Feature photo by Jaedyn Barnaby
Story by Kerstie Wolaver
A rainy Tuesday night couldn’t stop a swarming crowd from gathering at Hop Springs to witness the Are You A Match? final audition show. The competition showcases potential new artists’ talent and gives finalists the spotlight one last time to audition for a spot on the Match Records roster.
Match Records, MTSU’s student run record label, holds the competition once every semester. The long process leads to a final audition. The contest starts with an online submission for consideration. The label narrows the pool down to eight artists to compete in the first round of live auditions, where they’re required to play an acoustic original song. During the final stage, five remaining artists audition in front of a crowd at Hop Springs, where they each play a 15 minute set. It’s a chance for local artists to shine and showcase why they deserve a spot on the roster.
The Match Records artists and repertoire department hosts the event. Madeline Whisenant, head of A&R for the label, emceed the evening. She introduced the performing artists as they came on stage and announced the winners at the end of the evening’s festivities.
This year, the top five finalists represented a wide array of genres. Cade Ortego and the Moodswings brought what they call a “new wave soul” sound to the competition, Austin Evans, performing under the alias Auburn, rounded out the indie rock genre and Paramore cover band-turned original-writing girl group Fatal Affair displayed their eclectic rock discography.
Blues-inspired pop rock artist Kyelen Arora was also included in the night’s lineup, as well as producer, writer and indie artist Toby Bradner.
Arora, as well as Cade Ortego and the Moodswings, went home with a new record deal and a spot on Match Records’ artist roster.
“Even by just trying out they will make connections here,” Jackson Williams, president of Match Records, said. “And if they do get signed, Match can really help them get that social media presence and give them opportunities to perform live and develop their career.”
Cade Ortego and the Moodswings
One of the night’s winners was Cade Ortego and the Moodswings, beginning their set with the soon-to-be single “Sophia” and ending with their namesake track “Moodswingin’.”
“I think this is kind of a big deal, personally,” said Noel Musson, keyboardist for Ortego and the Moodswings.
The group has only been playing together for seven months, but they’re already gaining local traction. They’ve booked shows at spots like Murfreesboro’s Diana Street and Nashville’s The Cobra through the month of December. They also plan on releasing music next semester, with singles rolling out starting in February.
As the final act to take the stage, the six-piece walked on dressed in suits, having the time of their lives from the first words uttered by Ortego:
“How we doing, Hop Springs?”
The group also includes Lucas Merriman on the trombone, Ian Fisher on bass, Patrick McGann on drums and Nigel Pillow playing the saxophone.
Ortego, the group’s frontman, is a sophomore at MTSU. He emphasized that he and his bandmates are friends before they’re business partners, and he expressed his love for the group as people — as well as the talented musicians he works with.
“The tightness of our friendship makes us tighter as musicians,” Merriman said.
Kyelen Arora
Junior Kyelen Arora was the other winner of the night, also earning a coveted spot on Match Records’ roster. Arora said he began taking inspiration from classic metal acts like Metallica and Megadeth, but now finds influences in artists like John Mayer as he leans heavier into blues music.
He began his set with a fun-filled cover of “The Jam” by High Fade and had his audience’s attention when he took a request to play John Mayer’s “Neon.” Arora immediately captivated the crowd with his energy — from the moment he walked onstage he ensured that Hop Springs would have a blast.
Joined on stage by bassist Luke Foote and drummer Hayden Lynch, Arora was excited about the potential connections he will make thanks to Match and looks forward to networking at future shows. He was driven to audition because of the opportunities to meet new people, as well as the chance to get to play more live shows, Arora said.
Arora continued into the song “Warm Waters,” which gave Foote and Lynch a break as he sang and played piano alone before picking the guitar back up and joining the band for a final song.
He ended with “Driving,” a spirited performance that filled his set with multiple guitar solos. The band worked like a well-oiled machine, saying that there was something special about playing in a trio, specifically one that grooves as well as they do.
“Why music? Because It’s fun … and it just makes sense,” Arora said, excited about his own love for music and the new opportunity.
Anyone interested in listening to more of Arora’s music can find his debut “Can’t Fly” on any music streaming platform.
Kerstie Wolaver is a Reporter for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact the Lifestyles Editor, email [email protected].
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