Submit now for 2010 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest

Canadian songwriters have until Aug. 6, 2010, to submit their songs to the Canadian Regional Round of the ninth annual Mountain Stage NewSong contest. There are two ways to enter: online through the contest website or by mail-in.

The cost to apply online is $30 per song for each of the first two songs, and $20 per song for each song thereafter However, SOCAN members can receive a discount, and pay only $25 per song for each of the first two songs, by quoting the discount/promo code msnc2010socan when applying online. There's no limit to the number of online submissions, but you can only submit four songs per batch. All mail-in entries cost $30 per song.

A total of 12 finalists – six from the regional rounds and six from the general round – will be chosen to perform in the international contest finals (the Award Round) to be held Oct.22, 2010, in New York City. The 2010 contest winner will get the opportunity to record a five-song EP with 2010 Grammy winning producer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Tom Waits), which will be released on the NewSong Recordings label. In addition, the winner will get to perform on an internationally broadcast Mountain Stage (NPR) show, and will receive 1,000 copies of the completed disc.

New this year, the regional finals will be “virtual.” Entrants who advance to a regional round will be asked to upload a video performance of a song to YouTube. NewSong Contest judges will review each finalist’s footage to select a winner. In addition to the official winner there will be a "People's Choice" award for each region based on popular vote through the contest website.

For more information, visit the NewSong website, or have a look at the contest guidelines.