MUNCIE — After decades of karaoke-based music competitions, a new concept has emerged. A television competition for artists/songwriters performing their original music is currently in production. 

The pilot episode for “The Song,” will be filmed throughout Muncie beginning March 9 culminating with a “reveal” concert taking place at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Pruis Hall on Ball State University’s campus. 

Tickets to be a part of the live studio audience at the reveal concert will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, at the Emens Auditorium Box office, charge-by-phone (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information call (765) 285-1539 or visit www.bsu.edu/emens

The concert will feature a reveal of the show’s winner and performances by Daya, whose hit “Hideaway” is currently the number seven song in the country according to MediaBase Charts. Also performing will be Ryan Star and newcomers Tryon, whose debut single, “Somebody to Love Me,” is set to release Feb. 29.

According to Executive Producer Michael Braverman, the producers were drawn to the Muncie area because of Ball State’s first class music and television production departments. Braverman wanted to produce the show from America’s heartland, and as Braverman puts it “Muncie is as heartland as it gets.” 

The show’s selection committee received thousands of submissions from artists/songwriters. From those submissions, 15 finalists were selected from across the country, and will arrive in Muncie beginning March 9 for the unique competition. 

The final two artists who make it through each round of the competition will have 48 hours to convert their original composition into a world class arrangement and production ready for national release. 

The winning song will be revealed in front of a live audience at the reveal concert which will take place at 7 p.m. March 12 at Pruis Hall, Ball State University, Muncie.

The celebrity judges panel will include former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman and successful solo artist, Darius Rucker along with Skip Bishop, former Senior VP of promotion at Sony Music.  Also, involved in the show are Sister Hazel’s Drew Copeland, Blessid Union of Souls, Eliot Sloan, Producer Mark Liggett, music executive Skip Bishop, and many others.