Thousands of musicians from across the country have been waiting to see whether they’ll get to perform on one of the biggest stages in music media today.
This week, NPR announced the winner of the annual Tiny Desk Contest, which provides an unsigned artist with the opportunity to record one of the namesake shows — and get all the exposure that comes with it.
Ruby Ibarra was chosen as this year's winner for her performance of the song "Bakunawa."
Nearly 40 artists from Vermont submitted entries this year, and we’ve chosen a few to share with you.
We’ll hear from Vermont folk musician Rik Palieri and mother-son pair Judi Emanuel and Bredda Mike.
Rik Palieri
Who: Rik Palieri, a folk musician from Hinesburg, Vermont, who — when he's not on the road performing, doing his podcast or TV show — also helps out at his wife's book-binding business.
What: His song entry, "When the Circus Leaves Town," was written after staying with a friend whose young son was sad to see him go. The album version of this song is on Palieri's latest release, Hands of Time.
Fun Fact: Palieri hosted a TV show on Vermont Community Access Media, called The Songwriter’s Notebook, which has at least 120 episodes.
Judi Emanuel and Bredda Mike
Who: Mother and son Judi Emanuel Dyke and Michael "Bredda Mike" Dyke live in Shelburne, Vermont, and are originally from Jamaica.
What: For this contest, they submitted separate entries; however, they often play together in their intergenerational Jamaican family band, Caribbean Rain.
Judi's song: Though Judi Emanuel Dyke has hundreds of songs just waiting to come out and is always composing, her song entry for the contest, titled "Growing Up," was one she wrote nearly 20 years ago. She said she wrote it after losing a family member to gun violence.
Bredda Mike's song: Michael Dyke's song entry is titled "When's it Gonna Stop?" Though he has penned hundreds of songs, he said he chose it because it is the one that he has fully produced. He said he hopes to convey authenticity in his music.
