OVERVIEW OF VOTING PROCESS AND PRIZES (5 × 0.5 in) (1)
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General Requirements
Voting Process & Prizes

You, God’s Music™ welcomes you with open arms and prays that your music message is heard by many people. We are looking forward to the opportunity to witness your ministry and your talent, to worship God! You, God's Music™, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization, with the mission to promote up-and-coming Christian artists, encourage unity and joy among Christian groups through music, and help fund other organizations, which promote the common good of our communities.

Melinda Drake
Melinda Drake
★★★★★
2023 Showcase Winner

"I'm still trying to process everything and recover from the weekend! But, I just wanted to say thank you again...for everything! I am so grateful and still overwhelmed!"

$9,563 prize money

$4,781.50 donated to: Touchpoint Community Church

Plus Showcase prizes valued at $13,900

Total winnings: $23,463

Justin Gambino
Justin Gambino
★★★★★
2021 Showcase Winner

"What an honor to be part of this Showcase and spread the message of the Gospel through music. Thanks for all you do and have done! Humbled by this opportunity to spread the message of my music!"

$4,988 prize money

$2,247 donated to: Surfside Church

Plus Showcase prizes valued at $11,250

Total winnings: $18,485

Summer Frost
Summer Frost
★★★★★
Top 5 Finalist

"Really excited about this! Thank you for this opportunity and honoring the Lord with this!" 

$1,913 prize money

$1,913 donated to: Trinity Baptist Church

Plus airfare, hotel and meals for the Showcase in San Antonio.

Carol Chisolm
Carol Chisolm
★★★★★
Top 5 Finalist

"I appreciate you and You, God’s Music for the opportunity to share the glory of God through music with so many people. I pray I represented Christ well." 

$1,691 prize money

$1,691 donated to: Love Center Church Melbourne

Plus airfare, hotel and meals for the Showcase in San Antonio.

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  • 1 Eligibility - Contestants must be 16 years of age or older and reside in the United States, U.S. Territories, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, or South Africa in order to submit material to the You, God’s Music™ Multimedia Platform. Legal documentation is required to verify age, such as a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or a parental consent form for those under 18.
  • 2 Performance Submissions - Throughout the Showcase, Contestants may be required to record and upload up to three (3) full-length Christian cover or original songs to the platform. The following types of submissions are not allowed: 1. Lyric videos or slideshows with Christian imagery and audio. 2. Lip-sync videos not featuring the Contestant’s voice. 3. Short clips or partial songs. | Light lip-syncing to one’s own recorded vocal is permitted to enhance performance quality (especially in outdoor or live settings where technical limitations exist), as long as the Contestant's voice can be heard clearly.
  • 3 Photo Submission Requirement: Each Contestant is required to submit a photo along with their audition. If selected by the Showcase Judges, the submitted photo will be used for promotional purposes, including display on our platform alongside the Contestant’s music video. It may also be featured in marketing materials, such as graphics and advertising content, to support the Contestant’s promotional efforts.
  • 4 Approval & Notifications - Once a submission is reviewed and approved, Contestants will receive a notification via email or text. At the conclusion of each round, all Contestants will be informed whether or not they have advanced.
  • 5 Song Selection Per Round - A different musical video must be submitted for the first three rounds. In the Final Round, Contestants may either submit a new song or select a previously submitted video.
  • 6 Vote Count Display - In the first three rounds, the number of public votes will be displayed on each Contestant’s thumbnail image. Additionally, each Contestant will have access to a list of their donors, viewable through the donation notes. | In addition to the vote count, the Contestant's thumbnail will also display a number indicating their current ranking position based on total votes received. This feature provides a clear and motivating visual of each Contestant’s standing within the round. | In the Final Round, both the vote count and ranking display features will be turned off to maintain the integrity and suspense of the final results.
  • 7 Final Round Submission - For the Finals, Contestants will be prompted to upload the best of their previous performances or a new musical video to be voted on by the public.
  • 8 Faith Testimony Video (Semifinals) - During the Semifinal Round, Contestants must submit a 2-minute video testimony sharing how their faith in Jesus Christ has impacted their life. | This testimony is not scored, but is intended to help the public connect with the Contestant’s spiritual journey. | The testimony should complement the Contestant’s musical performance and must be uploaded at the start of the Semifinals.
  • 9 Charity Benefit - A Christian Church, Community, or Christian Educational Organization selected by the Contestant will receive 20% of their total public vote count as a charitable gift.
  • 10 Encouragement to Build Support - Contestants are strongly encouraged to invite friends, family, church members, and community supporters to register, and become part of the You, God’s Music™ community, but not necessary to vote.
  • 11 Advancement Based on Talent & Support - Progression in the Showcase is based on a combination of musical talent and the number of public votes a Contestant receives. | At the start of each new round, vote and score counts reset to zero. Vote counts are visible during the first three rounds but not shown in the Final Round.
  • 12 Eligibility Restrictions - Employees, board members, affiliates, vendors, and sponsors of You, God’s Music™, as well as their immediate family members or household residents, are not eligible to participate in the Showcase.
  • 13 Music Selection & Licensing - Contestants may perform either Christian cover songs or original compositions. Contestants can choose from over 25 million Christian songs within the ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC catalogs, covering genres from Contemporary Christian to Gospel. No purchase of rights or sheet music is necessary. Final approval of song choice rests with You, God’s Music™.
  • 14 Judging & Confidentiality (Finals) - In the Final Round, Judges’ scores are submitted confidentially to the accounting firm, Aprio, LLP, and are not accessible to board members, staff or Contestants. Contestants will not have direct interaction with Judges during the competition. While vote counts are hidden in the Final Round to the public, Contestants may still view their vote count and donor information via Donation Notes on their wall.
OVERVIEW OF VOTING PROCESS AND PRIZES (5 × 0.5 in)
🗳️ Voting Process – You God’s Music Showcase
The voting process for the You God’s Music Showcase is designed to honor both community support and artistic excellence, while also giving back to meaningful causes. Below is a detailed breakdown of how each round works:

