How has winning the maurices Small Town Sound contest helped your career over the last year?
The contest has boosted our career ten-fold. Before the contest, we would have to almost beg to play shows in the area, because no one knew who we were. Once we won, and word spread, people were asking us to play shows left and right. We got much more high profile shows, and it has greatly helped push our name in the area. We've also gotten to go back out to L.A. to shoot some more footage, which was a blast. Just being able to put our name behind the contest has boosted our credibility more than we could have ever imagined. Our college, Lewis and Clark Community College, has really backed us since the contest as well. They have put us in and on the covers of numerous catalogs and on their website. They've also put an ad out for us in the previews of our local movie theaters.
What was the best part of the maurices contest for you?
The best part of the maurices Small Town Sound program was the friends and new relationships that we gained from the program. We had the pleasure of meeting people that we would have otherwise probably not had the chance to meet. Being in Austin, TX for SXSW blew the icing off the cake. Getting to open for the Bangles, and hanging out with them for a bit was incredible. They are a true inspiration to the craft. We still keep in regular contact with many of the people that we met through maurices, Play Network and Sonicbids.
What would you tell other artists looking to participate this year?
Enter the contest!! We almost missed our chance to enter it, and who knows where we would be now without it. Also, don't forget how important your fans are in all of this. At the end of the day, if you win this contest, it is pretty much 100% because of your fans. They want to become a part of your life, and you have to let them in. Also, be kind to the other artists in the competition. Become friends with them. If they end up winning, and do big things, being friends with them can only be a plus. It's a dog-eat-dog business, but building relationships is HUGE!!
Anything else you’d like to share about the program?
It has truly been a life changing experience. They have been so great and generous to us. I think at the beginning of creating this contest, they knew they had a great idea, but didn't know exactly what it would become. It has changed our lives, and we are now planning a move to Los Angeles in 2012 to help further our career. Without the contest, I don't think that we would have made that decision as quickly as we have. The people they have put us in contact with, and the experiences that they have given us are far more than we could have ever asked or dreamed. We love them!
Take a listen to Audri & Aaron and then check out the maurices Hometown Sound contest. Submissions close December 28, don’t miss out!
