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The BREAK OUT Competition Winner Has Been Decided... Or Not?

Megan Hopkins

In a surprise twist, Blacklist Productions has crowned two artists and doubles the prize pool to $16,000

Keely Ellen, Jaydin Shingleton
Keely Ellen, Jaydin Shingleton(Supplied)
More Keely Ellen Keely Ellen

In a surprise twist that underscores just how strong the talent pool truly is, Blacklist Productions has doubled the stakes for its inaugural BREAK OUT competition, awarding two grand prize winners instead of one, bumping the total prize pool to $16,000.

The joint winners, Keely Ellen and Jaydin Shingleton, were handpicked by a judging panel led by Blacklist founder and Golden Guitar-winning director Jay Seeney, after the standout final round made it impossible to choose just one.

“The calibre of the entries was staggering. It proved our belief that there is a deep well of undiscovered, world-class talent in Australia,” said Seeney. “When it came down to the final decision, we were faced with two undeniably talented artists who are both ready for the next step. The only logical move was to rip up the rulebook and reward them both. Investing in talent is never a bad decision, and we're doubling down on Jaydin and Keely. I can't wait to get to work with them.”

Both winners will now receive the full prize package, including a signature cinematic music video by Blacklist Productions, a professional photography session and a two hour career strategy session with Seeney himself. What started as a singular opportunity has now become a dual launchpad for two emerging artists ready to level up.

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Announced a few weeks go in June, the BREAK OUT competition set out to discover and nurture Australia’s next wave of musical talent by providing them high-end visual content and industry guidance. The overwhelming number of entries, as well as the sheer quality of the finalists have already positioned the competition as a powerful new platform for independent artists.

Blacklist Productions is one of Australia’s top-tier music video and visual content studios, known for crafting emotionally powerful, cinematic visuals for artists including Lee Kernaghan, James Johnston, Casey Barnes, and The Wolfe Brothers. Founded by Seeney, Blacklist Productions is a leader in shaping the visual identity of modern Australian country music.