light on the role record shops all around the country play in supporting new and breaking talent”.
Meanwhile Karen Emanuel at Key Production Group adds: “Since its inception in 1990, the Key Production Group has always championed independent artists. I’m delighted for Breed Media to be partnering with RSD to give an amazing opportunity to an unsigned act”.