Round 1: Public Voting Only
  • All accepted Contestants submit an audition video (original or cover song).
  • Voting is 100% public, with each vote is cast through a $1 donation in support of the artist and their chosen beneficiary. Minimum donation of $5.
  • At the conclusion of Round 1, the Top Half of the Contestants (based on vote totals) will advance to Round 2.
  • To qualify for disbursement, Contestants must receive a minimum of $50 in total votes. This ensures both the Contestant and their chosen beneficiary are eligible to receive their respective 20% portions.
Round 2: Public Voting Only
  • Contestants submit a new video (original or cover song).
  • Voting is again 100% public.
  • The Top 25 Contestants with the most votes move on to the Semifinals.
  • Votes from Round 1 do not carry over—everyone starts fresh.
  • Contestants must receive at least $50 in votes to qualify for disbursement.
Round 3: Semifinals – Public & Judges
  • Semifinalists submit a new performance video (original or cover song).
  • Final scores are determined by a 50/50 calculation:
    • 50% public vote
    • 50% Judges’ scores, based on vocal ability, originality, performance, and message.
  • The Top 5 Contestants will advance to the Showcase Finals.
  • The $50 minimum still applies for disbursement eligibility.
Round 4: Showcase Finals – Live at the Tobin Center
  • 5 Finalists perform live on stage at the Tobin Center before an audience, Judges, and industry professionals.
  • Scores are calculated using a 60/40 system:
    • 60% Judges’ scores
    • 40% public vote
  • The winner will be crowned the You, God’s Music Showcase Champion, receiving a large cash prize, an exclusive Recording Artist Package and so much more!
🎁 Giving Back
We are proud to announce that our official sponsoring charity for this year is Habitat for Humanity, supporting their mission to provide safe and affordable housing for families in need. A portion of every vote will support this impactful work, in addition to each Contestant’s chosen beneficiary.
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1st Round

Submission cut-off date: Friday, April 17, 2026 at 3:00 pm CDT. Once the Contestant’s first song is pre-approved to participate in the Showcase, it will go live. Voting will take place from Friday, April 17, 2026 at 9pm CDT – Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 9pm CDT. In the First Round, the Contestant’s score will depend solely on popular vote. Only the Top Half of the contestants will move on to the 2nd Round.

