The Shot is unlike any other talent discovery platform.  During the month-long process, The Shot takes artists through a development process that focuses on vocals, performance, and on helping acts to better understand how to create their own success in the music business.  The Shot pairs talent with coaches and mentors who are active in the industry who will help to refine an artist’s performance abilities and integral parts of their business such as social media, digital marketing, and branding.

The entire process culminates with the Showcase: an opportunity for a group of 10 performers to put what they have learned into practice in front of an audience made up of some of Canada’s best labels, agents, producers and influencers.  The Showcase is an opportunity that could literally change your life overnight.

The Live Auditions, Callbacks and Boot Camp are held at various venues in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.  Further details regarding venues and scheduling will be communicated directly to participants following their selection.

The Showcase will be held at the Toronto Centre for the Arts in North York, Ontario.

Open to independent solo acts of any musical genre.
Must be at least 16 years of age or older.
Canada to be considered eligible.

Yes.  Each participant is responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation and meal expenses in connection with any and all programs and initiatives related to The Shot.

The in-person, live auditions with the Coaches will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2018.

If you are selected by the judges to advance to the Callbacks, either by your audition video or by passing an in-person audition, Callbacks will be held on Sunday, September 9, 2018.

Our Boot Camp weekend will be Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16.

The Showcase (or final show) will be on Saturday, September 29, 2018.

These dates are subject to change by the producers.

Absolutely!  We’d love to see you again!

The deadline for submitting a video audition is July 31, 2018.

The deadline to register for the in-person, live auditions is August 24, 2018.

Yes, there is an administrative fee of $10 plus applicable service charges to submit a video audition and of $20 plus applicable service charges to register for an in-person audition.

Yes, you can.  For the first time, The Shot is allowing artists to perform their original music during the process.  There may be instances where an original song may not be suitable but you will be told in advance of these times.

If you are doing an in-person audition and plan to perform an original song for your audition, we encourage you to also prepare a cover song as well in case the Coaches ask for a second song.

The Shot is filmed and produced independently by Music & Artist Development Experience.  Portions of The Shot can be watched online on our Facebook page, on Youtube and through various live streams throughout the process.

The Shot does not categorize its participants as “winners” or “losers”.  The process and experience are meant to provide opportunities for every artists who performs in the Showcase, offering a range of exciting benefits and ongoing support regardless of the final outcome.

The Showcase will highlight two acts selected to be the People’s Choice Artist and Judges’ Choice Artist.  The People’s Choice Artist will be determined by a combination of online voting and live audience voting at the Showcase.  The Coaches’ Choice Artist will be selected by the panel.

Past recipients have received packages and opportunities that have included:

A VIP pass to Canadian Music Week and a performance spot in one of the conference’s showcases.
A shopping spree at Long & McQuade.
Performance opportunities across Canada.
Recording time at Metalworks Studios.
Meetings and consultations with industry professionals including agents from The Feldman Agency.
And more!

Yes, you can!

If you advance passed your audition, you’ll need to be able to come to Canada for the Callbacks on September 9, 2018.

The Shot creator and executive producer C.J. Allen, Canadian Music Week VP of Programming Danya Danya, internationally renowned guitarist Juneyt Yetkiner and breakout country singer-songwriter Jessie T return as judges with Brad Moore returning as host.  Canadian icon, former member of the a Capella group ‘The Nylons’ and vocal coach Micah Barnes joins the panel for Season 6 with a fresh perspective and new energy!

With the search open to acts age 16 and up from anywhere in the world, The Shot is providing an opportunity for singers to be seen and be heard by new audiences. The series is a true celebration of creativity and talent, featuring a colourful array of singers from any genre, all vying to win the audience’s hearts and the career launching grand prize.

For its 5th season in September 2017, The Shot welcomed over 600 singers from across Canada, the United States and even as far away as The Bahamas to open auditions in Kitchener-Waterloo. Patrick Rock, a 20-year old personal trainer from Ottawa, Ontario, took home the grand prize by winning over the judges and the audience with his soulful, pop sound.

Past highlights include Season 2 winner James Downham in 2015 who has gone on to perform in major venues across the province with ‘The James Downham Band’ after releasing his self-titled EP. The Shot is produced by Music & Artist Development Experience.