Chinua Hawk, an R&B singer/songwriter from Pemberton, NJ won the Disc Makers Independent Music World Series (IMWS) Northeast showcase held in late October at The Lion’s Den in New York City. As the grand prize winner, Chinua Hawk takes home over $35,000 in prizes, including recording gear, instruments, CD manufacturing services, DJ equipment and more.
“This is unbelievable,” says Hawk. “Being the last act to perform, we had an opportunity to watch five great acts ahead of us. Our goal was to simply go out and give the crowd one last great performance. Winning the whole thing was totally unexpected. Thank you to Disc Makers and all of the sponsors for this amazing evening of music”
Hawk was one of six finalists competing before a panel of 12 judges that included representatives from Atlantic Records, J Records, Octone Records, Billboard Magazine and Guitar Center. Over 1,000 unsigned bands and independent artists submitted entries for the Northeast region of the IMWS. The other finalists included Mark Geary (NY), Melissa Bathory (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), The Defog (Collingdale, PA), The Last Hotel (Columbus, OH) and The Oggs (NY).
Produced by Disc Makers, a CD manufacturer for independent musicians, the IMWS gives musicians a unique opportunity to showcase their talents, make valuable industry contacts and compete. The showcase is judged by music industry executives, media and celebrities, and features live performances from six finalists.
“Disc Makers prides itself on helping indie artists succeed, and the IMWS is just one of the great things we do to help these artists get to the next level,” says Tony van Veen, vice president of sales and marketing at Disc Makers. “We love coming to New York, and thank each of our sponsors and The Lion’s Den for their continued support.”
IMWS showcases are held in each of four regions throughout the country (Northeast, West, Midwest and Southeast). The regional focus of IMWS helps independent musicians make an impact in their own backyard and make connections that can help advance their careers. The competition is open to musicians of all genres not currently signed to a major record label.
For more information on the Independent Music World Series please visit www.discmakers.com/imws or call 888/800-5796. For more information on the winner, Chinua Hawk, go to www.chinuahawk.com.
