Q. What is Firstfruits Music Awards?

A. It’s a top-tier Christian music awards event limited to 5,000 submissions globally. Our prime objective is to help raise artist awareness including public exposure of the top 24 highest scoring songs of this contest. In addition, artists with the top 12 highest rated songs may be contacted by leading industry professionals who may offer advice and explore potential opportunities in the music business. Opportunities for collaboration may arise, but no guarantees are given. The winner’s cash prize of £25,000, plus the benefits previously described, are some of the key reasons why this event is probably the best option for aspiring Christian artists. Our pledge to invest £5,000 in mission work also illustrates our genuineness to support kingdom focused projects, ultimately giving hope to the lost.

Q. What does your £5,000 pledge to support missions actually mean?

A. This amount will be funded from song submission receipts, which means that in addition to participating in this event, each artist will be actively contributing to kingdom initiatives. During the course of this contest, Firstfruits Music Awards will announce, via this website and social media, the organisation or organisations selected to receive this financial support.

Q. Is the submission of cover versions of Christian songs permissible?

A. Only original songs may be entered into this event.

Q. Is there a limit to the number of songs that I may submit to this contest?

A. Yes, the maximum number of song submissions per artist is 5. This limit has been set to ensure that this contest is fair to all entrants.

Q. The lyrics of my song are not in English, can I still enter?

A. Yes, providing an English translation together with the native lyrics are uploaded during song submission.

Q. If I am from a non-English speaking nation, do I have a realistic chance of winning?

A. Yes, our multistage song evaluation process ensures that every song submitted regardless of the Christian sub-genre or ethnic influence will be evaluated fairly and in an unbiased manner. This assumes that the song lyrics have been provided at song submission in both the original language and in English.

Q. Does Firstfruits Music Awards accept ‘a cappella’ song performances?

A. Yes, we welcome ‘a cappella’ song performances.

Q. When is the competition deadline for song submissions and when will the winners be announced?

A. The deadline for entries will be when 5,000 song submissions have been received. The winner will be announced 60 days from this date. 

 

Q. How do I know this event is legitimate?

A. We would not be able to attract such an elite panel of judges if this event wasn’t legitimate.

Q. Why is the entry fee higher than in some other competitions?

A. This is because this event is limited to 5,000 submissions globally. This means that each entrant’s submission will have a genuine chance of winning this prestigious award. In fact, that equates to you being 6 times more likely to win than those alternative contests that receive in the region of 30,000 submissions annually. The Firstfruits Music Awards is the highest international accolade for aspiring and emerging Christian artists, and is reflected in the £25,000 award and prestigious statue.

Q. Why are there only major cash prizes for the winner and finalist?

A. This is an exclusive award celebrating the very best in Christian music and to have more than two cash prizes will dilute the value of this event. Nevertheless, in addition to these cash prizes, judges may wish to contact the artists with the top 12 highest scoring songs to provide advice and highlight potential revenue opportunities. There could be opportunities for collaborative work, but no guarantees are given.

Q. How is it possible for songs of different genres to be compared equally?

A. The biblical message is a key factor and the genre or delivery mechanism is less important, plus our judges have extensive experience and possess the necessary skills to evaluate entries across all genres in a completely unbiased manner.

Q. What endorsements do you have?

A. Please refer to the response to the question: ‘How do I know this event is legitimate?’

Q. How will entrants be notified of the results?

A. Throughout the competition all entrants will be notified by email and via their online account of the event’s progress and the status of their song/s.

Q. Please explain the competition's evaluation process.

A. During stage 1, the screening panel will carefully evaluate each song submission using the following 7 criteria; Originality, Scriptural Content, Song Lyrics, Song Melody, Song Arrangement, Performance & Commercial Viability. The screening panel is headed by the event founder who has been involved with various Christian ministry activities since 2009. He has worked as an executive producer of Christian film and music and has worked with some of the finest talent in the industry. He also served as a judge for the longest running Christian films award event in the world, specialising in rating the ‘Best Music/Worship Production’ category.

 

The top 24 highest scoring songs will proceed to stage 2. This is where the general public will be invited to listen to, score your songs and provide valuable feedback. Artists will be able to access this information via their online account.

 

At stage 3 our judges will be invited to review each of the final 12 songs, applying for the second time, the 7 step evaluation process as described in stage 1. The top two songs with the highest scores will determine the winner and finalist. In the event of a tie, the event founder will select the overall winner.

Q. Can I submit other religious or non-Christian songs?

A. This contest is exclusively for artists that produce Christian/Biblical songs. In the case where a non-Christian song has been submitted this will be disqualified and a refund will not be given.

Q. I can’t find much information on the internet about Firstfruits Music Awards, why is that?

A. Firstfruits Music Awards is a new concept that was launched in July 2022 in response to the lack of recognition and support available to aspiring Christian artists.

Q. Do I need to be over a certain age to participate in this event?

A. No. However, entrants under the age of 18 years will be required to provide parental/guardian consent.

Q. I read on your website that my chances of winning the Grand Prize could be 6 times higher than alternative contests, why is that?

