YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.

Nothing. The free entry is the always-free method of entry, and it's the only entry option in Season 1. The rules reserve the right to offer optional paid additional entries in future seasons (see /rules §5.7), but free entry will always remain available, and no purchase is ever required to participate or to win.

No. The whole point is that AI music tools have lowered the barrier. If you can use Suno, Udio, or any other AI music generator, you can enter.

Almost. You must be 18+ (or have reached the age of majority in your jurisdiction). Prize disbursement is restricted in OFAC-sanctioned jurisdictions. The free entry is available worldwide except those sanctioned regions. If a future season activates an optional paid-entry program (see /rules §5.7), paid entries won't be sold to residents of CO, MD, NE, ND, VT, or Quebec for skill-contest-law reasons; the free entry stays available to those entrants on equal terms. Full list in /rules §3.3.

Any AI-generated track between 90 seconds and 10 minutes. Hybrid (AI + human) is welcome. Pure human-only is not. Original work only: no covers, no remixes, no mashups, and you must own or have rights to the underlying material.

Not in Season 1. One free entry per artist per season. You can enter again next season. Future seasons may offer optional paid additional entries (see /rules §5.7), but the free entry will always remain available.

MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG, or AAC, up to 25 MB. Higher quality is always better; the judges can tell.

No. You retain all underlying ownership of your music. By submitting, you grant a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license that lets us host and stream the track on the platform; use it (in full or in part) in marketing and promotional materials related to the competition; create derivative content like recap videos and podium reveals; and use the audio (along with cover art and metadata) to train and evaluate AI music models. The license is non-exclusive and does not transfer copyright. Full grant language in /rules §6.

Three AI personas with distinct lanes: Ellie Fountaine (vocal performance and emotional impact), Seung-ho Rhee (production quality), and Mochi B. Flats (composition and arrangement). Read their bios on the Judges page.

Every upload triggers all three judges within minutes. Each judge produces a score on a 0.0 to 10.0 scale plus written feedback (a quip and a longer breakdown). The composite of the three scores determines your bracket seeding.

Each judge has a personality and strong opinions. That's the point. The diversity of perspectives is what makes the panel work. The judges also re-score the field on Day 20 (the Second Listen interlude) with fresh context, and those updated scores can shift seeding for the rounds that follow.

Voting works differently in different rounds. Heart voting (R100, R25) lets you tap ❤️ on as many songs as you love (unlimited hearts, one per song). Pair voting (R50, R10) shows you head-to-head matchups and you pick A or B in each. Single-pick (Semifinal, Finale) lets you pick one champion for the round, full stop. The mechanics page has the full daily breakdown.

In the early rounds (R100, R50, R25, R10), no: anonymous voting is allowed via browser fingerprinting. In the Semifinal and the Finale, you must be signed in. The first time you cast an anonymous vote we'll nudge you to create a free account so we can keep your vote linked to you across rounds.

Yes, but only as one voter; your single vote counts the same as anyone else's, and we track for vote brigading. Coordinated fraud (botnets, fake accounts, paid voting services) is grounds for disqualification (see /rules §11).

Heart counts are live throughout R100 and R25. Pair-vote ratios show up after you cast in R50 and R10. The Semifinal shows live tallies. The Finale hides totals entirely until the podium reveal at 23:59 UTC on Day 30.

Wire transfer in U.S. Dollars, within seven calendar days of the Finale settling. The winner provides accurate banking details within 14 days of being notified. Sending fees are paid by the operator; receiving and currency-conversion fees are the winner's responsibility. Full detail in /rules §8.2.

US winners receive a 1099-MISC if the prize meets the IRS reporting threshold. Foreign winners complete a W-8BEN before payout, and the operator generally withholds 30% of the gross prize at source unless an applicable tax-treaty rate applies; the prize is reported on a 1042-S. We strongly recommend consulting a tax professional in your jurisdiction. Full detail in /rules §9.

It can grow, never shrink. The published amount is a floor for the active season; sponsorships, partnerships, or any future paid-entry program can bump it up. We won't reduce a published prize during an active season. See /rules §8.1.

Runner-up and third place share the podium and receive permanent badges, featured leaderboard placement for the next season, and a detailed judge-feedback report. All Top 100 qualifiers stay visible on the season archive forever.