iHeartMedia and TikTok are teaming up on a new singing competition, designed to turn music discovery into an interactive, community-led experience for unsigned creators that could take them from the app to the stage to the radio.
The joint effort, Next Up: LIVE Music, will be judged through a hybrid of fan engagement on TikTok LIVE and expert scoring, with likes, shares, comments, and live views all playing a role in who advances through each round. The finale will be held September 26 at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank, where the top 12 artists will perform live.
The competition unfolds in three phases. Auditions run from July 28 to August 11 and are open to eligible creators. From there, the top 50 artists move on to the semi-finals, which will stream live from August 25 to 29. The top 12 performers from that round will advance to the finale, a live showcase at the iHeartRadio Theater on September 26.
Eligible participants must be 18 or older, US residents, hold rights to at least one original song, and have at least 50,000 TikTok followers with consistent engagement.
TikTok Head of LIVE Operations, Americas Shen Gao said, “TikTok LIVE gives fans the power to engage directly, support their favorite performers, and truly shape their journey to success. TikTok has long been a launchpad for musical talent, helping undiscovered artists break through and reach global audiences. Together with iHeartRadio, Next Up: LIVE Music is building on that legacy by turning discovery into a shared, real-time experience.”
iHeartMedia Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman added, “TikTok and iHeartRadio are powerful engines for artist discovery and showcasing new talent. Together, we’re creating a pipeline that turns emerging voices into tomorrow’s headliners and with iHeartRadio we have the reach and influence to bring those artists to the masses.”
