Official Rules
Last updated: November 2026 · Entry Period: November 16, 2026 – December 31, 2026
All dates, times and venues, including audition and Still A Diamond Gala details, are subject to change. Any changes will be posted on this page and shared with entrants and winners by email.
1.Sponsor
The A Dove Above Music Talent Search (the Search) is sponsored by A Dove Above Music, a subsidiary of E D Landry Holdings Inc., 1000 Parkwood Circle SE, Suite 900, Atlanta, GA (Sponsor).
2.Eligibility
Open to individuals and groups of up to 5 members who are at least 18 years old at the time of entry and legal residents of the United States. Each group member must meet these requirements. Employees, officers and judges of Sponsor, E D Landry Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries, and their immediate family and household members, are not eligible. Artists currently signed to a recording or management contract that would prevent them from accepting the prize are not eligible. Void where prohibited.
3.Entry Period
The Search begins at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on November 16, 2026 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 31, 2026 (the Entry Period). Sponsor's clock is the official timekeeper.
4.How to Enter
During the Entry Period, complete the online entry form at adoveabovemusic.com/talent with:
- your name, email, phone, city and state;
- a link to a performance video of 1 to 3 minutes, recorded within the last 12 months, showing you performing live (no lip-syncing);
- a short bio of up to 250 words; and
- your agreement to these Official Rules.
Limit one entry per person or group. Incomplete entries, or entries submitted by any automated means, are void.
5.Entry Fee
Each entry requires a non-refundable entry fee of $15.00 (USD), paid online at the time of entry. The fee helps cover the costs of judging, the audition venue and production. Entry fees are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. An entrant who cannot afford the fee may request a fee waiver by emailing talent@adoveabovemusic.com with Fee Waiver in the subject line before December 24, 2026. Waived entries are judged exactly like paid entries. Entry fees are refunded only if Sponsor cancels the Search before judging begins.
6.Entry Requirements
Each entry must be the entrant's own performance. Original songs and cover songs are both allowed; entrants must own or have the right to perform the material submitted. Entries may not contain content that is obscene, hateful, defamatory, or that violates anyone's rights or privacy. Sponsor may disqualify any entry it determines, in its sole discretion, does not meet these requirements.
7.Judging
Round One (online). A panel of qualified judges selected by Sponsor will score all eligible entries. Up to 15 top-scoring entrants will be notified by email by January 4, 2027 and invited to audition.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Vocal or musical ability | 40% |
| Stage presence and performance | 25% |
| Artistry and originality | 20% |
| Message, story and connection to the gala's theme of reaching back | 15% |
Round Two (auditions). Auditions take place on January 9, 2027, at a venue in Atlanta, GA, or virtually, at Sponsor's choice. Finalists are responsible for their own travel to in-person auditions. The same criteria apply, plus coachability, assessed in a short coaching segment and used as a tiebreaker. Judges' decisions are final.
8.Winner Selection and Notification
Sponsor will select one or two winners (individuals or groups) from the finalists based on audition scores. Winners will be notified by email and phone by January 22, 2027, and must respond and sign the Artist Development and Performance Agreement within 5 business days, or an alternate finalist may be selected. Sponsor plans to announce winners publicly on February 1, 2027.
9.Prize
Each winner (individual or group) receives: (a) an artist development program from February through April 2027, including 12 vocal coaching sessions, stage presence and set development coaching, media training, rehearsal studio time and a professional photoshoot; and (b) a headline performance slot at the Still A Diamond Gala on May 11, 2027, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. Approximate retail value (ARV): $3,000 per winner. No cash prize. The prize is not transferable, and no cash or other substitution is allowed, except that Sponsor may substitute a prize element of equal or greater value if needed. Travel, lodging and personal expenses are not included unless Sponsor states otherwise in writing.
10.Winner Obligations
To receive the prize, each winner must: sign Sponsor's Artist Development and Performance Agreement; attend scheduled coaching sessions and check-ins; attend the showcase/dress rehearsal on April 17, 2027, the technical rehearsal on May 10, 2027, and the gala performance on May 11, 2027; and take part in reasonable promotional activities (interviews, photos, social content). A winner who cannot meet these obligations may forfeit the prize, and Sponsor may select an alternate.
11.Rights to Entries
Entrants keep ownership of their music and performances. By entering, each entrant grants Sponsor and E D Landry Holdings Inc. a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce and display their submitted video, name, image, likeness and bio to promote the Search and the Still A Diamond Gala, in any media, through December 31, 2027, without further payment. Sponsor will not sell or release entrants' recordings as commercial music without a separate written agreement.
12.Publicity
Except where prohibited, winners agree to the use of their name, image, likeness, voice and performance at the gala for promotional purposes without further payment.
13.Conduct and Disqualification
Sponsor may disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry process, provides false information, acts in a disruptive, harassing or unsportsmanlike way, or engages in conduct that Sponsor determines would bring Sponsor, the gala or its partners into disrepute.
14.Taxes
Winners are responsible for any taxes on the prize. Winners of a prize valued at $600 or more must provide a completed IRS Form W-9 and will receive an IRS Form 1099.
15.Release and Limitation of Liability
By entering, entrants release Sponsor, E D Landry Holdings Inc., its subsidiaries, partners and venues from liability for any injury, loss or damage arising from participation in the Search or acceptance or use of the prize, except where prohibited by law. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete or misdirected entries, or technical failures. If the Search cannot run as planned, including if the gala is postponed or canceled, Sponsor may modify, suspend or end the Search, and may award or adjust the prize accordingly.
15A.Changes to Dates and Venues
All dates, times and venues in these Official Rules, including the audition date and location, rehearsal dates, and the date and venue of the Still A Diamond Gala, are subject to change. Sponsor will post any changes on the Search webpage and notify affected entrants, finalists and winners by email. A change to a date or venue does not entitle an entrant to a refund of the entry fee unless Sponsor cancels the Search before judging begins.
16.Privacy, Governing Law and Winners List
Personal information collected will be used to run the Search and contact entrants, as described in the Talent Search Privacy Policy. These Official Rules are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, and disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Fulton County, Georgia. For winners' names, email talent@adoveabovemusic.com after February 1, 2027.