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Ridin’ Starts Competition Returns Once Again In 2025

Megan Hopkins

The Ridin’ Hearts Festival is shining a spotlight on the next wave of Australian country stars with their Ridin’ Starts Competition making a comeback in 2025.

Michael Honan
Michael Honan(Supplied)
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Australia’s breakout country music festival, Ridin’ Hearts, is once again opening the gate for emerging artists, with the official announcement today that Ridin’ Starts, a premier talent discovery program designed to elevate the next generation of Aussie country music stars, will return in 2025.

After a record-breaking debut in 2024, Ridin’ Starts is a partnership with APRA AMCOS that offers more than just a shot at fame, it’s a full-blown, artist-first initiative tailored to help rising acts build meaningful industry connections, hone their craft, and step onto some of the country’s biggest stages. 

This year’s prize package reads like a dream for any up-and-comer, including a 20-minute set on the Lone Spur Stage at Ridin’ Hearts 2025, flights and accommodation, one-on-one mentoring with some of the industry’s most respected names (including Michael Chugg, James Johnston, Tom Jordan, and Natalie Waller), plus custom merch, press shots, a professional content package, and more.

The 2024 winner, Michael Honan, a singer-songwriter from Warrnambool, Victoria, called the experience deeply rewarding.

“Winning the Ridin' Starts competition connected me with influential leaders in the Australian music industry and provided invaluable mentoring sessions,” Honan said. “The Ridin' Hearts team has been incredibly supportive. As a key prize, I had the privilege of performing in the Lone Spur tent at the Ridin' Hearts festival, playing for some of the best country music fans.”

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Honan’s Ridin’ Starts win also led to a slot on the CMC Rocks 2025 Back Forty lineup, an opportunity he says helped him imagine “being on those stages one day.”

To enter Ridin’ Starts 2025, hopefuls must upload a video of themselves performing an original song to Facebook or Instagram, tag @ridinheartsfest, and fill out the official entry form at ridinhearts.com/ridinstarts. 

Submissions close Friday 8 August at 5:00pm AEST, with five finalists to be announced via Ridin’ Hearts and Frontier Touring’s socials before one artist is crowned the 2025 winner by a panel of expert judges.