JRB 2012 Karaoke Contest
Special Notice: Thank You Video for Jason
All 2012 contestants are invited to participate in a "Thank You" video project for Jason.
Learn how you can be a part of the "Thank You" video.
2012 Karaoke Contest
On Tuesday, June 12, 2012, Jason Robert Brown announced his "2012 JRB Karaoke Competition."
The contest closed on July 1, with a final count of 699 entries.
Jason on his blog says "The best versions of any of my songs are the ones where the musicians (singers included) are deeply engaged with
the emotions and the passions hiding underneath and around the written rhythms and pitches and lyrics."
What's Next?
Now that the contest is closed, many people may be wondering what happens next.
Jason's blog: What happens next.
Prizes
The winner(s) will be invited to come sing with JRB at a concert either in New York, London, Los Angeles or their own hometown.
And while he can't guarantee it, it's very possible that one or more winners will sing a song on his new album, due in the fall of 2012!
How to Enter
Unlike Jason's 2008 contest, this year's contest is audio-only. Simply record yourself singing to one of 22 accompaniment tracks
available from JRB (11 male tracks and 11 female tracks) and post the audio to SoundCloud.
Note that you MUST use one of these accompaniment tracks; they're available for just $.99 each on iTunes.
The best way to buy them, though, is by purchasing Jason's new songbook "Jason Robert Brown Plays Jason Robert Brown."
It's available in a men's edition and a women's edition - and includes a CD with Jason playing accompaniments for every song.
Contest Requirements
- Sing along with one of twenty-two official JRB accompaniments (see list below).
You cannot use a karaoke track (not even one of the same song) except those listed. All other entries will be disqualified.
- Post your audio entry to Soundcloud and tag it with JRBKaraoke
- Share your entry to the JRBKaraoke group on Soundcloud
- Announce your entry on Twitter using Jason's specific "tweet" format (if you don't have a twitter account, have a friend announce it) -
see full contest instructions
- One entry per person
- No age restrictions
- No gender restrictions when choosing one of the 22 accompaniments - sing whatever works best for you
- Entry deadline is end of day (midnight), July 1, Pacific Time
Official Contest Rules
Be sure to
read the official contest rules and instructions (and the ongoing contest discussion with Jason) on
JRB's blog.
Listen to Contest Entries
Listen to all contest entries at
http://soundcloud.com/groups/jrb-karaoke - there are some incredibly talented people competing.
Available Songs
Here's the list of specific accompaniment tracks that can be used. Twenty-two different songs are available in either men's or women's keys.
If your range can support it, you're welcome to sing any one of them regardless of gender. Individual accompaniment tracks and sheet music are available for each song.
In the contest discussion forum, Jason writes: "There are three keys to picking a song, I think: you have to understand it, you have to embody it, and you have to sing the hell out of it.
If "If I Didn't Believe In You" is the one that you really think you have the best take on, then go for it.
Sure, there are a lot of them [renditions entered in the contest], but that means I'll notice something distinctive very quickly.
At any rate, my point is that choosing a less-frequently done song doesn't actually have much bearing on anything;
I know all of these songs very well, so there's no point in trying to surprise me with a new number!"
Contest Entry Stats
Entries came pouring in during the last three days of the contest; about half of the 750 entries were posted that weekend.
During the last 18 hours of the contest, about 160 entries were received.
All songs have now been performed at least five times.
"I'm Still Hurting" and "I'm Not Afraid" are the songs most frequently submitted by women;
"If I Didn't Believe In You" and "Someone to Fall Back On" by men.
Eighteen singers have performed from the other gender's songbook,
which is allowed under the contest rules. There was one entry from a singing group, The Broadway Boys.
Here are the final number of entries for each song as of October 1. Jason has been cleaning up the entries as he goes through them.
Since the close of the contest, about 50 entries have been removed by the contestants or by Jason.
As I write this on 10/1, 705 songs remain in the JRBKaraoke group, three of which are not entries, and three are second entries (by invitation from Jason) for a
total of 699 final entries.
