Digital financial services provider SoFi is launching the "Amplify Your Ambitions" Contest, a nationwide search to discover emerging artists as they pursue their ambitions and advance their careers, in partnership with the Country Music Association and multi-platinum songwriter, producer, and author Kelsea Ballerini, a five-time Grammy Award nominee and multiple ACM and CMA Award winner.
Through April 30, artists can enter for a $200,000 grand prize or one of two $50,000 runner-up prizes. Three finalists will be selected by SoFi. From there, a panel of judges across music and finance will weigh in alongside a public vote to help determine the grand prize winner.
Judges include Ballerini, Vivian Tu, SoFi's Chief of Financial Empowerment and New York Times bestselling author, founder and CEO of Your Rich BFF; and Shane McAnally, four-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter. The winner will be revealed on June 4, when all three finalists perform in front of the judges at an intimate concert in Nashville.
"I know firsthand how much it takes to build a career in music, especially when you're funding it on your own," said Ballerini. "That's why I'm excited to partner with SoFi on this. We're looking for artists with passion, determination, and a strong sense of who they are, artists who are not only committed to their craft but thoughtful about how they invest in themselves and their music."
"At SoFi, we're focused on helping people take control of their financial futures," said Lauren Stafford Webb, Chief Marketing Officer at SoFi.
Entries must be submitted at AmplifyYourAmbitions.com by April 30, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET.
Musicians, both soloists and groups, can enter by detailing how they would use $200,000 from SoFi to help them achieve their music career ambitions. All entrants must provide a video, up to 3 minutes long, responding to the prompt; a 30 - 60-second recording of contestant/s performing an original song; and a brief essay (1000 characters or less) responding to the prompt.
Entrants, including all group members, must be 18+ and legal residents of the United States. To enter, contestants, or the designated representative of a group, must have a registered SoFi account. If you don't have one, it's free to sign up at SoFi.com.
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