2nd Round

Video Submission Dates: Monday, May 4, 2026 at 9:00 am CDT – Friday, May 15, 2026 at 3:00 pm CDT. Videos go live and voting takes place: Friday, May 15, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT – Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT. In the Second Round, the Contestant’s score will depend solely on popular vote. Only the Top 25 Contestants will move on to the Semifinals.

SEMIFINALS

Video Submission Dates: Monday June 1, 2026 at 9:00 am CDT – Friday, June 12, 2026 at 3:00 pm CDT. Videos go live and voting takes place: Friday, June 12, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT – Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT. During the Semifinal Round, contestants will submit a brief testimony on how their faith in Jesus Christ, has impacted or influenced their life. This testimony should be a story behind the contestant's song to add a personal touch to the contestant's performances allowing them to connect with the audience. The General Public will have the opportunity to cast their votes and support Contestants. However, in the Semifinals, 50% of the final score will be calculated from the Judges’ votes, and 50% of the score will be calculated from the number of votes that Contestants receive from the General Public. Only 5 Contestants will move on to the Finals. In the Semifinals and Finals, if a Contestant gets a zero score from the judges, that Contestant will not be able to move to the next round or win, no matter how many votes, they receive from the General Public. Only the Top 5 Contestants will move on to the Finals.

FINALS

For Finals - Submission dates of a song video recording selected from one of the previous rounds or a completely new song: Monday, June 29, 2026 at 9:00 am CDT – Friday, July 3, 2026 at 3:00 pm CDT.
Videos go live and General Public voting takes place: Friday, July 3, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT – Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 9:00 pm CDT.
The Finals will have two parts, the recorded testimony and a live performance. The winner of the entire Showcase will be chosen by popular vote on the recorded video performance (40%) and by the Judges’ vote (60%), who will be scoring the live performance.
The live performance will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas located next to the San Antonio Riverwalk. The TOP 5 Contestants will compete in the Showcase Finals and may sing a new song or select a song submitted in previous rounds. *You, God's Music will commit to pay the airfare and lodging, for a contestant or a duo (in case that such finalist is a group), with a two night stay, to travel to San Antonio, Texas, for the Showcase scheduled on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
OVERVIEW OF VOTING PROCESS AND PRIZES (5 × 0.5 in)
Musical Ability
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Stage Presence
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Interpretation
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OVERVIEW OF VOTING PROCESS AND PRIZES (5 × 0.5 in)

FIRST - the winner will receive: an $9,500 authentic and high-quality original single, mixed and mastered.

  • The You, God's Music Showcase Winner will receive an authentic and high-quality original single, mixed and mastered. With a video package with a song story interview and acoustic performance. Plus, one professional photo session with a digital media package.
  • This would include 1 day for the Winner to record vocals and 1 day for filming the video in Nashville! We will provide airfare, hotel and lunch to Nashville and include recording/mixing the Winner's acoustic performance.
  • The Showcase Winner, will record their vocal & video with Walter Halliwell, a Nashville-based Producer and Songwriter dedicated to helping artists discover their sound and craft radio-ready songs. Over the years, Walter has worked with esteemed artists in the Christian industry, including NewSong, Building429, Tasha Layton, Jordan Feliz, Crowder, and more. https://www.walterhalliwell.com/

SECOND - a consultation with an Attorney at the Langley & Banack, for Copyright Registration Application, for a song and to review a live performance contract.

THIRD - Hair & Beauty makeover by an amazing beauty professional.

FOURTH - $500 Southwest Airline gift travel card.

FIFTH - the Showcase Winner will take home 80% of the their total donation votes and 20% will be gifted to the winner's church or religious organization.

SIXTH - airfare, hotel and meals for the Showcase in San Antonio, Texas.

Audition Now

If you have any questions, please email: info@yougodsmusic.org

We thank you and we look forward to your participation!

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