The "Top 70" column refers to the
70 semifinalists selected by Jason on September 30.
| Title | Show | M Count | F Count | Top 70 |
|---|
| I'm Not Afraid Of Anything | Songs for a New World | 2 | 65 | 7 |
|---|
| Stars and the Moon | Songs for a New World | 3 | 38 | 0 |
|---|
| Christmas Lullaby | Songs for a New World | 0 | 42 | 5 |
|---|
| Still Hurting | The Last Five Years | 3 | 88 | 9 |
|---|
| A Summer in Ohio | The Last Five Years | 1 | 31 | 6 |
|---|
| I Can Do Better Than That | The Last Five Years | 0 | 41 | 8 |
|---|
| Goodbye Until Tomorrow | The Last Five Years | 0 | 17 | 1 |
|---|
| You Don't Know This Man | Parade | 0 | 41 | 1 |
|---|
| And I Will Follow | Songs of Jason Robert Brown | 2 | 18 | 2 |
|---|
| Mr. Hopalong Heartbreak | Urban Cowboy | 0 | 9 | 0 |
|---|
| What It Means To Be A Friend | 13 | 2 | 34 | 3 |
|---|
| Subtotal: | | 13 | 424 | 42 |
|---|
| |
| She Cries | Songs for a New World | 15 | | 0 |
|---|
| King of the World | Songs for a New World | 22 | | 2 |
|---|
| The Old Red Hills of Home | Parade | 28 | | 3 |
|---|
| This Is Not Over Yet | Parade | 26 | | 2 |
|---|
| Shiksa Goddess | The Last Five Years | 21 | 2 | 4 |
|---|
| Moving Too Fast | The Last Five Years | 29 | | 6 |
|---|
| If I Didn't Believe In You | The Last Five Years | 48 | 1 | 2 |
|---|
| Being A Geek | 13 - cut song | 4 | | 1 |
|---|
| I Could Be In Love With Someone Like You | Someone Else's Clothes | 11 | | 0 |
|---|
| Nothing In Common | Someone Else's Clothes | 7 | 2 | 0 |
|---|
| Someone To Fall Back On | Someone Else's Clothes | 45 | 1 | 8 |
|---|
| Subtotal: | | 256 | 6 | 28 |
|---|
| |
| Totals: 699 | | 269 | 430 | 70 |
|---|
Special Awards
I'd planned to post special awards here from theBestArts,
but too many entries are too strong. I'll be sure to recognize the winners here, though. I may add a few special awards once the contest ends - or perhaps I can convince
Jason to do so.
Contestants from theBestArts
Note: this is an incomplete list at this time.
For the past five years, I've been featuring rising musical theatre singers and songwriters on theBestArts website and (for three years) on theBestArts website page.
All four winners from 2008 have been included on the website since before that contest began. Quite a few singers from theBestArts participated in the 2012 contest; some
of them were in both. The 2012 contest doesn't allow multiple entries, but the 2008 allowed one entry for up to three songs. The 2008 contest was decided
by a viewer popularity contest; Jason will choose the winners himself in 2012.
While I hope one or more of my friends will win the contest this year, I'm very impressed with MANY of the contestants - and I hope to work with some of them in the
future. Here are a few little backstories about the contestants who've been previously featured on theBestArts.
Please note that this is a partial list; I'll be updating it over the next few days as I have time. About 34 of the entries were from friends of theBestArts.
 |
Shelly Bort
Shelly was one of the first people featured on theBestArts back in 2007. She entered several performances
in the 2008 contest. Although she didn't win, she and Jason became friends -
and she's even recorded a YouTube video in his home. Jason made a specific request on his FB wall that Shelly enter again.
Shiksa Goddess - 2012 entry
Shelly sings with JRB at his home
Shelly on theBestArts
ShellyBort.com
|
 |
Adam Parnell
Adam studied the oboe in college, then switched to singing after an injury. Adam submitted a great entry of "She Cries" in
the 2008 contest. Jason made a specific request on his FB wall that Adam enter again. Although Adam has performed several JRB songs,
he saw that there were very few "She Cries" entries in 2012 so posted a new rendition of the piece.
She Cries - 2012 entry
She Cries - 2008 entry
Adam on theBestArts
|
 |
Dan Olson
Dan was one of the first people featured on theBestArts back in 2007. His performance of
"King of the World" was one of my favorite entries of 2008. Dan was living in Japan at the time, but currently lives
with his (now) wife Amber (see next entry) in New York City.
