HOW IT WORKS
AUDITION PROCESS
1. Click "REGISTER" on the 2026 Registration tab
2. Email thefactorcontest@gmail.com and Include a 60 second (1 minute) video clip of your performance. This can be a link to a YouTube video, Instagram video or an attached video. If the video is longer than 60 seconds, only the first 60 seconds will be judged. Vocalists can be accompanied live, by track or a cappella. No background vocals are allowed. If you use Instagram, please use the hashtag #TheFactorContest
3. Pay entry fee **NEW PAYMENT INFO COMING SOON**
4. You're Entered!
**SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL DECEMBER 15TH, 2025 AT 11:59PM**
ENTRY FEE
$50 PER ENTRY
*ONE (1) ENTRY PER PERSON
WHAT DOES THIS INCLUDE?
EACH VIDEO SUBMISSION WILL BE VIEWED BY A PANEL OF PROFESSIONALS AND A TOP TWENTY WILL BE SELECTED TO COMPETE AT THE FINALS (20 JUNIORS AND 20 SENIORS). FINALISTS WILL COMPETE LIVE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 25TH, 2026 AT 5PM AT BUCKMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. ALL ENTRANTS WILL RECEIVE DETAILED FEEDBACK ON THEIR PERFORMANCE, WHICH CAN BE TAKEN BACK TO THEIR COACH(ES) AND USED FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
HOW TO PAY
**COMING SOON**
JUDGING CRITERIA & **NEW** LIVE PROCESS
PERFORMERS WILL BE JUDGED IN 4 MAIN AREAS
- NATURAL ABILITY
- STAGE PRESENCE
- MATERIAL SELECTION / FIT / QUALITY OF PERFORMANCE
- THE FACTOR (THAT EXTRA SOMETHING THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO WATCH YOU)
**PRELIM ROUND**
IN THE PRELIMINARY ROUND, EACH CONTESTANT WILL BE ASSIGNED A NUMBER, TO ELIMINATE ANY BIAS FROM A JUDGE SEEING A NAME THEY MAY RECOGNIZE. ONCE ALL SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, THE JUDGING PANEL WILL ASSEMBLE LIVE AND WATCH EACH AUDITION VIDEO AND PROVIDE LIVE VERBAL FEEDBACK AND ASSIGN EACH ENTRY A SCORE OF 1-10. THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WILL BE VIDEOED AND RELEASED / POSTED FOR EVERYONE TO SEE; VERY SIMILAR TO THE PROCESSES ON IDOL, THE VOICE OR XFACTOR. JUDGES UNDERSTAND THAT ALL ENTRANTS ARE CHILDREN AND THEREFORE WILL STRIVE TO KEEP THIER COMMENTS POSITIVE WHILE ALSO BEING CONSTRUCTIVE.
*IF SELECTED AS A FINALIST, LIVE PERFORMANCE TIME LIMIT WILL BE THREE (3) MINUTES FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRST VOCAL UTTERANCE. THIS TIME LIMIT APPLIES TO PERFORMERS IN BOTH DIVISIONS. ANY ACT EXCEEDING THREE (3) MINUTES AND TWENTY (20) SECONDS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.