"The 2026 Tiny Desk Contest, NPR's annual search for the next great undiscovered artist, is now officially open for entries! From now until Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET, unsigned artists can submit on the Tiny Desk Contest website. The winner will play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., be paired with a music industry mentor, headline a 10-city tour and more."
"For artist judges, NPR is thrilled to have the ever-creative rapper and singer Tierra Whack, lyricist extraordinaire singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee and 2025 Tiny Desk favorite Madison McFerrin. (We have to note that Madison also submitted to the Contest herself in 2017.) The judges are looking for a new artist who's ready to take it to the next level - to show us something we've never seen before, whether that's a new sound or a singular perspective."
"Past Tiny Desk Contest winners have gone on to win Grammy awards ( Fantastic Negrito, Tank and the Bangas), write for Broadway (Gaelynn Lea), headline festivals (Ruby Ibarra) and more. But each year there are so many talented artists who don't win and still find what they're looking for in the Contest: a creative challenge, a platform (tons of artists are featured on NPR Music's social media, on air and on tour) or a supportive community of independent artists."
Tiny Desk Contest 2026 opens for unsigned artist submissions now through Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The contest awards a Tiny Desk concert at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., pairs the winner with a music industry mentor and includes a headlining 10-city tour and expanded exposure. Artist judges for 2026 include Tierra Whack, Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and Madison McFerrin, with contributions from member-station hosts Celia Gregory (WNXP) and Alex Marrero (KUTX). Past winners have achieved Grammy recognition, Broadway work and festival headlining. Submission details and an FAQ are available on the Tiny Desk Contest website.
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