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Season One · Live Music Competition & Artist Development Series
TALENT GETS YOU HEARD.
DETERMINES HOW FAR YOU GO.
Forty emerging artists. Four live shows decided by you. A season built to find out not who sings best on one night, but who has what it takes to keep going.
PREMIERE
DECEMBER 4
BILOXI, MS
FORMAT
LIVE EVENT + STREAMING SERIES
SEASON RUNS
DEC 2026 - 2027
THE FIELD
40 ARTIST → 1 WINNER
SERIES PREMISE
This is not simply a search for the best singer. It's the story of what stands between talent and a career — and who has the heart to close that gap.
Who Got Heart Live follows 40 emerging artists across six stages of competition, each with different rules and different stakes. The story stays constant: who are these artists, what's holding them back, and who has the heart to make it to the end.
The audience doesn't just watch — they vote. For the first four chapters of the season, viewers decide who survives, turning every stream into a stake in someone's career.
40
Artists begin the journey in the opening chapters
8
Survive the opening stage and enter The Cut
4
Reach the semifinal — plus one audience comeback
5
Artists face off in the Grand Finale
1
Winner — chosen for talent, growth, and heart
THE FORMAT
FORTY VOICES, NARROWED BY THE PEOPLE LISTENING.
Every stage of the season is built like a live set — it opens wide and narrows to what matters. Scroll through the shape of the season.
OPENING
40 TOP FINALISTS
Different backgrounds, styles, and ambitions. What connects them is one thing: they want to be heard.
MINI SHOWS 2-4
THREE MORE ROUNDS OF 10
The process repeats with new artists and new obstacles each time, until all forty have had their shot.
BONUS ROUND
HEART'S SECOND CHANCE
One eliminated artist gets another opportunity — the audience decides who wasn't finished yet.
MINI SHOW 1
10 PERFORM, NONE ELIMINATED
No judging on show night. Voting opens the next day — the competition moves off the stage and into real life.
RESULT
TOP 8 ESTABLISHED
The audience now knows these artists' stories. The opening chapter of the season is complete.
GRAND FINALE
TOP 5 → ONE WINNER
Talent, identity, growth, resilience, connection, and heart. One artist demonstrates the complete package.
RESULT
10 → 2 ADVANCE
A month-long voting period decides who earns a spot. The other eight remain part of the season's story.
SHOW 5
THE CUT
The format changes. Eight artists compete for four semifinal spots — and the stakes finally feel real.
RUNNING ALONGSIDE THE COMPETITION
THE SHOWCASE ARTIST
Not every artist on this stage is competing for the title. Some have the talent already — what they're missing is everything else it takes to turn ability into a career.
The competition asks who wins. The Showcase asks who needs help.
Knowledge
Understanding how the industry actually works, beyond the performance.
CONFIDENCE
The self-belief to be seen fully, not just heard.
CONNECTIONS
The relationships that turn a good show into the next opportunity.
EXPOSURE
A stage, a camera, and an audience willing to listen.
BEYOND THE PERFORMANCE
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS A CHARACTER.
Talent is only one part of building a career. The season treats these as real chapters in every artist's arc.
BRANDING & IDENTITY
Who an artist is, beyond the song they just performed.
NETWORKING & BUSINESS
The relationships and fundamentals that outlast one performance.
MARKETING & AUDIENCE
Turning a moment on stage into a following that sticks around.
PROFESSIONALISM
Showing up ready — for sound check, for the room, for the moment.
OPEN CALL
SUBMIT YOUR AUDITION.
Every submission is reviewed by the production team. Read the requirements below before you record. Audition Fee $50
LENGTH
1 minute, 30 seconds — exact maximum, no exceptions.
MUSIC
Clean only. No profanity, explicit lyrics, or inappropriate content.
VIDEO
Hosted as a Private YouTube link — not public or unlisted.
SUBMIT TO
info@whogotheart.com — you're responsible for confirming the link works.
QUALITY
Clear framing, stable and understandable audio.
FORMATS
Solo, duo, or group. Track, acapella, or live music.
HOW TO APPLY
The full registration form covers contestant info, performance details, releases, and — for artists under 18 — a parent or guardian authorization section. Audition Fee $50
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Record a clean, private YouTube audition at or under 1:30.
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Complete the registration form with your artist and performance info.
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Email your working private link to info@whogotheart.com.
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Watch for confirmation from the production team.