On Jan. 24, Auburn University’s Department of Music held its first Clayton Recording Arts Honors Finals at Lucky Man Studio in Goodwin Hall. After a long deliberation, the judges announced Jack Sears as the winner. The runners-up were Walter Lloyd, Anna Coulson and Syler Stone.
Named after Don and Alexandra Clayton, the Clayton Recording Arts Honors provides Auburn artists support in their music career. This year, artists submitted demo recordings, and six finalists were chosen: Jack Sears, Walter Lloyd, Anna Coulson, Syler Stone, Emma Kennedy and Luke Potter.
The competition awarded the winner three commercial song releases, while the runners-up are awarded one release. Although the competition originally had two runner-up slots, the judges decided to award a third runner-up slot after a night of tough competition. The artists will collaborate with Auburn’s first student-run record label, who will help them produce, market and distribute their songs through Lucky Man Studio.
Even before the competition, the performers and staff were high-energy and excited about the event. While the student label team finished their final preparations, the six performers took a moment to prepare for the finals. Despite his nerves, Luke Potter took comfort in getting this far.
“This opportunity of being recognized already by the judges to become a finalist means so much,” Potter said. “It gives me confidence not only in my own creation on my own, but the chance to have support from a team and support from professionals in a professional environment means the world.”
Each participant felt excited for the competition and the opportunities it brought. Anna Coulson expressed how much it meant to everyone as upcoming artists.
“I think this is a really amazing opportunity for many reasons,” Coulson said. “For one, it can really be expensive to do these types of things — like big projects and EPs — by yourself and get all the marketing, and the promotion, and the producing, and hiring a band and all that type of stuff. So, getting to just have the university completely back you up on that is so special.”
For aspiring artists, music means everything. Many have spent years honing their craft at school and on their own. To Walter Lloyd, that dedication is meant to be shared.
“It’s my life’s purpose,” Lloyd said. “I just want to make people happy and use my music to create a space for connection. Nowadays, everything is so crazy, and everyone is divided, so I just want to use my platform, my music, to make a space for people to connect with each other and be happy.”
Regardless of their personal style, all the artists wanted to show the audience who they really were. As Emma Kennedy put it, her music is like a diary.
“I think I find that writing music is an outlet to be more vulnerable,” Kennedy said, “I say a lot of things in my songs that I wish I could say in real life.”
Jack Sears’ focus was on honesty and authenticity in his work. He believes it lets audiences connect to artists better.
“I think people don’t give the listeners enough credit,” Sears said. “I think most listeners can see through a lot of the bullcrap that some artists put out there. I guess that’s just the one thing I kind of pride myself in not doing.”
For Syler Stone, the youngest and the only non-music major in the finals, authenticity is the only option if you want to be a good artist.
“You can be the best singer, but if you don’t have an authentic story to tell, then you’re not doing it right, in my opinion,” Stone said.
After some welcoming words and introductions, the competition began in full swing. Each finalist gave a brief introduction and sang two songs to a packed audience. At the end of every performance, the crowd applauded and cheered on the artists.
Once the performances concluded, the judges deliberated over the winner and runners-up. The three-judge panel included LaMont VanHook, an acclaimed vocalist who has toured with artists like Madonna and Bruno Mars; Diane Durrett, a singer, songwriter and producer who was the President of the Recording Academy’s Atlanta Chapter; and Harper Grae, an Auburn University graduate, singer-songwriter, producer and executive with a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group.
Durrett and Grae were unable to attend in-person, but they watched the competition from Zoom.
After calling up the top four finalists, VanHook announced Sears as the winner to thunderous applause and cheers. Sears accepted the award and thanked his family, friends and professors.
The finalists celebrated with their friends, family and each other after the competition. As they reflected on their accomplishments, they laughed and joked around with each other and the student label team.
In the end, each winner felt thankful for the opportunity the Clayton Recording Arts Honors gave them and looked forward to their future with the new label. Sears was particularly grateful to everyone who made the competition and record label possible.
“In all, I’m appreciative of everyone who put so much work in for this,” Sears said, gesturing to members of the record label team. “They [people generally] don’t see the people who work behind the scenes, who work the lights or the ones behind the label.”
The record label’s student team consists of Director of Artist Strategy and Operations Emma Claflin, Director of Marketing and Audience Growth Callan Elkins, Director of Public Relations and Communications Ariel Wright and Director of Creative Strategy and Artist Development Kathryn Danley.
According to Wright, the label will officially drop in mid-April during a release party.
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