And the winner is… Samsung Galaxy reveals the winner of its UNDSCVRD search for Australia’s next music superstar
The competition was fierce, the songs were epic, and the performances were stellar — but there can only be one winner…
Since embarking on a nationwide search for the Australia’s next hit-maker, Samsung Galaxy’s UNDSCVRD competition has seen five semi-finalists battle it out over the last four weeks in a video series exclusively on TikTok. And now — following a heated live streamed concert event in Sydney — the victor has been officially crowned.
UNCOVERING TALENT
Part of Samsung Galaxy’s strategy to foster and nurture the next generation of Aussie creators, UNDSCVRD was designed to discover Australia’s best emerging and unsigned artists, and to help them thrive.
Following a nationwide search earlier this year, five up-and-coming recording artists were selected from across the country, each representing a diverse range of musical genres.
Over the course of a month, the finalists worked closely with international home-grown chart-toppers, The Veronicas, and award-winning Platinum accredited producer, James Angus, who worked on the Veronicas‘ latest record — to produce their own single and accompanying music video.
Throughout this their journey to attempt to turn their dreams of becoming a star into a reality was documented in a video series on TikTok .
AND THE WINNER IS…
Culminating in a live streamed concert event in Sydney earlier this month, each contestant performed their song on stage in front of a live audience — an audience that included The Veronicas and industry professionals from some of the country’s most respected music media.
After some serious deliberation — and after fending off competition from some of the hottest unsigned Aussie acts on TikTok — Perth-based singer-songwriter Taigh Wade stormed to victory as the 2021 UNDSCVRD winner.
Born in South Africa, Taigh moved to Australia 13 years ago and turned to the guitar when an injury called time on his professional rugby career ambitions. With music replacing sport as his primary passion, the aspiring star went on to attend the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, before releasing his first single independently on Spotify a year ago. Through the UNDSCVRD series, Taigh produced his debut single, “Lost and Found.”
“It was an unbelievable and incredibly empowering experience to work with so many talented people during UNDSCVRD,” reflects Taigh.
“I’ve appreciated all the support and guidance from everyone that I’ve worked with – The Veronicas, James Angus, Samsung Galaxy, and rest of the cast – all of who helped me to realise my vision.”
BOUND FOR STARDOM
Now, armed with a fast-track ticket to his dreams, the only way is up for the fledgling singer-songwriter.
As part of his prize, the young gun will head to the US for the trip of a lifetime, with incredible money-can’t-buy experiences that will expand his world and kickstart his music career.
In LA, he will work with esteemed Aussie production duo, Twice As Nice — who count the likes of Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande as clients. The pair will work directly with Taigh to produce his very own five-track EP.
Next, the UNDSCVRD winner will head to Nashville where he’ll take to the stage for a series of live audience gigs, in addition to shooting music videos to accompany his upcoming EP release.
Back down under, Taigh will perform a three-track set as an opener for The Veronicas at their sold-out Melbourne concerts in January, and will receive ongoing mentorship from an A to Z of professional music industry contacts, as they provide expert guidance, coaching and insider know-how to help take his music to the masses.
“We are incredibly proud of Taigh,” says Samsung Australia’s Group Marketing Manager, Jason Ridge. “He embodies everything we were hoping to uncover in the process of creating UNDSCVRD.
“A self-taught musician and lyricist, Taigh totally backed himself as he took a huge leap of faith into this competition. Couple that determination and ambition with the spirit of Samsung Galaxy to help people expand their world, and you’ve got the country’s next big chart-topper. We can’t wait to see what he does with this opportunity!”
TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY
Standing for innovation, exploration, freedom and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, Samsung Galaxy is on a mission to help encourage young Australians to defy barriers, to achieve what they thought was impossible, and to connect them through barrier-defying technology – technology that has also given them a platform to help them have their music heard.
Since launching in October, UNDSCVRD has attracted a large fan base, which has logged a whopping 22 million views and 450,000 likes on TikTok. And the five finalists’ group song, “Something More” has amassed more than a million views in just 24-hours.
Building upon the success of the competition’s debut, Samsung Galaxy are already looking to next year — and to the next crop of budding, young, independent Aussie performers who are dreaming big. And for these next generation music-makers with stars in their eyes, Taigh has some words of encouragement.
“I hope seeing what I’ve done will help inspire others to follow in my footsteps,” he says, smiling. “We all know that becoming a professional performer is tough, but UNDSCVRD really offers a shortcut to help you get there — it’s a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I know from first hand experience that this competition can help make dreams come true.”
To rewatch both Taigh and the other five finalists on their journey during the four-week vertical video series and for more information on UNDSCVRD, visit the official @UNDSCVRD_artist page on TikTok.
Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
Read these stories next
