The Band Perry Join Mark Ronson, Ziggy Marley in Finding Next ‘Grammy Amplifier’
The Band Perry siblings are moonlighting as talent scouts. Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry have signed on to be curators of the third-annual Grammy Amplifier contest, alongside reggae legend Ziggy Marley and singer-songwriter Allen Stone. Sponsored by Hyundai and the Recording Academy, the online talent competition aims to find music’s next big thing through performance video submissions.
The Top 25 contestants, to be determined by track plays and social media “amplifications,” will be brought together for a mentorship experience, during which the Perrys, Marley and Stone will select a smaller group of finalists.
“We love discovering new music and can’t wait to hear the next wave of emerging talent,” the Band Perry write in an email to Rolling Stone Country.
Renowned British producer Mark Ronson will serve as the Grammy Amplifier Ambassador, selecting the final three contestants and awarding them with prizes that could act as career springboards. One winner will receive a studio recording session with a Grammy-winning producer. Another will get to shoot his or her own music video, and the third scores an opening slot for a big music tour or festival.
Aspiring artists may begin submitting videos today (January 27th) at grammyamplifier.com, where you can also watch clips of last year’s mentoring sessions. The 2014 Grammy Amplifier winners were pop-rock band Bonavox, soul/R&B crooner Eyango and singer-songwriter Jessica Faith.
The Band Perry received their first Grammy nomination in 2010, for their breakthrough hit, “If I Die Young.” In 2012, the sibling trio were in the elite, all-genre Best New Artist category at the Grammys. And they’re up again this year for their cover of Glen Campbell’s “Gentle on My Mind.” The 57th annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live from Los Angeles, February 8th at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.