Submissions are open from June 1, 2021 (9:00:00 PM EST) through August 31, 2021 (11:59:59 PM EST).

Anyone who is at least 18 years of age is eligible to apply.

No. We’re not distributing your song. There is no need for you to become a member of a collection society.

Yes, you retain the rights to your song. We will be using the top 3 songs for promotion, marketing, and advertising purposes only for the term of one year, with the option of using JB Dondolo for future campaigns. We’re not distributing your song.

The submitted song must be unpublished, unreleased, and the sender must possess all legal rights (that includes each team member that worked on the song) to the song in its entirety, and the individual needs to have permission from their company for the release. The song should be of sufficient studio quality and also be available as a complete file in a professional recording session format such as Cubase, Logic, or Pro Tools. Page 3 of 8 High-Resolution Photos for Cover from Artist/Group are required.

• Does my song have to be an original?
  Yes
• Does the song need to be registered?
  No
• Does the song have to have vocals?
  No
• What is the minimum length?
  2 minutes 30 seconds
• What is the maximum length?
  4 minutes
• Can the song be written by a team?
  Yes
• Does the song have to be a video or audio?
  It has to be mp3 audio only

You can contact the Music for Water Team by sending an email to info@jbdondolo.org.

The contest is reviewed by 5 expert judges who are in the music industry or are closely affiliated with the music industry. The duration of the review is 2 weeks (September 15-30). The judges will determine who will place in the winning 5 out of the top 20 submissions. The winning 5 submissions will be announced on October 1 and will be displayed on the JB Dondolo website. The top 3 winners will be announced at the Voices for Water Awards on December 2, 2023 and given cash prizes each as follows:

● First prize: $1,500

● Second Prize: $750

● Third Prize: $500

We will make contest updates and announcements on all social media outlets. Please be sure to like and follow us on social media!

Four (4) criteria will be used to evaluate your submission:

Lyrics & Composition

• Does the composition show thoughtful attempts at rhythm, harmony and melody?
• Does the lyrics, composition have potential for commercial radio play?
• Are the lyrics emotionally engaging?

Musicality

• Is the song memorable, does it have a “hook”
• Do you see potential for this song to be commercially viable?
• Is there thoughtful or creative use of instrumentation?
• Is the song well timed, organized, showing polish?

Originality

• Does the song answer the theme in a personal, unique way?
• Does the songwriter surprise you with creative use of language, vocal arrangements or instrumentation?
• Does the song utilize interesting musical and rhythmical devices?

Speaks to the Theme

• Does the song follow the narrative?
• How well do the lyrics reflect the theme?

The top 3 submissions will be announced on October 1, 2023. They will be displayed on the JB Dondolo “Music for Water” website. Furthermore, we shall make the announcement on our social media platforms.

You can check contest progress by visiting our website at  “Music for Water”

Also, we will make frequent announcements on social media. Please be sure to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Unpublished submissions are required. You may keep your song up on the YouTube channel but it must be set to private. The song must be publisher-free or may not yet be published (i.e. must be unlisted). In addition, the sender must have all rights to the song in its entirety.

No. We will not be publishing any songs. We will, however, showcase the top 3 selected songs on the internet, social media, and other media outlets for publicity.

Unfortunately, we do not accept any submissions that are not submitted through the JB Dondolo “Music for Water” website.

Unfortunately, we do not accept any late submissions. Since the contest is annual, we encourage you to try submitting the following year. Please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to keep up with the latest announcements and updates.

You can contact our tech support at info@jbdondolo.org.

You can vote during the open period of September 1 (9:00:00 PM EST), 2023 through September 14, 2023 (11:59:59 PM EST).

To vote, please go to the website www.jbdondolo.org/voting. Please note that this is the only acceptable way to vote.

No. You don’t have to login in to vote.

Once. We allow one vote per person a day.

Voting frequency is per Calendar Day (based on a 24-hour gap). That means you vote once a day.

Your vote carries weight. The top 20 would be decided by 50% votes and 50% by our music industry experts.

You can check contest progress by visiting our website at https://jbdondolo.org/voting/ .

Also, we will make frequent announcements on social media. Please be sure to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

You can contact our tech support at info@jbdondolo.org.