Competition Overview
Ekka's Country Music Showdown presented by Ariat Australia sees musicians aged 12 years and over compete in the ultimate search for Queensland's next country music star. Now in its tenth year, the competition offers rising musicians the chance to battle it out for career-boosting prizes worth more than $20,000 by performing two songs at the XXXX Stockmen's Bar & Grill on Saturday 17th August 2024.
In the 2023 competition, our finalists performed with a live band to a panel of industry expert judges:
- Michael Turner - The Gympie Music Muster Talent Search and Head of Mothertone
- Rachael Dixon - Artist Manager at Secret Sounds Management
- Stephen Green - CEO/Publisher at SGC Media
- Sari Abbott - Singer-Songwriter (Open Section Guest Judge)
- Keely Ellen - Singer-Songwriters (Junior Section Guest Judges)
There are two categories: Junior (ages 12-17) and Open (18+) with a prize pool of over $20,000 from Ariat Australia and our amazing prize partners.
Terms & Conditions can be found below.
For more information, please contact our competition coordinator.
2023 Prizes
$20,000 + in cash and prizes
- $2,000 cash and $2,500 worth of gift vouchers from Ariat Australia
- Performances and season passes to the Gympie Music Muster
- Performances and tickets to Ekka
- Airlock Studios sound recording session
- Troy Cassar-Daley Scholarships to The Academy of Country Music
- Production of a music video by Slow Cooked
- Guitars from Riffs & Licks Music
- Guitar Brothers musical equipment gift packs
- Strike Bowling X Holey Moley Golf Club prize packs
- Trackside & precinct tickets for Brisbane Racing Club's Country Music Raceday
2023 Winners
1st Place Open Winner - Beth Lucas | 1st Place Junior Winner - Sarah Savannah |
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