She Cries - 2012 entry from NYC
She Cries - 2008 entry from Japan
Dan on theBestArts
|
 |
Amber Nicole Patrick
Amber is another veteran from the early days of theBestArts. She submitted a GREAT entry of "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" in 2008 while she was
dating Dan Olson (see earlier entry). Now married to Dan and living in NYC, she entered "A Summer in Ohio" in 2012. I'm SURE they're the only
couple who each entered both contests. By my (very unofficial) vote count, both of them were in the 2008 top ten.
A Summer in Ohio - 2012 entry
I'm Not Afraid of Anything - 2008 entry
Amber on theBestArts
|
 |
Charissa Hope
Charissa delivered a very pleasant rendition of "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" during the 2008 contest. Then she came back in 2012 and KILLED it with her
performance of "I'm Still Hurting." No question, Charissa gets the award for most improved. Charissa is currently the lead singer for the band
Bad Romances.
I'm Still Hurting - 2012 entry
I'm Not Afraid - 2008 entry
Charissa on theBestArts
Charissa's website
|
 |
Gabriel Lopez
I "discovered" Gabe during his junior year at Ohio State when he helped organize a concert of John Bucchino's work.
He performed a killer rendition of "Unexpressed" at the event that caught my attention.
As a senior, Gabe organized a similar concert of JRB songs.
Right before he graduated, he won the first "Signature Idol" contest at the reknowned Signature Theatre in DC, with a
performance of "King of the World." This contest overlapped Gabe's first week performing on a cruise ship in the Pacific.
After rehearsing all day and performing all evening, he sang six takes of "King of the World" into a laptop at 1am - hitting multiple E's above high C in each.
He liked all the takes, but decided to post the sixth.
King of the World - 2012 entry
King of the World - Signature Theatre
Unexpressed - Ohio State
Gabe on theBestArts
|
 |
Broadway Boys
The Broadway Boys comprise a collection of the hottest male voices currently working on the New York stage. I've featured them on
theBestArts for years as a group - and in many cases as individual singers. They were the only group to submit an entry for JRB's 2012 contest -
and they killed it.
What It Means To Be A Friend
Broadway Boys on theBestArts
|
 |
Raena White
Raena White is one of about four 2012 JRB contestants who perform a song on Scott Alan's new "Live" CD. Scott (and Will Van Dyke) fell in love with
Raena when they heard her sing "Miss Celie's Blues" from The Color Purple at Scott's "Monday Nights, New Voices" series in NYC.
She has since sung in concert with each of them.
She's a fellow graduate of the University of Michigan.
Stars and the Moon - 2012 entry
Miss Celie's Blues
|
 |
Marty Thomas
King of the World
Marty on theBestArts
|
 |
Marissa Rosen
You Don't Know This Man
|
 |
Gabriel Violett
If I Didn't Believe In You
Gabe on theBestArts
|
 |
Laura Ashley Greer
Laura was a finalist in Scott Alan's 2012 singing competition.
Moving Too Fast
I'm A Star - Scott Alan
|
 |
Paul Ianniello
Paul was a finalist in Scott Alan's 2012 singing competition.
Moving Too Fast
Over the Mountains - Scott Alan
|
 |
Anna Ty Bergman
|
|
Sidonie Smith
|
|
Nicholas J. Oliveri
|
|
Trey Getz
|
|
Nick Catoire
|
|
Max Chernin
|
 |
Paul Louis Lessard
|
 |
Mykal Kilgore
|
 |
Danny McHugh
|
 |
Maria Logan
|
|
Tess Primack
|
|
|
More links to the 34 or so entrants from theBestArts coming soon...
How to Be Featured on theBestArts
I'm continuing to add singers (and songwriters) to theBestArts. Please nominate yourself or a friend to be featured on the website - there is never a charge.
Nominees must have at least four high quality videos posted on YouTube - of high quality performances.
I'm particularly interested in rising songwriters, singers actively pursuing a Broadway career, cabaret singers, and a cappella singers/groups. I'm also looking for people
willing to maintain YouTube playlists of great performances from individual college musical theatre programs.
Nomination instructions.