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American Song Contest Announces 56 Jurors Who Will Help Crown the Winner
Including Ester Dean, a.k.a "The Song Machine."
American Song Contest is finally here.
The highly-anticipated music competition show premieres March 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Modeled after Eurovision Song Contest, ASC will showcase 56 Artists—each representing either a U.S. state, territory, or Washington, D.C.— competing for the title of Best Original Song. All the Artists will be singing their own music, and viewers at home—plus a Jury of music-industry experts—help crown the winner.
So, who is on this Jury? Well, it's a stacked lineup of music industry executives, songwriters, radio programmers, A-list managers, and members of the Recording Academy. They'll be evaluating the Artists on their performances, artistic expression, originality, and the hit potential of their songs.
One very notable Juror is Ester Dean, a singer-actor-songwriter known in the industry as "The Song Machine." She's helped pen hits for everyone from Nicki Minaj to Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Rihanna. So, in other words, if she thinks you have a hit song, you definitely do.
See the full list of Jurors, below.
- Alabama – Amber Parker, Program Director, WTXT Tuscaloosa, iHeartMedia
- Alaska – Quinn Christopherson, Artist
- American Samoa – Joseph Fa’avae, Founder, Island Block Network
- Arizona – Double-L, Music Director / On-Air Personality, KNIX Phoenix, iHeartMedia
- Arkansas – Kevin Mercer, Program Director, KHKN Little Rock, iHeartMedia
- California – Dan McCarroll, Former President of Capitol Records and WB Records
- Colorado – Isaac Slade, Former Member of The Fray
- Connecticut – Jaime Levine, CEO, Seven Mantels, Artist Manager
- Delaware – Christa Cooper, On-Air Personality / Assistant Program Director, WDSD Wilmington, iHeartMedia
- Florida – Jose Tillan, Director/Producer – The POPGarage
- Georgia – Jennifer Goicoechea, SVP A&R Sony Music, EPIC
- Guam – Heidi Chargualaf Quenga, Executive Director, CHamorro Cultural Advisor
- Hawaii – Eric Daniels, Keyboardist/Arranger, “The Voice”
- Idaho – Shari Short, Singer/Songwriter/Producer
- Illinois – Mike Knobloch, President, Music and Publishing, NBCUniversal
- Indiana – Nancy Yearing, Talent Development
- Iowa – Taylor J., Program Director / On-Air Personality KKDM Des Moines, iHeartMedia
- Kansas – Michelle Buckles, Program Director, KZCH Wichita, iHeartMedia
- Kentucky – Ashley Wilson, Director of Country Programming, Kentucky/Indiana, iHeartMedia
- Louisiana – Uptown Angela, Executive Vice President of Programming, Format Lead Custom R&B/Gospel, iHeartMedia
- Maine – Lauren Wayne, General Manger / Talent Buyer, State Theater
- Maryland – Caron Veazey, Founder & CEO, Something In Common
- Massachusetts – Jamie Cerreta, EVP Hipgnosis Songs Group
- Michigan – Shahida Mausi, CEO The Right Productions, Inc./Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre
- Minnesota – Barry Lather, Creative Director / Choreographer / Producer
- Mississippi – Joe King the Big Daddy, Program Director, WZLD Hattiesburg, iHeartMedia
- Missouri – Tommy Austin, SVP Programming, iHeartMedia
- Montana – Stephanie Davis, Singer-Songwriter
- Nebraska – Hoss Michaels, Program Director, KXKT Omaha, iHeartMedia
- Nevada – Jim Vellutato, CEO, Arrival Music
- New Hampshire – Charlie Singer, Music Television Producer / Executive Producer
- New Jersey – Matt Pinfield, Nationally Syndicated Radio Host / A&R Consultant
- New Mexico – Tony Manero, SVP Programming Southwest, iHeartMedia
- New York – Tom Poleman, Chief Programming Officer & President, iHeartMedia
- North Carolina – Paul Schadt, On-Air Personality, WKKT Charlotte, iHeartMedia
- North Dakota – Allison Bostow, Program Director / On-Air Personality, KIZZ Minot, iHeartMedia
- Northern Mariana Islands – Galvin Deleon Guerrero, President Northern Marianas College / Radio DJ
- Ohio – Khirye Tyler, Songwriter / Producer / Musical Director
- Oklahoma – Ester Dean, “The Song Machine”
- Oregon – Mark Hamilton, Program Director / On-Air Personality, Portland Audacy
- Pennsylvania – Ty Stiklorius, Founder & CEO of Friends at Work
- Puerto Rico – Carlos Perez, Creative Director
- Rhode Island – Kristin Lessard, On-Air Personality, WSNE Providence, iHeartMedia
- South Carolina – Miss Monique, On-Air Personality / Program Director, WXBT Columbia, iHeartMedia
- South Dakota – Jered Johnson, President / CEO, Pepper Entertainment
- Tennessee – Brian Phillips, Executive VP, Content and Audience, Cumulus Media
- Texas – Natural, Music Producer
- U.S. Virgin Islands – Ajanie Williams, Music Producer & Author
- Utah – Jeff McCartney, SVP Programming, Salt Lake City, iHeartMedia
- Vermont – Lee Chesnut, A&R Consultant
- Virginia – Justin Derrico, Musician
- Washington – Zann Fredlund, On-Air Personality / Music Director & Assistant Program Director, KBKS Seattle, iHeartMedia
- Washington, D.C. – Dustin Matthews, Director of Rock Programing, Washington, DC, iHeartMedia
- West Virginia – Judy Eaton, Program Director, WTCR Huntington, iHeartMedia
- Wisconsin – Shanna “Quinn” Cudeck, Program Director / On-Air Personality, WMIL Milwaukee, iHeartMedia
- Wyoming – Ian Munsick, Warner Music Recording Artist
Reminder: American Song Contest airs live Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on NBC starting March 21.