Musicians could win performance at Glastonbury

A competition giving new musicians the chance to play at Glastonbury 2025 is launching on Monday.

The winners of Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition will play one of the main stages and be awarded a £5,000 Talent Development prize from PRS Foundation.

The winner of the 2024 competition was Jamaican-Irish rapper JayaHadADream, who has since got national attention and performed at Reading, Leeds and Boomtown festivals.

She said: "Winning the Glastonbury competition changed my life in many ways."

JayaHadADream added: "It opened up so many opportunities. I've had a lot of industry and press interest and worked with artists I've grown up listening to.

"The actual experience of the festival was unlike anything I have ever been to. It makes me emotional thinking about it because it was inspiring, hopeful and therapeutic."

Acts from any musical genre can enter the competition online from 09:00 GMT on 27 January until 17:00 GMT on 3 February.

Once the entries are in, a panel of 30 music writers will help compile a longlist of 90 acts.

The longlist will then be narrowed down to a shortlist of eight artists by judges including Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, before the live finals in Pilton decide the winning act.

Ms Eavis said: "We know how hard it is for new acts to take their first steps towards a career in music - particularly with the challenges facing small venues in this country."

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.