Billboard & Samsung Launch NXT 2.0 With Celebrity Mentor Mariah Angeliq – Billboard

Billboard is partnering with Samsung for another season of NXT, the social media-driven competition to find the next great unsigned artist.

The search launches the week of Sept. 19 with Mariah Angeliq as one of the season’s three celebrity mentors. The reggaeton star — dubbed “La Princesa de Miami” — will begin sharing how singers can join the competition exclusively on her social channels, with the other two mentors yet to be revealed.

After submitting their audition videos, the top 12 NXT hopefuls will be selected by Billboard and armed with Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip4, Buds2 Pro and Watch5 to compete in a series of three challenges that will test their singing, dancing and creativity. Once the dozen are whittled down based on their weekly scores, the final three will be mentored by the “El Makinon” singer and the other celebrity guests for a grand finale performance in L.A. in front of a live audience and panel of A-list judges.

The winner of NXT 2.0 will get their very own special digital Billboard cover as well as a record label meeting facilitated by Billboard, studio time to record their first single, funding for an accompanying music video, tickets to attend the 2023 Billboard Music Awards and more.

“The next Billboard No. 1 artist is out there right now dreaming of their future as a star,” Billboard president Mike Van said in a statement. “It is an honor to partner with Samsung on this momentous search for those talents who are waiting to be discovered and play a role in launching their careers.”

For more information on NXT, including Angeliq’s upcoming performance at Billboard Latin Music Week, click here.