A. This is because this event will close on receipt of 5,000 submissions. This approach has a distinct advantage compared with traditional music/song contests that receive as many as 30,000 song entries. Our approach provides aspiring Christian artists with a genuine opportunity to win the Grand Prize and a potential springboard on which to advance their music careers.

Q. Most other music/song competitions have a Christian song category, so why should I consider Firstfruits Music Awards the best option for me?

A. There is a vast difference between our event and the alternatives. Here are some of the unique points and key benefits:

(1) This is the only global music awards event dedicated to Christian artists of both released and unreleased material.  Furthermore, the cap on submissions at 5,000 leads to a realistic chance to win the Grand Prize of £25,000 and provides a significant opportunity for an artist to advance their career.
(2) Our panel of judges are eminent industry professionals that understand the importance of the message behind the lyrical content of Christian songs. This means that your songs will be evaluated in a Christian context, which will not necessarily be the case with mainstream music awards. Furthermore, our judges have affirmed our Christian Values, Ethics and Music Standards Statement, which shows their understanding and commitment to providing you with the best possible service.
(3) We provide a unique opportunity for the public to vote on the 24 highest rated songs and the opportunity for them to win prizes for the best song reviews. This means that in addition to a thorough evaluation by top industry professionals, these songs will receive public exposure too. This process is extremely valuable for artists, allowing your ‘voice’ to be heard on a global scale. Although experts know the ingredients for a great song, it is the public who are the consumers!
(4) All entrants can rejoice in the fact that £5,000 from the proceeds of this event will be allocated to support gospel led missions. This means that through your song submission you’ll be united with other Christian artists participating in this event to support The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

Q. Why do you have a small number of judges on your panel and how is it possible for them to evaluate 5,000 songs?

A. We deliberately took the decision to create a small, but elite panel of judges. Selecting the very best people for this event has been our priority. For us the emphasis is on quality and not quantity. Together our panellists have a vast set of diverse and complementary skills. Their combined experience includes former Idols judge, A&R director, producer for top US record label, Christian TV presenter of a show with a global audience of 70m, OBE Queen’s honours recipient for services to music, Music Director for largest annual Christmas events in Australia (80,000 attendees), Christian college lecturer, an ordained minister and globally renowned actor including a supporting role in a blockbuster film series. Because of the three stage process and 7 step methodology we employ to evaluate songs, we have the necessary resources and expertise in-house to comprehensively review each song submission. At the preliminary phase, each song is carefully evaluated from a biblical perspective by our screening panel which includes the Firstfruits Music Awards founder. He has been involved with various Christian ministry activities since 2009 and has worked in his capacity as an executive producer of Christian film and music, working with some of the finest talent in the industry. He also served as a judge for the longest running Christian films award event in the world, and specialises in rating the Best Music/Worship Production category. For further details on the evaluation process please see the response to the question above: ’Please explain the competition’s evaluation process.'

Q. Is there a maximum song length?

A. Unlike other contests, there is no maximum time limit placed on songs entered into this competition. However, it should be noted that the most commercially successful songs are less than 5 minutes in duration.

Q. How much is it to submit a song into this contest and are discounts available for multiple song submissions?

A. The entry fee is £25 (Great British Pounds) per song regardless of multiple submissions. For entrants submitting songs from outside the United Kingdom, the equivalent payable in the artist’s local currency will be displayed during the payment process.

Q. Can I submit a music video via an URL link?

A. Yes. However, only the music element will be evaluated.

Q. Will Firstfruits Music Awards notify entrants on receipt of music submissions?

A. Yes. Song entrants will be notified by e-mail upon receipt of their song.

Q. How do I find out about the status of my song during this contest?

A. Prior to submitting a song to the competition, artists are required to set up an account via this website. This account allows artists to review their orders, song submissions and track the status of entries and review scoring when available. In addition, for those songs that progress to stage 2, artists will be able to access their public reviewer score and feedback when provided. At stage 3, artists will be able to review judge scores and available critiques. In addition, artists will receive emails notifying them of the status of their song submission/s.
 

Q. Does Firstfruits Music Awards provide feedback on songs submitted?

A. Via their online account, every artist will have access to their song scores. The maximum possible award for a song is 70 points. This is derived from seven categories with each having a maximum of 10 points. The song evaluation categories are: Originality, Scriptural Content, Song Lyrics, Song Melody, Song Arrangement, Performance and Commercial Viability. In addition, artists will be notified by email when the status of a submitted song has changed. For further information, please refer to the response to the previous question: 'How do I find out about the status of my song during this contest?'

Q Am I permitted to enter a song that has been submitted into another contest?

A. Yes. There are no restrictions placed upon entrants should they choose to submit the same song to multiple contests.

Q Do I still retain the rights to my song if I submit it to this contest?

A. Yes. The entrant retains all ownership rights to any original songs submitted to this contest.

Q May I submit a song that has been released either digitally or on CD?

A. Yes. All original songs from individual artists or bands and independent labels including those that have achieved a level of success are welcome.

Q I have a question that remains unanswered.  How can I contact you?

A. You may contact us here.