Reach for the Peak

One lucky musician — or band — from British Columbia is about to become $150,000 richer. Vancouver’s adult alternative radio station, The Peak 100.5 FM, is offering one of the largest cash prizes in the history of Canadian musical contests.

The winner of the Peak Performance Project will be decided by a mix of fan votes, performances, demos, work ethic, and a panel of industry experts. The contest “is designed to educate, promote, develop and hopefully launch the careers of some of BC’s top up and coming artists,” says the project’s website.

Nineteen artists are vying for the top prize, including indie-rockers Bend Sinister, house/reggae/hip-hop act Wassabi Collective, and pop chanteuse Adaline. Fans across Canada can vote for their favourite HERE until Monday, Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

The top three finalists will be revealed, in no particular order, on Monday, Dec. 14. The $150,000 winner will be announced at a concert in January, but the first two runner-ups won’t leave empty-handed. They'll receive $75,000 and $50,000 for their efforts.

In comparison, the winners of the Polaris Music Prize for best Canadian album win $20,000, while the winners of the Verge Music Awards receive $25,000.

If selected as one of the lucky three, Adaline says she would use her winnings to record the follow-up to her debut, Famous For Fire. (The money must be used towards their music careers and not to buy cars or take vacations in Fiji.)

“The money is the carrot dangling in front of your face,” says the part-time Vancouver waitress. “I’m so ready to record a new album but I don’t have the money. To see it in your grasp and to know the money equals creative expression and the freedom to do that, I wouldn’t have to serve beef tenderloin for the next 10 years. It’s insanely motivating.”

As part of the contest, each contestant received $3,500 to show off their work ethic and drum up some buzz. Adaline used hers to shoot a snazzy ‘50s-style video for Whiter/Straighter, a sly and bouncy piano number (posted above). It looks like it paid off — both MuchMusic and Bravo added the clip to their playlists.

About 450 musicians and groups applied to take part in the Peak Performance Project. It kicked off with a boot camp, where 20 finalists spent a week writing songs, performing, and learning from industry experts.(One contestant ended up leaving the boot camp after only a few days.)

“There’s very little sense of competition between anyone,” says Adaline. “If it was all based on votes, it would be cut-throat. But because it’s not, it allows us to support each other, so we all kind of win in that sense.”

The Peak Performance Project is slated to run for the next six years.

An Ottawa modern rock station, Live 88.5 FM, runs a similar contest with an even larger payday — $250,000 for the winner. Five bands, including Hollerado, are in contention for this year's pot. Live's Big Money Shot winner will be announced on the evening of Friday, Nov. 27.