This morning on triple j Breakfast, Concetta and Luka announced that the 2024 edition of triple j Unearthed High is now open.
The Unearthed team is seeking Australia’s best new high school-aged artist and will introduce an all-new all-school radio show to accompany the annual competition in 2024.
Entries opened today and will close on Monday, 12 August. To enter, you need to upload your music to the triple j Unearthed website before the deadline and ensure that you’ve ticked the ‘Unearthed High’ box on your profile. Any act on the triple j Unearthed website of high school age is eligible for entry and prizes.
Speaking of prizes: Unearthed High is offering an epic new prize, with triple j set to fly this year’s winning artist to a songwriting session of their choice with one of four of these Australian artists: Cosmo’s Midnight, Kobie Dee, Peach PRC, or Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers.
The competition will also welcome the return of the Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative (running until 19 August), an award that will celebrate the best Unearthed High entry by a First Nations artist. Thanks to APRA AMCOS‘ Songmaker Program, the artist will be in with a chance to win a songwriting workshop at their school.
A groundbreaking initiative, the program has introduced listeners to the likes of Tia Gostelow, Becca Hatch, and last year’s winner, INKABEE.
In addition to the new prize and return of the Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative, triple j Unearthed has announced the Unearthed High After Class radio show today.
The show will be run by high school students about high school students every Thursday at 3:30 pm, with the half-hour weekly show set to host songs entered in this year’s Unearthed High competition.
Since its inception 16 years ago, Unearthed High has been the discovery platform for your favourite artists, including Teenage Joans, The Rions, The Kid LAROI, Gretta Ray, Genesis Owusu, Ninajirachi, and many more.
You can find more information about the 2024 Unearthed High competition here.
Last year, a 15-year-old rapper from Western Sydney, LEE, won the competition.
Unearthed Music Director Dave Ruby Howe said of last year’s winner, “LEE turned the volume all the way UP in Unearthed High 2023, and it’s that exciting energy and potential in this melodic hip-hop package that’s made him rise above in a very competitive group of finalists.
“We know how big this sound is around the world right now, and LEE very much feels like an artist with a global-facing future.
“Years from now, scientists might try and bottle LEE’s sky-high charisma for mass production, but right now, we’ve got a killer track from a hugely talented artist – and a new Unearthed High champion to celebrate.”
