Aspiring artists meet every afternoon in a recording studio at Battle High School. This year, however, Darkroom Records, a free recording studio in Columbia Public Schools, is sending artists out of the recording studio and into the community. Darkroom Records introduced their first-ever ‘Busk 4 Blues’ competition.

“The ‘Busk 4 Blues’ competition is a chance to get our singers out into the community,” Jordan Smith, sponsor of Darkroom Records, said. “One thing we pride ourselves in is that we are a bridge from school and into the community. We’ve fostered a good relationship with Roots n’ Blues and we are providing an opportunity for students to perform at a well-respected event in Columbia.”

The competition allows for one student to receive a free Roots n’ Blues ticket, along with an opportunity to play at Roots n’ Blues. Students can enter the competition by recording a 30-second video of themselves singing an acoustic song, and tagging @darkroomcps on any social media account.

Callie Brinkman, singer and songwriter for Darkroom Records, encourages all students to participate in the competition if they are passionate about music. “As a singer and intern, I’ve gained a lot more confidence within the music industry and I’ve become a lot more passionate about the industry as a whole,” Brinkman said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for students to perform in front of real people and on a real stage.”

The deadline to submit a video for the chance to win is this Friday, Sep. 20.